Jesus Is . . .
THE LILY AMONG THORNS
"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters," Song of Solomon 2:1-2.
What a difference our Heavenly Bridegroom sees between His beloved bride and the world. He says, "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." Oh, beloved, what an eternal wonder Jesus claims her as His own; "My Love"! Mine by choice; Mine by redemption; Mine by effectual calling; Mine from all eternity. "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee," Jeremiah 31:3.
When the refiner can look into the fining pot upon the molten metal and see his own image, he knows the dross has all been removed. This is what Jesus sees in His bride. "As the lily"—the very description He has just given of Himself: "I am the lily of the valleys"—pure, beautiful, fragrant!"
See the contrast the Lord sees between His "LOVE" and the world, "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." What could portray a greater contrast than a beautiful lily and an ugly piercing thorn?
Our Saviour not only shed His blood to deliver His bride from the penalty of sin, but He will, "...sanctify and cleanse [her] with the washing of water by the word, That he might present [her] to himself a glorious [bride], not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that [she] should be holy and without blemish," Ephesians 5:26-27.
Jesus saw His bride, “As the lily among thorns,” when He prayed for them in John 17:15. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Our text demonstrates the bride's conformity to her Heavenly Bridegroom where it says, “I am...the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” As the lily contrasts the thorn, so Christ's bride must contrast the world. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world, ” James 1:27.
Isaiah 43:21 says, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” Oh, beloved, how essential it is to see that there is no place for those things that dishonor Christ. “As the lily among thorns,” so the world will see the contrast between Christ's bride with her will dissolved in His and their own sinful ways.
Titus 2:3-5. says, “...ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ.” The world does not read the Epistle to the Romans or the Epistle to the Ephesians. It reads every professor of Christ's holy name, and it expects a high standard. The world takes no time to study the doctrines of God's grace, but it does look for a humble, gracious, loving Spirit of Christ in the tried and tempted believer who stands out, “As the lily among thorns.”
Professed believers, when you walk in open rebellion against God's revealed will, “...the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,” Romans 2:24.
God's Word exhorts the women as the type of Christ's bride to obedience. “...be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers...teachers of good things...obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed,” Titus 2:3-5 .
May the Holy Spirit whisper these words of our Saviour into your soul, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” Amen.
I have found a friend in Jesus, He's everything to me,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
I have all for Him forsaken, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He's my comfort, in trouble He's my stay,
He tells me ev'ry care on Him to roll.
He's the Lilly of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
He all my griefs has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He's my strong and mighty tow'r;
I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps my by His pow'r.
Through all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely ever roll.
He's the Lilly of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I've nothing to fear,
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.
He's the Lilly of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
To Me . . . Jesus Is:
He is TheMy Lord
My Saviour
My King
My Judge
Lilly Of The Valley
Bright And Morning Star
Fairest of Ten Thousand
Immanuel
The Rose of Sharon
He is
The Beginning And The End
The Alpha and Omega
The One To Whom Every Knee Shall Bow
He is
God's Living Word
Face it!
The WORD, Cover To Cover,
Every Verse & Chapter,
Line by Line
-Is But A Snapshot of Jesus My Lord.
~~bob craig
"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference."
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