"Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth." --Song of Solomon 1:2
For several days we have been dwelling upon the Saviour's passion, and for
some little time to come we shall linger there. In beginning a new month, let us
seek the same desires after our Lord as those which glowed in the heart of the
elect spouse. See how she leaps at once to Him; there are no prefatory
words; she does not even mention His name; she is in the heart of her theme at
once, for she speaks of Him who was the only Him in the world to her. How
bold is her love! it was much condescension which permitted the weeping penitent
to anoint His feet with spikenard--it was rich love which allowed the gentle
Mary to sit at His feet and learn of Him--but here, love, strong, fervent love,
aspires to higher tokens of regard, and closer signs of fellowship. Esther
trembled in the presence of Ahasuerus, but the spouse in joyful liberty of
perfect love knows no fear. If we have received the same free spirit, we also
may ask the like. By kisses we suppose to be intended those varied
manifestations of affection by which the believer is made to enjoy the love of
Jesus. The kiss of reconciliation we enjoyed at our conversion, and it
was sweet as honey dropping from the comb. The kiss of acceptance is
still warm on our brow, as we know that He hath accepted our persons and our
works through rich grace. The kiss of daily, present communion, is that
which we pant after to be repeated day after day, till it is changed into the
kiss of reception, which removes the soul from earth, and the kiss of
consummation which fills it with the joy of heaven. Faith is our walk,
but fellowship sensibly felt is our rest. Faith is the road, but communion with
Jesus is the well from which the pilgrim drinks. O lover of our souls, be not
strange to us; let the lips of Thy blessing meet the lips of our asking; let the
lips of Thy fulness touch the lips of our need, and straightway the kiss will be
effected.
|
