Lovest Thou Me

...from Pastor Ed ...February 16, 2010

Lovest thou Me?

^…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:17-19

Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her... Eph 5:25

You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes… Song 4:9

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He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend… Song 5:16

Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Song 2:14

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Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. …Repent! Rev 2:4-5

If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! 1 Corinth 16:22

The gospel is a love story. When we lose sight of that we have lost the gospel. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her! The Bridegroom is the eternal Lover who first beheld the beauty of His beloved before time, and was ravished with a single look of her eyes. But she was dark and ashamed to be looked upon.¹ Her beauty was truly in the eyes of the Beholder. But love her He did!

He loved her as He endured the contradiction of every sin of history against His holy nature so that she be not destroyed with the world.

He loved her as He lay aside his robe of glory, emptying Himself to descend into darkness to seek her out and win her.

He loved her in the wilderness, as He refused to leave her behind and exchange agonizing thirst and hunger for immediate riches and power.

He loved her in Gethsemane, as the contemplation of her unspeakable sin nearly crushed His holy, human frame.

He loved her as the thorns of her curse pierced His holy brow.

He loved her as the weight of rough hewn wood pressed down upon the open wounds of his mangled back.

He loved her as spikes of iron ripped through His sinless hands and feet.

He loved her as the forsaking and wrath of Father’s did not make Him forsake her.

He loved her as He experienced her death and conquered her grave.

He loves her, now, as he secures her every moment before the Father.

He shall love her consummately when He takes her in His arms and showers her with glory.

Can it be imagined that any part of her would not love Him supremely? Away with the pseudo-bride that only loves His gold! Cursed is the adulteress who forsakes Him for the love of the world!

My friends, have you known such love? Have you tasted the wine of His affections and felt His embrace? Has He dined you in ivory palaces and placed His banner of love over you? Have you been love-sick in seasons of His apparent absence, when you must cling to memory and hope, longing for His return.

Does such language seem too extravagant, or even inappropriate? Then I fear for you! The heart that has been broken and humbled, and has embraced the eternal Lover, will not be ashamed to break the alabaster box and pour its extravagance upon Him. The man of God will never consider the meekness and gentleness of Christ an embarrassment to his manhood. Have you not heard such strains rising from the Bride down through the ages, especially from her greatest warriors? From the Augustines, Calvins, Luthers, Knoxes, Watsons, Spurgeons, Wesleys, Edwards, and on and on, there has ascended untold soliloquies of love to make glad the heart of love’s sweet Author.

Have you once known that first love but have allowed the flames to dwindled to faint embers? Have the externals of ‘worship’ replaced the ravished heart? Have black and white descriptions of Him replaced the secret intimacy of Himself? Has even the battle for His truth and glory displaced the hours of sweet repose upon His breast? Let laboring Martha never forbid Mary’s sweet communion! The fruit of love will be far more abundant and profitable then duty’s work or religion’s zeal. Repent ere the embers die! Fan them with the warm breezes of Heaven’s foot-hills until your heart again melts in the glorious beauty of Heaven’s King! Let the Bride arise and flee into her Lover’s arms, as the shame of her adultery is bathed in tears of repentance and made white in His blood. May His love again enflame her broken heart, and evoke from her an ever-growing passion for His exaltation.

Love of my life, I wait now for thee;

Come, blessed Jesus, Thy face I would see.

Wash all my sin in thine own precious blood;

Beneath You wings may I rest in Your love.

How wretched I that my heart should be swayed

By countless trifles Thy love to betray.

Yet boundless grace hath my heart drawn again

Safe to Thy breast, my compassionate Friend.

Set my affections on things now above,

Hidden in Thee and consumed by Thy love;

May I pour out my being an offering to Thee,

O, my soul’s Lover, Thy glory I seek!

ejr3

My Trembling Heart’s Desire,

In the consuming glory of Your Triune Being may I find that eternal Fountainhead of Love that has forever flowed in the midst of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen

Tuesday's Touch #56

References: 1. Song of Solomon 1:6