A standard for love, what a thought! The Middle Eastern King from the past
who set the Love standard for me was an awesome lover. There he was, an
older and mature adult looking for a bride to love. One day when he was
passing through a poverty stricken part of his kingdom he came upon an
abandoned infant girl in the dirt, still in her birth blood, her umbilical
cord not yet cut, and obviously the daugthter of slaves. Her dark skin
color showed that she was of the class that was lowly esteemed and thought
poorly of , just because of the color of her skin.
He gave her to his servants with the command that they should make sure
that she lived and lived loved, though the daughter of slaves. Years
passed. He was delighted each time he passed through her region and saw
how well she was growing and developing into a remarkable person. Puberty
did its
magic and changed a remarkable little girl into an awesome and desired
woman, a woman with desires.
Her developing body and the passion it produced in her admirers became a
problem and she let her body be used by some she thought loved her, and she
was used and they didn't love her. Neverthe less, when
he saw her like that, though now older but not too old to be moved by love,
passion, need and desire;
he offered marriage and she accepted and he poured out his heart to her in
solemn private and public
covenants and commitments.
She had difficulty adjusting. It was all so new and incredible to her.
She was so overwhelmed and fearful that he couldn't bring her to his land
and palace at that time, and had to live with and love her in the region
between the area of her birth and his lands---a barren wilderness. Years
later she became confident enough to come to his land and live with him in
his palaces. He showered her with gifts, feasts, trips and a whole lot of
passionate celebration of her beauty and his desire for her. But she
didn't adjust well to all of these new places and people. It was all so
new and different and overwhelming.
For any number of reasons she found that she was not satisfied and content
with her King and lover, though he was always attentive, often with her and
showered her with gifts and attention. It was that same aching lack of
satisfaction and contentment that she experienced in puberty in her first
sexual experiences, yet she knew the King trully loved her and was not just
using her. Tempted to selfishness and self indulgence, with great feelings
of inadequacy, she believed a lie instead of the truth. Not thinking
clearly nor counting the cost, she began to have lovers on the side,
breaking her covenants with her husband King.
While with her lovers, thinking she was safe and set for a good time, some
of her lovers deceived her and lured her into a trap where they stripped
her, beat her, mocked her and abused her as men often abuse and mock old
whores who look and act like they've been over used. The King knew about
this and he greived deeply, but he was committed to open handed love {not
holding someone against their will) as much as he was committed to all the
covenants he had made to her, so he let her go her way. His grief was
great and he always had some of his servants watching out for her so she
would never lack food, clothing or shelter, ready to interevene if she ever
called out for him for help. Yet she would not call out for her husband
King to take her back as his wife, even when her abusers sold her as a
slave to a foreign ruler and she was removed from the King's land. Pride,
willfulness and deception or whatever kept her from returning to the
abundance and comfort of married life with her husband King.
Her husband, deeply grieved and grieving, hurt and hurting, lonely and in
need for a wife upon whom he could pour out his love and affection, finally
after many years realized that he would have to remarry.
While in disguise andpassing through a region under the control of an
adversary of his, he found a slave auction. There on the block for
sale was a fully grown woman, half dressed and dirty, broken and scarred
by all that she had suffered, yet she reminded him so very much of his
absent wife. Not wanting her to be overwhelmed by his position, title
and riches, he put aside all of his finery and dressed as his attendants.
When he made it known that he wanted to buy her, her eyes locked on him
with awe and bewilderment as to why such a fine gentleman would want her.
The auctioneer mocked him as a fool and told him he could have her only
after he punished her for all the trouble she had been to him. When the
king learned that he could buy her only after she had been publicly
stripped and flogged repeatedly in public to teach the other slaves a
lesson, he was horrified and gravely concerned that the experience would
kill her or permanently ruin her as a human being.
He entreated the auctioneer with generous offers, but the auctioneer
refused, having his heart set on the sadistic humiliation and abuse of this
female slave who failed to be content and satisfied with his treatment of
her. Finally, out of desperation, but determined to remain disguised so
as not to unduly influence the slave girl he wanted to buy, the disguised
King offered to let the auctioneer strip and flog him if he would spare her
and let him buy her. It was more important to him that she come to love
him not because of his wealth and position, but because of his love and
devotion for her. By now the slave woman's eyes and mouth were open wide
in amazement, wonder and longing to be loved, and the King's attendants,
who were in the crowd in disguise, were equally amazed and bewildered.
The slave girl knew by the disguised King's clothing that the custom of his
people was that if they bought a slave girl capable of child bearing, he
would have to treat her either as a wife (public covenant) or a concubine
(private covenant). She could barely believe it was happening to her but
she wanted it so badly, to finally belong and have a home. The king had
enough armed warrior class attendants in disguise in the crowd that they
knew that if the King wanted help, all he had to do was say the word or
beckon. He didn't but proceeded as quietly as the lamb to the slaughter.
The auctioneer mocked him but found the thought of publicly humiliating and
abusing, stripping and flogging, this fine gentleman much more entertaining
than abusing the slave girl.
So he let them strip him, tie him down and flog him so badly that the skin
on his back and buttocks was torn and bleeding, so badly that a weaker man
would have not recovered and would have died. Finally with a sneer, and
only because he fearedpossible reprisal by the friends of the man and the
mocking of his other customers if he didn't keep his word, the auctioneer
released the slave girl to him and cut him loose. His attendants came out
of the crowd and cared for him and the girl. It took him days before he
felt ready to come out of his recovery to meet the now finely dressed,
oiled and beautiful woman who had been the slave girl. While he was
recovering, the attendants were telling her all about their master and his
personality but only that he was connected to royalty and hoped to be a
ruler some day.
She bathed until her skin was squeekly clean and lay for hours in warm
perfumed oils, soaking her skin and hair into awesome loveliness and
beauty-----all the time wondering what would become of her and would her
new master-husband be as good to her as the attendants had told her. The
same attendants were keeping the King informed on how she was doing, how
thankful, kind, humble, gentle, thoughtful, unselfish and generous she was
with all she met. Lelah wasn't perfect and she knew it, but her desire to
do good and love others worked in her to become a better person on a daily
basis. He came to love her profoundly from the depth of his heart while
he recovered and learned of her gracious loveliness, seeing her from a
distance unknown to her.
When they finally came together, they were so finely dressed and looking
so wonderful that it could have been a wedding, but he wanted them to have
their public wedding when the two of them returned to his land. In the
meantime, he covenanted his love to her and covenanted his care for her and
she accepted his covenants and agreed to be his wife. Their relationship
was a lovefeast, a classic honeymoon, and all made merry and celebrated the
joy and beauty of true love between a man and his woman. She let him
shower her with his love, affection and attention to the point that in
the depth of her heart she knew that her man loved her, loved her enough to
suffer terribly for her, that she was safe with him, and she came to rest
in and rejoice in their love. Everytime Lelah saw or felt the horrible
scars on his back, she was reminded of how much he loved her and how
precious her love was to him. The more love he poured on her the more she
poured back on him, seeking as many ways as possible to show her love and
joy in him. Unselfish and compassionate cherishing became the norm for
their behavior and all those around them rejoiced and celebrated the
beauty and joy of their love and loving. They spent years there in the
province of Tirzah, happy years filled with wonderful memories.
In the meantime, his first wife, Ohola, had been found by his disguised
attendants and they had brought her back to the King's land, but not to
the palace or city. They were caring for her body and soul, helping her in
the recovery that she now desperately wanted. In fact she daily expressed
her remorse and regret at having been so foolish and so unfaithful to her
husband King, often inquiring if it were possible he would still be willing
to at least keep his covenants and commitments he had made to her if he
couldn't bring himself to be husband to her again. Bathed in oils,
fragrances and perfumes and clothed in finery her former beauty began to
appear again, but even more impressive was her change of heart. Her ordeal
had taught her gratitude for kindness and love, taught her humility and
compassion for the needy, and she had learned the wonder ful value of human
cherishing when it is unselfish and compassionate. She was now lovely
inside and out, and she had become precious to those who attended to her
needs.
While the King and Lelah were in Tirzah, pouring out their hearts to each
other, they learned much of each other's past and what had brought them
together, how their past seemed to have prepared them for each other.
Lelah learned about Ohola and came to share his grief and sense of loss of
her. Her heart was set to love whoever he loved, to do good to all to whom
he did good, to care for all those dear to him. Their hearts and love had
become one heart and one love, and all who loved them rejoiced in their
love. Her union with him moved her care deeply about and seek the good of
Oholah, even though she knew her husband was such a man of integrity that
he would believe he was still committed to keep his covenants with Oholah
even though he loved her, Lelah, so much and so dearly. When the King
learned that Oholah had been found and brought back to his lands, that she
was doing well and that she was a whole new person, a loving and gracious
person, he could not help but share his joy with Lelah. Lelah loved him so
much that she could not help but share his joy and find ways that she could
help her "sister" Oholah be fully restored. What the King didn't think of
for Oholah, Lelah thought of and between the two of them Oholah was
marvelously cared for and helped in her recovery.
Years had passed in Tirzah for the King and Lelah, but now it was time to
return to his palace and throne. There was a triumphal entry and a wedding
feast that lasted for days. Their joy and love of their kingdom made
Camelot look like a nightmare. After all had settled down to daily living,
Lelah daily supervised the care for Oholah in the neighboring town, and
often attended Oholah herself, but in disguise so that Oholah would not
know that she was the King's new wife. Lelah made herself a loving and
devoted servant to Oholah, washing her feet and hair while they talked on
and on, becoming friends. She massaged Oholah old wounds and bruises and
saw to it that Oholah had the best of everything to be fully recovered and
restored. In their times together, Oholah would often share her memories
of her husband king and her regret for her foolish abuse of his love for
her. Lelah rejoiced in hearing Oholah's version of the memories her
husband King had shared with her in Tirzah, and she rejoiced that his word
was confirmed by Oholah. Oholah became even more and lovely and gracious
in the care of Lelah and the attendants, thriving on and in their obvious
and devoted love for her. The souls of Oholah and Lelah became knit
together, closer than sisters. The King and Lelah knew it was now time
for Oholah to return to the palace as the wife and queen that she was and
had become.
The crowds went crazy with joy when Oholah was brought to the palace. The
realm declared days of feasting and celebration for the recoronation of
Queen Oholah. When she was finally brought into the palace and entered
the room where the King awaited her, it was Lelah who greeted her and
brought her to their husband King. The three of them melted together and
held each other , with Lelah embracing Oholah and the King as they
embraced each other. They wept andlaughed and hugged and kissed and
rejoiced. Finally after their emotions had calmed enough, the King
introduced Lelah to Oholah as his wife and second queen. Oholah almost
fainted but Lelah embraced her and they both laughed and cried and rejoiced
that they could be together and friends, sharing so much intimacy, love and
rejoicing.
Though the king was old, he lacked no energy in passionately and
attentively loving and caring for his wives, to their delight. Oholah and
Lelah became one in joy, love, rejoicing and the unselfishly compassionate
cherishing of the King and the King's subjects, overseeing his benevolent
plans for the people of his realm. The circle of their love became so
legendary that a book-poem was written of their exceptional love and their
many kind and generous acts for the poor and the needy. Not all shared in
this joy and loving, the heartsof some being bound in greed, pride,
selfishness and evil, but the King and his servants were able to hold their
evil in check for the accomplishing of his good will. There was literally
peace on earth and good will towards men. Not all of this parable of the
Love King has come to pass, because allegorically he is still in Tirzah
with Lelah, but we can count on him to make the rest come to pass just as
he has in the past, because he is able. Older than time, born and
revealed in Bethlehem, tortured on Golgotha, alive today-----this King of
Love will fulfill allof his good Word
and reign in Jerusalem with both Lelah and Oholah at his side forever.
Please let him be your King , let him love you, and be there with him
forever.