Under the Banner of His Love
by Richard Griffiths
Perhaps you may not be that familiar with the Song of Songs, but you know the above verse. The young woman in the story, the Shulammite, is enjoying a time of real intimacy with her lover, the shepherd. This is part of how she describes what she’s feeling.
As Israel crossed the desert on the way to the Promised Land, the camp was huge. But you could never get lost; a child could always find their family tent, because each tribe, clan and family had its own distinctive banner (Numbers 2:2).
The shepherd’s banner is his love. It’s his love which makes him distinctive; and that’s where the Shulammite belongs.
When we have an intimate relationship with Jesus, we are in the safest of safe paces – it’s where we belong: under the banner of His love.
Advancing armies also carried banners. After defeating the Amalekites, Moses built an altar in honour of God, who had so clearly given Israel the victory. He called it ‘the Lord is my banner’ (Exodus 7:15).
Being under the Lord’s banner is safe because He has won the victory over the enemy.
Isaiah says that the Messiah will be a ‘banner for the peoples’, gathering the nations and scattered Israel from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:10-12). Together they will come to His ‘glorious resting place’.
When we rest in the embrace of His love; when we rest in the security of His victory over all the powers of darkness; when we join the ingathering of His people, Israel, and the redeemed of the peoples of the world in His glorious resting place, then we experience the fullness of what it means to be under the banner of His love.
What a place to be!
Prayer: Father, I praise You because Jesus has triumphed over all the powers of darkness. I praise You because I am part of the innumerable crowd from all the nations and peoples of the world being gathered into Your eternal kingdom. Thank You that I can be at peace under the banner of Your love. This is my true home; this is where I belong. Amen.
Richard Griffiths When Richard retired from full-time Anglican ministry in Chichester in 2009, he and his wife, Sue, moved to Northumberland. He joined the ministry team at Ellel Grange in 2011, where he and Sue regularly ministered at healing retreats. They are now helping on the "Explore" team. They greatly enjoy walking in the beautiful Northumberland countryside and along the coast. Richard loves seeing God bringing people into a strong personal relationship with Him as their Father and the healing that comes with it.
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