It’s not enough to just hear!

It’s not enough for me to listen
ears are alone, without voice
the tune lies deadpan
notes fade in the mute

I will sing your praises in the public square
echo of the loon, lips like a lyre
whoever will strum my strings will hear
of my love for you,
will hear of your love for all
will hear will hear will hear
me sing.

~terrilynn

Ministering to our Lord Jesus

Does Jesus need or want our adoration; does the bridegroom desire the attentions of His bride?  One would definitely say YEA to the above questions when reading the beautiful allegory of the Bridegroom and His bride in the Song of Solomon.

Chapter 4:9-11 

You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. 

What do we do to captivate our Lord’s heart?  We look over all the temptations that come our way, (the ones that would sully that glance), in favour of His eyes. As two who know one another intimately can make a whole crowd disappear with just the meeting of their eyes across a room, so does a pure glance captivate your Savior.

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Phil 3:20 

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! 

Jesus desires our love, he elevates it above the sensual, and it is beautiful in His eyes, I imagine Him breathless at the unveiling of His bride; He awaits with much anticipation the marriage supper, the communion, and the consummation.

 I invite you, Brides of Christ, to engage your imagination on such a holy time as this. Just the way girls daydream all their lives about their “dream wedding”, so may we begin to entice Him with the love that is in response to His own love for us!

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. James 4:8 

Your lips drip nectar, my bride;
honey and milk are under your tongue;
the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of
Lebanon 

How sweet are our praises and worshipful sighs, our songs and tears of joy He likens to milk and honey.  Let your lips drip with this nectar, sing to the Groom! Dance with Him; clothe your tongue in the proclamations of  His good works, His mercy , His undying love for mankind. For the wedding feast is at your door, dear brides!

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Rev 19:7

The Gift of Works (His)

Men go after the things they desire, PRAISE God he puts His desire to be holy in His children’s heart. If Jesus be your desire how can you not have the works of faith and fruits of righteousness in your life?

It’s sort of like being a parent who takes a young child to purchase a gift for the other parent. Jesus purchases the gifts, (for all our good works are really bought with His blood) and we get to gleefully run to the Father and lay our gifts at His feet as we beam with love and joy at the opportunity to do so. What an awesome blessing righteousness is, hallelujah!

I Do !

Stand up, stand up, for Jesus,
ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner,
it must not suffer loss:
from victory unto victory
his army shall he lead,
till every foe is vanquished
and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up, for Jesus;
the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict
in this his glorious day:
ye that are men now serve him
against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger,
and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up, for Jesus;
stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you,
ye dare not trust your own:
put on the Gospel armor,
and watching unto prayer,
when duty calls, or danger,
be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up, for Jesus;
the strife will not be long:
this day, the noise of battle;
the next, the victor’s song.
To him that overcometh
a crown of life shall be;
he with the King of glory
shall reign eternally.

George Duffield, 1858

The Crown and The Cross

He that does not receive Christ with his cross as well as his crown, does not truly receive him at all. It is true that Christ invites us to come to him to find rest, and to buy wine and milk: but then he also invites us to come and take up the cross, and that daily, that we may follow him; and if we come only to accept the former, we do not in truth accept the offer of the gospel, for both go together, the rest and the yoke, the cross and the crown: and it will signify nothing, that, in accepting only the one, we accept what God never offered. to us. They that receive only the easy part of Christianity, and not the difficult, at best are but almost Christians; while they that are wholly Christians receive the whole of Christianity, and thus shall be accepted and honored, and not cast out with shame, at the last day.  Jonathon Edwards

 

As for the witness of nature, alone-

Does the sunset speak of purification

Or do the moon’s fulsome properties?

Do they tell me to take up my cross and follow Him?

No, they are the dowry, the crown

Apart from the Word they tell only half truths.

His words are the essence

My balm and perfume my song and I

Who love the Groom will be groomed

In the partaking of His walk.

Not only will we tread through meadows

And the shores of the great oceans

Yet, my bare feet will feel the hot desert sands

They will bleed from thorny thickets

But I will never cease to follow.

This bride of Christ has counted the cost and found nothing compares to the price of marrying her Prince.