There is a question that has stirred within my heart towards the lover of my soul, “How is it between You and I? At the end of the day, when all is said and done, how is it between You and I?” I am fully beginning to realize nothing else will matter when I stand before my King, except my relationship with Him. Everything in life comes from the One. Our lives will inevitably produce fruit, but those things will fall short if our whole focus has not been on a pursuit of intimacy with the lover of our soul.
Then yet another question arises: As our lives produce fruit and the Holy Spirit blows upon us releasing the fragrance of Jesus, has it been for public viewing or for the audience of One? My heart says, let the King come into His garden and eat His pleasant fruit. Just as I have tasted of His goodness, I want Him to taste and see that it is good…all that He has put within me is for Him alone. For nothing in this world will satisfy like Him. Everything I do and say I want to come from the place of an enclosed garden of passionate love. The wellsprings of life will come from within me, but must arise from the deep places of intimacy.
According to historical facts, during the time frame that King Solomon would have written the Song of Songs, there were special gardens that were built and designed only for the kings. These special gardens were not open to the public or for public viewing. These gardens were very private and kept up with extreme care. So, King Solomon would have been referring to this type of garden in Chapter 4 when the Beloved is comparing the Shulamite to a garden enclosed. Meaning she is a private garden, only for the viewing of the King.
Song of Solomon 4:12-16
(The Beloved) “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, fragrant henna with spikenard, spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices— A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
(Shulamite) Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.”
PERSONAL REVELATION
Fountains sealed (enclosed) – all of our dreams, aspirations, and passions…the desires that God has put in our heart…all the things that make the King of kings smile!!! All of our passions become alive, as springs of living water because they are from the dream giver Himself. The dreams and desires that God has placed within each one of us since before the beginning of time; for He knew us in our mothers’ womb. He knows the desires of our heart and those desires only become fulfilled in coming into a full understanding of the love of the Father and love of Jesus Christ for us. As deep intimacy is unlocked in us, as deep passion and love is unlocked within us for Jesus, the very dreams within us become the fountains of life that begin to naturally spring forth from the depths of our heart. These fountains were designed for Him and through Him alone. Literally we gain life through what Jesus did on the cross for us, the greatest demonstration of love, but out of the love He had for us first, we reciprocate back to Him with all that He has deposited in us. Our passions and desires literally become the wellsprings and demonstrations of love back to the lover of our soul. They are fountains that arise and spring forth in great splendor for the King.
Choice fruit – fruit produced only for the tasting and enjoyment of the King; fruit that comes from those wellsprings of life. As the Shulamite states, “Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” She calls it “His” garden and “His” fruit. So it should be! That as we are in full out pursuit of Him, our dreams and passions become fulfilled beyond our wildest dreams, but all the fruit, all the blessings, all the gifts, talents, and more, are all for HIS GLORY ALONE; for Him alone to taste of and be pleased with.
A garden that has been kept only for the King and not for public viewing or spectators, will be well maintained, pruned, full of choicest fruits, and not contaminated. Public gardens get trampled, exposed to diseases, and are at a higher risk for abuse and being taken advantage of, and even vandalized. In a public garden, someone else may pick the flowers, pull off branches, create their own paths, throw garbage in, and deface. It is a lot more effort to maintain a public garden. In the natural, public gardens can be extraordinarily beautiful, but because they are open to the public, it takes a greater effort to maintain them. So it is, that as the gifts and talents that God has deposited in us to change the world and release the fragrance of heaven, one must purpose to maintain their garden at a higher level. Purpose to have “closed hours” to refresh, stay healthy, be well watered, and grow. The cost to maintain these gardens is high. One must count the cost, but the results will be priceless and produce much fruit for the King, the lover of your soul!
Bethany Conway 
Leave a Reply