LOVE TO JESUS “You whom my soul loves”, Song of Solomon 1:7
Augustine said, “He cannot have God for His Father who refuses to have the Church for his Mother.” Someone said, “I believe in loyalty to the local church. I don’t believe in the view of the invisible church that makes you invisible at Church.” There are some people who attend church fairly regularly, but are in many ways like the ‘live-ins’ who have a very convenient situation that lacks commitment. There is no legal bond; therefore if the normal pressures become uncomfortable one may ‘split’ without a charge of obligations. The New Testament knows nothing of free-lance Christianity; they met together and shared together the responsibility of the Gospel Ministry and Missions. As part of Christ’s Church they felt in their hearts a love to him and were able to address Him as, “You whom my soul loves.” “You, whom my soul loves”: the Church, the spouse, in speaking of her Lord thus directs our thoughts not merely to her confidence of love, but to the unity of her affections with regard to Christ. She has not two lovers, she has but one, She does not say, “Oh the many of you on whom my heart is set!” but “Oh you!” She has but one after whom her heart is panting. He has gathered her affections into one bundle, she has made them but one affection, and then she has cast that bundle of myrrh and spices upon the breast of Christ. He is to her the “Altogether Lovely,” the gathering up of all the loves which once strayed abroad. Her heart, which once seemed like a fountain sending forth many streams, has now become as a fountain that has but one channel for its waters. She has stopped up all the other issues, she has cut away the other pipes, and now the whole stream in one strong current runs toward Him, and Him alone. The Church, in our text, is not a worshipper of God and of Baal too; as were the Assyrian transplants of ancient Samaria in II Kings 17:32-33, “So they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.” She doesn’t compromise her convictions, nor have a heart for all comers. She is not as the harlot, whose door is open for every wayfarer; but she is a chaste virgin, as we read of her in Rev.14:3-4, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” She sees none but Christ, and she knows none that her soul desires, except her crucified Lord.
Older
Top
