The Garden: A Place of Love

The other night, I was thinking of the hymn “In the Garden” and I realized what a beautiful love story it really is. But before I go further, shall we look at the hymn itself?

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear,
Falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

Chorus:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet, the birds hush their singing;
And the melody
That He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Tho’ the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go:
Thro’ the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
--Austin Miles

Yes, there’s a true romantic love story if you ask me. As I read the first few lines, I’m strangely reminded of those movies with teenage couples where the girl runs off late at night to be with her boyfriend. Yes, they always show the girl sneaking out of the house, the guy’s already waiting, and the run off together, dancing in the moonlight.

But now, let’s be serious. In that first verse, I see a girl go out early in the morning as the sun is rising, before anybody else is up to be with this man she loves. The chorus is one of real beauty. I see that young couple totally lost in their love, walking through that garden, arm in arm. They may stop to watch the sunrise together, and she lays her head against his chest as he holds her close. This is home. She knows his love is true, that she can trust him, that he will never leave her side, that he will always be there, always hold and protect her.

She loves the sound of his voice. When he speaks to her, the world around them becomes silent. She becomes completely unaware of what’s going on around her. She always remembers these precious words, words of love, promise and comfort. They would spend the whole day together and even at nightfall, she doesn’t want to leave.

Is it so with our relationship with Christ? We are His bride. Do we treat Him like our Lover? Do we treasure each moment, each word? Do we always run out to meet Him first thing in the morning? Do we spend our last waking moments with Him? I must admit that I don’t, but I know it would be pretty amazing if I did.

I’d like to think that God thinks gardens are romantic too. I mean, when He made Adam and Eve, He put them in a garden. It was in the garden that He came to spend time with them.

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”
--Genesis 3:8

This is how God initially designed it! He put the first lovers in a garden where He surrounded them with beauty. This is where He came to them. Isn’t that incredible?!! The Song of Solomon speaks frequently of gardens. They’re romantic! Where did Jesus spend His last night before He went to the cross? A garden. He spent His last night in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. He was even buried in a sepulchre in a garden. What a fitting place for the Son of God, the man who displayed the greatest love ever.

So take some time to meet with God in the garden. It’s a beautiful place of love.

Feet Upon a Rock

Okay, this is humbling to say after my cheery post on Tuesday, but I had a really hard day yesterday. And it didn't help that there are so many things I can't understand, including myself. The Lord's chastisement really hurts, but it's all the proof I need that He loves me. In the evening, during my prayer time, I felt a calm come over me, much different than some of the frustrations of my day. I almost couldn't understand it. Then I remembered a few lines from a hymn:

In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escape the tempter's snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.
--Sweet Hour of Prayer, William W. Walford, 1842

How often do we really flee to that safe retreat before our Father's throne? I, sooner seem to struggle along out of my own strength, wondering why I can't get anything right. That's because, in my own strength, I can't get anything right. In me dwells no good thing, but in Christ, I can be made perfect. I must empty myself and call on the Lord to be filled.

I am also thankful for God's mercy and forgiveness. As Jeremiah 31:34 says "...I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." (Psalm 40:2)

"By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere."
--Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity

I Would Love Thee

I would love Thee, God and Father! My Redeemer, and my King!
I would love Thee; for without Thee Life is but a bitter thing.

I would love Thee; ev'ry blessing Flows to me from out Thy throne;
I would love Thee; -he who loves Thee Never feels himself alone.

I would love Thee; look upon me, Ever guide me with Thine eye:
I would love Thee; if not nourished By Thy love, my soul would die.

I would love Thee; I have vowed it; On Thy love my heart us set;
While I love Thee, I will never My Redeemer's blood forget.
-Jeanne Marie Guyon, 1648-1717

These words have become very precious to me the last few days. I've been overflowing with joy and surrounded by a peace which passes all understanding.

I started reading this morning in Job. Even after loosing all that he owned, Job "fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:20, 21) After being afflicted with boils, he says "shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." (Job 2:10)

Is this our reaction when troubles and trials come our way? Probably, not very often. Something I've been thinking about is that God never sends me through trials all alone but he holds my hand through all of it.

Blessings to everyone! Have a wonderful week.

Mountains or Valleys

I must say that I'm at a difficult place in my life right now where I feel stuck between a mountain and a valley. It seems like the valley is calling out to me "Come, it's easy here. You don't need to climb that big mountain. Why would you make it so hard?" But then I look at the rock that looks so sure. It's an awful hard climb but the view at the top must be incredible. Is it worth it? What if I fall or get hurt? But I know that the Lord is my rock; I read it over and over again in scripture and sing it over again:

The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand-
All other ground is sinking sand.

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day-
Still praying as I'm onward bound
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Don't stay in the valley; climb the mountain.

Something Random

Psalm 62:5-7
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

. . . In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

My life is pretty boring right now. Kind of stuck without any schoolwork to do. Sounds exciting, eh?

Is there a hymn or a specific verse of a hymn that makes joy rise within you or bring tears to your eyes? I have several of those but I'm only going to share one right now.

And Can It Be? (verse 3)
Charles Wesley

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray:
I woke- the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! how can it be.
That Thou my God, shouldst die for me!

So time for you all to share so drop me a comment. Please note the hymn title, author, and verse number.

Blessings!

Promises

James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Standing on the Promises
R. Kelso Carter

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Thru eternal ages let His praises ring!
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing-
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail;
By the living word of God I shall prevail-
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword-
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
Resting in my Saviour as my all in all-
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;
Standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises of God.

This being said, I pose a challenge to everyone for this year. As you read your Bible, write down all the promises that you come across. At the end of the year, see how many you found. Let me know in a comment on my last post of the year or my first one next year.