OPEN TO ME - THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: THURSDAY, 21ST APRIL, 2022 

TOPIC: OPEN TO ME

TEXT: SONGS OF SOLOMON 5: 2-6:3

5:2. I sleep, but my heart is awake; [It is] the voice of my beloved! He knocks, [saying,] "Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night."

3. I have taken off my robe; How can I put it on [again?] I have washed my feet; How can I defile them?

4. My beloved put his hand By the latch [of the door,] And my heart yearned for him.

5.  I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped [with] myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock.

6.  I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away [and] was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7.  The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls Took my veil away from me.

8.  I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I [am] lovesick! THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM

9.  What [is] your beloved More than [another] beloved, O fairest among women? What [is] your beloved More than [another] beloved, That you so charge us? THE SHULAMITE

10.  My beloved [is] white and ruddy, Chief among ten thousand.

11.  His head [is like] the finest gold; His locks [are] wavy, [And] black as a raven.

12.  His eyes [are] like doves By the rivers of waters, Washed with milk, [And] fitly set.

13.  His cheeks [are] like a bed of spices, Banks of scented herbs. His lips [are] lilies, Dripping liquid myrrh.

14.  His hands [are] rods of gold Set with beryl. His body [is] carved ivory Inlaid [with] sapphires.

15.  His legs [are] pillars of marble Set on bases of fine gold. His countenance [is] like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars.

16.  His mouth [is] most sweet, Yes, he [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my beloved, And this [is] my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem! THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM

6:1. Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, That we may seek him with you? THE SHULAMITE

2. My beloved has gone to his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed [his flock] in the gardens, And to gather lilies.

3. I [am] my beloved's, And my beloved [is] mine. He feeds [his flock] among the lilies. THE BELOVED

MESSAGE: 

In our text today, we see the lover of the woman we have been reading about come calling on her to open for him to come in. However, she was already undressed and could not open for her lover who was drenched in the dew of the night. When she decided to open, her lover is already gone and her search for him is not without untoward experience. This is typical of our relationship with Jesus. He longs to come in to dine and fellowship with us. However, He does not impose Himself on us, rather He stands at the door and knocks: If anyone opens…. However, most times, we do not want Him to come and see our nakedness. 

We would rather continue to ‘cover up’ instead of allowing Him come and see us ‘undressed.’ This is far from what it ought to be; it is when our lives are bare before Him that He can help our weaknesses. There is never a life that opens up to Him that does not receive help. We must be careful so that it should not be said of us that when we finally open to Him, He would have been long gone!

PRAYER: 

Father, help me never again to cover up before Him who has the ability to help my weaknesses, but to always open up to Him.