Morning
Time: 2:09 AM PST
"There is no spot in thee." --Song of Solomon 4:7
Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms His
praise by a precious negative, "There is no spot in I thee." As if the thought
occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that He had
only mentioned her comely parts, and had purposely omitted those features which
were deformed or defiled, He sums up all by declaring her universally and
entirely fair, and utterly devoid of stain. A spot may soon be removed, and is
the very least thing that can disfigure beauty, but even from this little
blemish the believer is delivered in his Lord's sight. If He had said there is
no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no deadly ulcer, we might even then have
marvelled; but when He testifies that she is free from the slightest spot, all
these other forms of defilement are included, and the depth of wonder is
increased. If He had but promised to remove all spots by-and-by, we should have
had eternal reason for joy; but when He speaks of it as already done, who can
restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction and delight? O my soul, here
is marrow and fatness for thee; eat thy full, and be satisfied with royal
dainties.
Christ Jesus has no quarrel with His spouse. She often wanders from Him, and
grieves His Holy Spirit, but He does not allow her faults to affect His love. He
sometimes chides, but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the kindest
intentions: it is "my love" even then. There is no remembrance of our follies,
He does not cherish ill thoughts of us, but He pardons and loves as well after
the offence as before it. It is well for us it is so, for if Jesus were as
mindful of injuries as we are, how could He commune with us? Many a time a
believer will put himself out of humour with the Lord for some slight turn in
providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well to take any
offence at our ill manners.