July 11th

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love.
Song of Songs 2:4

Armies in biblical times used banners to declare the greatness of their king and the might of their army. The banners were designed to strike fear into the adversaries as they approached and to provide a safe place for the army if they needed one. Banners also revealed what was important to the king and his army and helped declare it to the rest of the world. The banner was also used over castles and kingdoms to declare ownership and possession of land or territory.

Most of us really like it when we are invited to a banquet, especially one the king throws. In this banquet, the king would put on display his best gifts to his guests. We wait for such an
event with great anticipation and delight. Love is the word that describes God the best. It describes His character, nature and His actions. God has placed in all our hearts a great need to be deeply loved, as only the Lord can love us. So, when it says that His banner over me is love, it means that all He does is in love.

It means that love is His goal for us and His primary purpose for us is to be loved. In a spiritual family where we have a perfect loving Father who can meet all our needs, love is both our banner and our banquet.