Morning, April 25
Go To Evening Reading
“Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Song of Solomon 2:10
Lo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me ! Fair weather is smiling upon the face of the earth, and he would
not have me spiritually asleep while nature is all around me awaking
from her winter’s rest. He bids me “Rise up,” and well he may; for I have long enough been lying among the pots
of worldliness. He is risen, I am risen in him, why then should I
cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations,
I would rise towards him. He calls me by the sweet title of “My love,” and counts me fair; this is a good argument for my rising. If he
has thus exalted me, and thinks me thus comely, how can I linger in
the tents of Kedar and find congenial associates among the sons of
men? He bids me “Come away.” Further and further from everything selfish, grovelling, worldly,
sinful, he calls me; yea, from the outwardly religious world which
knows him not, and has no sympathy with the mystery of the higher
life, he calls me. “Come away” has no harsh sound in it to my ear, for what is there to hold me
in this wilderness of vanity and sin? O my Lord, would that I could
come away, but I am taken among the thorns, and cannot escape from
them as I would. I would, if it were possible, have neither eyes,
nor ears, nor heart for sin. Thou callest me to thyself by saying
“Come away,” and this is a melodious call indeed. To come to thee is to come home
from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest
after long labour, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit
of my wishes. But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump of clay
come away from the horrible pit? O raise me, draw me. Thy grace can
do it. Send forth thy Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love
in my heart, and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time
behind me, and indeed come away.