The story goes that the recording was made just two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. And pretty soon it was playing everywhere. The song is a plea from a young Soldier Boy to his girl back home to be faithful and wait for him.
The song reminds me of Scripture. This Scripture:
Song of Solomon 2:
1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2 Like a lily among thorns,

So is my love among the daughters.
3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,

And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,

And his banner over me was love.
Any way you read it, the book Song of Solomon is an intimate book (one of the reasons for my hesitation). Certainly it is a book of romance; it’s a book if embraced by BOTH husband and wife they can expect, shall we say a delightful marriage. But I don’t want to talk so much about that. Rather I want us to think about Jesus and His Bride (which would be us – every born again soul). Now read it again.
Can you image an intricately beautiful white lily growing among fields of thorns? Is not that what we are to Him? Among the souls of the world sharp and gnarled with unrepentant sin are we not an intricately beautiful white lily? And can you imagine yourself days and nights lost in a forest, no food, no shelter from either the heat or the cold and then when you are losing hope of surviving, there before you (why had you not seen it before?) is the most beautiful apple tree. It’s branches are full and lush with foliage for shade and fruit for nourishment. So you rush to the tree and there you find shelter and great delight and the fruit of that tree is the greatest taste you have even known. Is that not a description of Jesus when you ran to Him in salvation? And from there He is taking us to His Banqueting House and His banner over us – His declaration over us is that HE LOVES US.
Remember the song? Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me – till I come marchin’ home again. Could Jesus in this Song of Solomon passage be saying to us – don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but ME till I come marchin’ to take you home with ME; keep yourself FAITHFUL to ME; don’t take and eat the fruit of another; stay TRUE to ME; My Proclamation is that I LOVE YOU; I was faithful to you when I waged the war for your soul; I am forever faithful to you; be faithful to ME – don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but ME.
Lord Jesus, develop this picture for our IDOKs, develop it for me, Lord be intimate with us; draw us to intimacy with You so strong that we WILL NOT sit under the tree of temptation but will come to ONLY YOU for fruit to satisfy us. We come this morning with these and we pray that each of them will be satisfied with You and only You. We pray for a safe trip home for Matt and Stephanie and the others. We pray for our IDOK Troops for safety for them both on foreign soil and places of service on home soil. Woo each of them to love You more and more and to be faithful to You. Keep Israel safe from all her enemies and bring America to repentance and Lord Jesus come soon and take us to Your Banqueting House. Amen and Amen.

IDOKs Troops -Shaun. Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Travis N. Albert R III. Joshua M.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Tim. Lee. Mack. The 226. Troy. Danny. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country-Mike
As I post this it is 91°F partly cloudy in Balad, Iraq & the time there is 3:37 PM AST – on October 24, 2007