History Books in 90 Days: Joshua 18-19
LANGUAGES of Love
Song of Solomon 2:6; His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!
Song of Solomon is a poetic song about marital intimacy, doubling as an allegory of Christ’s love
for the church. There is much romance and physical intimacy in the story of two young lovers
which shows us a practical point (if we didn’t know it already) – physical touch conveys love.
We’re not just talking about sexuality, but shoulder-to-shoulder contact. For many, this is the
thing that will make them feel most loved.
Bodies are extremely personal – touch my body and you touch me, withdraw from my body and
you withdraw from me. For some people, just sitting arm to arm, or accompanying “hello” with a
hug gives them warm fuzzies. They feel valued and connected to.
Of course, there are many boundaries that come with this love language. Unwanted touch will
not be well-received, and inappropriate touch is… inappropriate. The church has a high calling
to purity, and to mask lustful desire or the desire for personal pleasure with a “hello hug” is
unholy. It would be entirely inappropriate to take the actions found in Song of Solomon and
apply them to our everyday relationships! But the book does point us to the human’s need for
intimacy and touch.
This love language comes naturally to those who possess it, and can be incredibly awkward
for those who do not. Sometimes our aversion or attraction stems from our upbringing – if
loving touch was the norm in our homes or not. Children need loving touch to become healthy
individuals. Let us practice the love language of physical touch within our families.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Does “physical touch” come naturally to you, or do you find the challenge here incredibly
awkward? If it’s uncomfortable to you, ask God to show you why. Perhaps He wants to
deal with past hurts.
2. Does your family know by your body language that you love them? Make an effort to show
your love with your body language this week through hugs, a hand on the shoulder, pat on
the back, etc.
3. Don’t be afraid of people! Go about your day with an open posture – refrain from crossing
your arms and legs and avoiding eye contact. Look at people, shake hands, smile, etc. You
can do it!
