By R.C. Chapman
“My Beloved Spoke, and said to me: Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” (Song of Solomon 2:10)
Don’t you hear, my soul, the voice of Jesus, the voice of the Beloved! He is able to speak in thunder, His word can shake heaven and earth; and can you despise His gentleness, His tender tones of love and grace? Fie upon you, sluggish soul! What hinders you from rising up at His call, upon eagles’ wings of faith and hope? Are you hindered with much serving? Are idols of clay set up within you, Where you should be for your Beloved, and for Him alone?
If your heart is now divided and cold, consider the heart of Jesus toward you! It is full of the love he had for you before the world’s foundation, when he rejoiced in His Church, and His “delights were with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8:31). He is the same Jesus who took your place and died for you on the tree! What a heart of mercy is His! What yearnings of His heart over you! What pity and countless number of displays of compassion!
Can you defile His temple with idols? He sees you as all fair! He found you foul and made you clean by His own blood! He presents you to Himself without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish, or any such thing.
Let such love, of thy glorious Immanuel, your God, and your Brother; let such love stir and awaken you; fill you with repentance and self-loathing! Go, humble yourself to your Friend, and make sure the communion of His love. “My love, my fair one;” so speaks my Lord Jesus to you. Do not doubt it. O, my soul! Know, it is your cunning enemy that whispers in your ear suspicions of your Lord. The liar would cause you to become feeble in faith, that he may poison the spring of your peace, joy, and love. But I will confound your unbelief! I tell you, Jesus, your “breaker”, has gone up before! He is risen, and in triumph ascended; your head and your Forerunner. Flee to the blood of sprinkling with all your pollution! Take yourself to Him; and He will surely wash you, bind up your wounds, pour in the oil and wine, and cause you to rest in His love, and by faith to live together with Him in the heart of the Father.
Modernized in places by this site.
Mercy Triumphs! 