By R.C. Chapman
“I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys.” —Song of Solomon 2:1
He to whom all worship was due from angels and men became a worshipper and servant of the Father.
Lord Jesus! Thou art the Rose of Sharon! Thou art the Lily of the Valleys! For our sakes Thou becamest poor. Thy poverty was as deep as the glory of Thy Godhead is high. This earth, under a curse, was Thy choice, where, in Thy low estate, Thou wouldest take root and grow up to scent all heaven and earth with the sweetness of Thy name! Angels were passed by, and Thou becamest the Son of Man, a partaker of flesh and blood, like unto Thy brethren!
Thou Son of God! Thou hast known hunger, weariness (Thy body fainting, not Thy heart). Thou didst bear the drought of day, the dews of night! At Thy birth Thy cradle was with the beast. (O, unkind world! But O kind and gracious Savior!) Persecuted was Thou, betrayed, denied, reviled, blasphemed, spit upon, mocked, scourged, buffeted, crucified and slain!
O, my Lord! My soul pants with longing for Thee! Teach me Thy ways. Let Thy blood purge my conscience of guilt, my understanding of darkness, my affections of idols! Give me to search the mystery of Thy wounds, Thy sweat of blood, Thy crown of thorns! Mournful and outward show, deeper things were in Thy soul. That cry of Thine, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) That cry, Thou Lamb of God, tells Thine agony, and declares Thee bearer of Thy Church’s sin and curse!
Thou was cast out of earth and of heaven. It pleased Thy Father Jehovah Thy God, who delighted in Thee, to bruise Thee and put Thee to grief: “He spared not His own Son!” (Romans 8:32). The ever-during fragrance of Thine atoning sacrifice give Thee prevalence above: Thou the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valleys, art the heaven of heaven!
Men of this world walk in condemnation; I stand rejoicing before God in Thee, my robe of righteousness! O my Lord! I have learned before Thy cross that the joys of earth are cankered! Thorns and thistles, sorrow and shame, this evil world brings forth!
Content, yea, glad am I, my Lord, with Thee to be a worm and no man, with Thee, Thou Rose of Sharon, Thou Lily of the Valleys! Yea, my whole heart cries out, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”. (Galatians 6:14)
