Mine to Give
Today’s scripture selection: Song of Solomon 7-8
Key verse: Song of Solomon 8:11-12a
It’s a song of deep, never ending love and devotion between a man and woman.
It’s also a picture of the deep, never ending love and devotion that can be shared between Christ and His church; God and His kingdom; the Lord and you.
“Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels of silver. But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.”
Poetically, these verses speak of how we can offer something precious – priceless – to God. And of how God’s love is precious and priceless to us.
Do we often think of our relationship with God in such glowing terms?
Do we sometimes see that relationship as being one-sided; with our being on the “receiving” end only?
I think this is the challenge for those of us who claim to be God’s people; the “apple of His eye.”
To see our relationship as one in which we could never “re-pay” God for what He has done for us; but one in which we desire to give Him everything of ourselves that we can, just the same.
It’s not about quid pro quo.
It’s about reciprocal, deep, abiding, and sincere love.
“But my own vineyard is mine to give…”
How about it? What devotion – what love – can you show God today?
Prayer: Lord, I cannot offer much, but may I love you deeply, without thought of return. Amen.
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By Paul Simrell
The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
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IGW3 - In God's Word, In God's Will, In God's Work 
Paul, I love the way your devotions are written ~ to the point and easy to understand. I look forward every day to receiving your new post. Thank you for these wonderful messages ~ I am saving them and do refer back to them. If you do not publish that book, I will print them out and make my very own devotional! God bless you as you continue writing ~ they definitely are helpful to me on so many levels! Jean