Song 3:1 “On my bed night after night I sought him
Whom my soul loves;
I sought him but did not find him.
Song 3:2 ‘I must arise now and go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
Song 3:3 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
Song 3:4 “Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I held on to him and would not let him go…
The Watchmen in the Song represent those in spiritual authority who are called to care for our souls. They are mentioned twice in the Song; here, where they seem to have nothing to offer in helping her find the Lover of Her Soul, and in chapter 5, where instead of helping her, they wound her. In both cases, she has failed in her response to Jesus, and is seeking the restoration of His manifest presence in her life. Tragically this happens too many times at the hands of the Watchmen. Those who have been given responsibility of helping to care for our souls, either don’t have a clue about the path of forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration, or they are used by the enemy to wound us with guilt and condemnation, instead of leading us to the throne of grace. Every believer gets their feet dirty in their spiritual walk, and it is imperative that leaders know about Jesus’s foot washing love when they do. The first thing Jesus taught His disciple, and demonstrated to them in His last conversation with them before His death, was His desire to wash our spiritual feet, and the need for us to love, forgive, and restore each other. It’s a shame that often the most unsafe place to be with dirty feet is with those called to nurture and protect us. May God give us Christlike Shepherds.