The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 28 March 2019 – Expectations from the Bride of Christ
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TOPIC: Expectations from the Bride of Christ
READ: Songs of Solomon 4:1-16 King James Version (KJV)
1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
2 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
6 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
THE MESSAGE:
Do you want to please God? The bride in today’s passage pleased the king because of the qualities she exhibited.
These qualities are:
- Absence of flaw (verse 7) which signifies a life of holiness unto God;
- Separation from Lebanon, Hermon, lions and mountains of leopards, etc., (verse 8 ) signifying a life, separated from pride and sin;
- She made her king happy, giving him courage to look at her (verse 9). Our lives as God’s children should make God happy and boastful about us;
- She loves the king (verse 10). Our love for God should be evident to all by the level of commitment we show in our Christian duties; 5. Her lips were likened to honey and milk (verse 11) signifying lips used to glorify God and edify men;
- Her garment was like the fragrant ointment of Lebanon, showing a physical appearance that glorifies God (verse 11);
- The bride is likened to an enclosed and barred garden (verse 12); depicting a Christian life with no entrance of ungodliness and worldliness;
- The bride lives a fruitful Christian life depicted by orchards, fruits etc. (verse 13);
- She is a garden and fountain (verse 15), showing a deposit of Gods talents and gifts.
Our talents and gifts should flow from our lives to others around us.
Prayer: Lord, may our lives exhibit the qualities expected from the bride of Christ.
