In Bloom

25/01/2026 - Vincent Gulay Solomon was the King, but he was under another authority – the God of Israel. He starts his Wisdom literature with Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. “Fear” or reverence, and submitting to the Lord is key to living wisely, and righteously. With relationships – we look to Jesus as the example. Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Yes Jesus died for his Bride (the church), but he also lived righteously for his bride. We are to do the same. When it comes to romantic relationships, Song of Solomon shows us imagery using gardens as a metaphor, and we are to cultivate a romantic relationship to full bloom. The Bible gives us some guidance on how we can see our gardens in bloom. – Prepare the Soil – Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time and season for everything…” Song of Solomon 2:7 – “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” Song of Solomon 2:11–12 – “For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” Song of Solomon 7:12 – “Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vine has budded, if the blossom has opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom.” Each of us, regardless of relationship status, are in a specific season of our lives. We are called to steward our current season. Let’s ask, “Where do I need healing, where do I need to learn, what do I need to build?” Prepare the soil today, for the garden of tomorrow. Build romance. – Enjoy the Fruit – Ecclesiastes 9:9 – Enjoy life with your wife whom you love – Ecc 9:9 Proverbs 5:18–19 – May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice with the wife of your youth. Song of Solomon 7:12 – “Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom—there I will give you my love.” Enjoy the fruit in your garden, and continue to cultivate it. Build intimacy for romance’s sake! Intimacy > Vulnerability > Romance in bloom – Guarding the Garden – Song of Solomon 2:15 – Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. (External) Proverbs 7:21 (Internal) Song of Solomon Chapter 5 Caution, ‘foxes’ in the Modern Era: Language – ‘work wife/work husband’ ‘Best friends’ of the opposite gender Any relationship/friendship that, if you really go deep, is serving a need that only your spouse should Comfort and convenience – don’t get lazy, don’t make excuses Practical Tips: Commit to high transparency Commit to accountability Commit to healthy coping (stress awareness) Commit to wise stewardship Commit to wise counsel Commit to Christ-like formation Song of Solomon 8 - Commit to a relationship in bloom.