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The Church's Greatest Need At This Hour
"The church has no greater need today than to fall in love with Jesus all over again." - Vance Havner
Song of Solomon 1:4 declares - "...the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee."
Oh! How we rejoice in all that Jesus had done for us on Calvary's Cross. He won our hearts through the demonstration of His Great Love for each one of us. As we received His Free Gift of Salvation, He brought us into His Kingdom. Now we are welcome to sit at His Father's Table and freely commune and sup with Him.
Oh! Yes! The "upright" do love the Lord Jesus. Their love for Him can be described in several ways -
1. Sincere
Ephesians 6:24 - "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."
The "upright" love Him with a pure heart. Their love is not corrupted by any lust or desire for that which is displeasing unto Him. It is genuine - not full of hypocrisy or dissembling. Never are they found professing to love Him, yet in their works denying Him.
2. With Great Intensity
Song of Solomon 1:7 - "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth..."
The "upright" constantly yearn for a more intimate communion with Him. They love Him with every breath that they breathe. Truly, He is their everything.
3. In Proportion To His Great Mercies and Goodness
Luke 7:47-48 - "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven."
The "upright" have such a fresh and continuous revelation of the Greatness of God's Mercies in forgiving them of such an enormous debt. Their sins were so many. Their burden was so heavy. Yet God - in His Wondrous Way - reached down and took them all away. Oh! Happy Day! When Jesus washed their sins away!
4. Supreme
Matthew 10:37 - "He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
The "upright" are more than willing to part with the closest of relations to enjoy the love of their Master. They prefer Him before the nearest and dearest relative, their own comfort and ease, and all earthly possessions. No one and nothing comes between Him and them.
5. Passionate
Song of Solomon 2:5 - "Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love."
The "upright" are "sick of love." They have been overcome by this Wondrous Love of Jesus. They have been forever ruined for this world. It cannot and never will be their home or resting place.
6. Unquenchable
Song of Solomon 8:7 - "Many waters cannot quench love , neither can the floods drown it..."
No matter what the "upright" face - no matter what kind of trials, adversities, difficulties, hardships, and losses they undergo, their love for the Master only grows stronger and stronger.
7. Even Unto Death
Revelation 12:11 - "...and they loved not their lives unto the death."
For their Master's cause, the "upright" don't shrink back even in the face of death. Their love for Him is greater than their love for their own life and sustenance.
What a Love! It is almost Indescribable! It is definitely Supernatural!
What better way can it be summed up than in the words of the Bride for her Heavenly Bridegroom - "...we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine..."(Song of Solomon 1:4).
What a Definitive Utterance! What a Bold Declaration!
In this statement, the Church is declaring that Christ's love is more desirable and valuable than all of the world's entertainment - "...we will remember thy love more than wine..."
But, wait a minute! Is it really? Does the Church prefer Jesus' love above all other earthly delights or refreshments for her soul?
Then, why, oh why, is their no joy in the hearts of many believers? Where is all the depression, oppression, and discouragement coming from?
Doesn't the Scripture declare - "...we will be glad and rejoice in thee..."?
Isn't Jesus more than enough? Hasn't the King brought us into His chambers? What more could we ask for than that?
The King of kings and Lord of lords loves us more than words can express and desires our continuous fellowship, and yet many find themselves depressed, without any joy, empty, and unsatisfied!!??!
Something is wrong here!
Perhaps Matthew Henry, the renowned Bible commentator, can offer an explanation - "The world is a usurper of our affection."
Think about it! What is he saying here?
What is a "usurper"?
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines "usurp" as - "to seize and hold...in possession by force and without right; to take the place of by or as if by force; to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully."
The world has seized and is holding the affections of many in the Church. Because they have placed their affections on worldly objects rather than solely on Christ, they are now in captivity to the powers of darkness.
Because they have yielded their members to sensual and impure desires - "the lust of the flesh";
have had an inordinate desire for the vanities of this world - "the lust of the eyes";
and have sought for ambition, honors, titles, and men's applause - "the pride of life"; (1 John 2:16)
they find themselves under the dominion of the god of this world rather than enjoying sweet fellowship with the King.
How desperately the Church needs to cry out to her Heavenly Bridegroom to "Draw me..." (Song of Solomon 1:4).
Oh! How she needs His grace and the influences and operations of the Spirit to pull her away from the world's strong sway at this hour.
Oh! For the Power of the Holy Spirit in each believer's life to overpower the magnetic pull of the world and the flesh that would draw him or her away from Jesus.
"Draw me..." "Draw me..." "Draw me..."
Is this your cry at this hour?
Song of Solomon 2:5 adds - "Stay me with flagons..." "Flagons" were considered ointments, perfumes, flowers, or even raisin cakes - anything reviving in nature. In other words, feed, sustain, and strengthen me with the tokens of Your love.
Song of Solomon 8:6 describes the degree to which our love for Jesus should be found - "...the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame."
Our love for Jesus should be "a most vehement flame" - an intense fire - burning with incredible force.
The only thing that can ever quench this powerful, piercing flame is for the "upright" to set their affection on the things of this world rather than on Jesus.
"Draw me..."
"Draw me nearer, Precious Lord..."
"Draw me, O Holy Spirit."
We close with a thought-provoking statement from Adam Clarke, another Bible commentator - "He whom we love the most is he whom we study to please, and whose will and interests we prefer in all cases."
Who are we striving to please? Whose will and interests do we prefer in all cases?
May our answer resound throughout the world this day as being - "JESUS"!
May God Bless His Word.
Connie
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