Scripture Text: Song of Solomon 4:16
Awake, O north wind,
and come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden,
let its spices flow.
Song of Solomon 4:16
The simplest, yet hardest reason to believe why we can always take heart in our Christian life is the unchanging reality that we, the Church (recipient of God’s everlasting love) is the bride of the Beloved [Christ]. This is the sum of all felicity, the highest of all blessedness and the chief of all glories one can ever receive! To take heart because we are at the very heart of the Beloved [Christ] is to be ultimately confident in the covenantal love of the Lover-Redeemer. This is where our faith feeds – to know more of who He really is to us, and to know His covenant in His Son! The intensity of our faith in the Beloved [Christ] is measured on how we understand His all-satisfying and all-encompassing eternal love! This is the reason for never ending acclaiming with the Psalmist that His steadfast love is better than life! Therefore, to take heart is to enter into a desire of knowing His steadfast love and faithfulness. The aim is simple, yet easily neglected because of our divided hearts for Him - that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
It is good to always remind ourselves that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. And this is only possible if we are the recipient of God’s everlasting love in His Son, the Beloved – Christ. To be in the Beloved [Christ] is to possess a new life. A life that exists for Christ’s esteem. A life that has been counted glorious for the joy of Christ - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. A life that has been counted to be blessed - Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. It is to have a renewed heart that longs to live for Christ and to be full of His love, to have the life that longs to give to the Beloved [Christ] His worth and what He truly deserves! It is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And while it seems not fit in our eyes to offer to the Beloved [Christ] everything we are, and everything that is within us, our stumbling feet, our weak hands, our feeble love and inconsistent passion, these little things in our sight offers grandeur to Christ for it expresses confidence in what He has done for us!
The bride’s brief reply: “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow. Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits (v.16).” She is declaring her affection for the Beloved [Christ] and her willingness to belong and to be owned by Him. The same with the goal of our new life in Christ – bound to worship Him in His infinite beauties and excellencies. We offer Him everything and anything that we can in His own ways. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The call is simple – simple only to those who have been made real in the love of Christ. We can take heart in rendering to Him all, if it is really for Him and to be done in covenantal-relationship with Him. The warning is also a reminder that “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Take heart, dear saint, if you are really His’, then be reminded of His very words: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me… By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” What is then, left to say for those who really love Him? Fear not, for you are His’ very delight! So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. But be reminded also: Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God.
The real believer’s heart is awakened to perceive the wonders of God in the person of our Lover-Redeemer, Jesus Christ! From there, we learn to enthusiastically acclaim, oh taste and see that the LORD is good!
He who does not want know more of Him, knows nothing of Him yet…
Hear this then, dear saint! Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Desire communion with Him, who has loved us eternally! Thirst and long for Him! Be in awe of Him, the darling of Heaven! He is all yours… He is all-perfect, all-holy, all-glorious and all-happy! Be exceedingly joyous in being His beloved. If you have truly seen Him, then He is your exceeding joy.
Nobody loves you like He does…
Christ is all that we have! Christ is all that we need!
Take heart, dear saint!
Reflect
1. How does the love of Christ affect your life?
2. Do you take confidence in Christ’s all-satisfying and all-encompassing love?
3. Do you desire and long to love Him more, as you ought to be?
Remember
Let it never be forgotten that Jesus Christ is the love song of God. He is the love of God manifested in us. And in Him, we have received the worth and state that we don’t deserve – to be in the center of the heart of the Beloved, our blessedness.
Read
Ephesians 4:17-25; Colossians 3:1-5
Pray
Father in heaven, I come before You, taking heart, knowing that in Your Son I have found favor in Your sight. Father it is my intention to give You glory by offering you my life as a living sacrifice. I pray therefore, Father that would you please see the work of Your Son in me that by every word or deed be made unto You, there would be no condemnation for the work of Your Son is enough. Please help me to worship You, and to really love You, as pleasing as it can, for Your glory alone. This I pray, in the name of Your Son, my Jesus Christ, Amen.
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