A TIME FOR BEING SHUT AWAY

                                               Wade E Taylor

 

    “A garden enclosed is My sister, my spouse; a spring

      shut up, a fountain sealed. Your plants are an orchard

      of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphor, with

      spikenard, spikenard and saffron, calamus and

      cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and

      aloes, with all the chief spices.” Song of Solomon 4:12-14.

 

Her first testimony had been, “My beloved is mine.”  The Lord accepted this, and allowed the Bride to have all of the things she had desired.  At the same time, He began to draw her to Himself by causing her to notice His interest in her.

 

    “Behold, He stands behind our wall, He looks

      forth at the windows, showing Himself through

      the lattice.” Song of Solomon 2:9b.

 

As she noticed that He was looking through the window toward her, longing to be invited into the “room” of her spiritual experience, there arose within her a deep inner stirring toward Him.  She began to intently desire “Him,” rather than the “things” she had once sought after.

 

He (Jesus) acknowledged her “single eye” which was beginning to look toward Him alone, and in a penetrating expression of love, He said to her, “O My dove” (Song of Solomon 2:14).  Because of her single eye, He could now begin to inwardly change her into the Bride He desired her to be.

 

In her first confession she had said,

 

    “My mother's children were angry with me; they

      made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my

      own vineyard have I not kept.” Song of Solomon 1:6b.

 

She had been a very dedicated worker for the Lord.  Even in the heat of the day, while others rested, she worked until she became burned by the sun, (“I am black, but comely”).  During this time, she did not personally know the Lord, neither did she know His voice or His leadings.  She did only as others told her to do (“They made me the keeper of the vineyard.”)

 

She had been so faithful in doing all that was required of her, that her own vineyard had been neglected.  This neglected vineyard speaks of the “ground” upon which the Lord comes in order to change us.  This ground encompasses all the people and the circumstances which the Lord uses to bring about our spiritual development and growth (Ephesians 2:10).

 

It is encouraging to know that the Lord will come to meet us, even in the place of neglect, when we confess our need to Him.  It becomes “good ground” (Matthew 13:8) when we place the Lord in full control of all that pertains to us, and invite Him to come within the “room” (closet) of our spiritual experience to abide with us.

 

We should have a special “place” that we have sanctified and “set apart” for our times of fellowship with the Lord.

 

  “But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when

    you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in

    secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward

    you openly.” Matthew 6:6.

 

Along with this “set apart” place for intimate communion with the Lord, we should make the total area of our life experience to be as an “open door” for Him to enter.  We can do this by keeping the “poise” of our spirit upward toward the Lord, no matter where, or what we are doing.  It is this which encourages and releases the Lord to become active in making of us the Bride that He desires.

 

    “Let the Bridegroom go forth of His chamber,

      and the bride out of her closet.” Joel 2:16b.

 

The Lord will always use us to minister to, and meet the needs of others.  However, our times of communion with Him are more important to Him than anything that we could do for Him.  He is to have the first place in our lives.

 

    “Come, My beloved, let us go forth into the field;

      let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to

      the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish,

      whether the tender grape appear, and the

      pomegranates bud forth: there will I give you

      My loves.” Song of Solomon 7:11-12.

 

Notice that we are to “come” before we “go” forth in ministry.  Our ministry will be much more effective and productive when it is the result of, and flows out from, our times of communion with the Lord.

 

Many servants of the Lord who fail or get into serious problems, do so because of negligence at this very point.  They work so hard for the Lord that they become spiritually weakened and succumb to temptation.  This happened to the Bride.  Thus, she confessed her failure, “My mother’s children were angry with me.”

 

It is crucial that we maintain quality times of worship, prayer, waiting upon the Lord, and devotionally reading the Word.  She had neglected her own spiritual development and growth, along with her times of communion with the Lord, through being busy working diligently for Him.  We must keep in mind that our ability to impart spiritual substance and life to others, results from that which we have first received.

 

We are called to work with the Lord, rather than for Him.

 

    “And He goes up into a mountain, and calls to Him

      whom He would; and they came to Him. And He

      ordained twelve, that they should be with Him,

      and that He might send them forth …” Mark 3:13-14.

 

If we are faithful in our part, which is “being with Him;” then He will be faithful in His part, to “send us forth.”

 

I learned a principle many years ago that greatly affected my life.  “If we build God a house of devotion, He will build us a house of ministry.”

 

    “That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance;

      and I will fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:21.

 

The bride had asked the Lord to “stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples.” (Song of Solomon 2:5a).  In response to her desire, He brought her to the banqueting table and blessed her so abundantly with all she wanted, that she became filled beyond the capacity that she had, at that time.

 

    “For I am sick of love.” Song of Solomon 2:5b.

 

We are to enjoy the blessings, and use to the fullest all of the gifts that the Lord has given.  Yet these are not meant to be our goal.  Rather, they are to be the means of meeting the needs of others, and of enlarging our capacity and our desire for Him.

 

Outwardly, she seemed to be satisfied and content.  However, the Lord knew that inwardly, she could not continue to be satisfied and fulfilled by just having these things.  She had seen Him, and was moved deep within her being toward Him.  Now, He was ready to show her that there was something “better” that He desired for her, beyond all these “things” that He was able to give her.

 

He was waiting for her to invite Him to come within the secret place, to commune with Him alone.  To accomplish this, He allowed her to enter into, or experience, a time of spiritual darkness.

 

    “By night on my bed I sought Him whom

      my soul loves.” Song of Solomon 3:1a.