Fellowship With God

by E.I. Bassey, Lagos, Nigeria | Category: General | Jul 1983

Fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ is intended to be a continuous experience for the child of God. It is a conditional thing; and basically means living in the domain of communion and sharing with God in the normal course of daily round and common task. This experience is a must for spiritual growth.

In this article thoughts on the subject are based on some well loved verses in the Song of Songs, a book which presents the subject of fellowship with God in rather surprising contexts.

Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth:

For Thy love is better than wine

Thy name is as ointment poured forth (S. of 5. 1:2,3)

These verses would appear to emphasize the point that fellowship with God flourishes on a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This experience is only possible through the working of the Holy Spirit in the believer's heart, creating longings for and appreciation of the matchless person of God's Son.

Draw me; we will run after Thee:

the King hath brought me into His chambers:

We will be glad and rejoice in Thee (1:4)

The Holy Spirit is constantly at work shedding abroad the love of God in the believer's heart. This is the power which enables the believer to live for the risen Lord, the King, who demands subjection and obedience. There is gladness and joy for all who are in His dominion to do Him service out of a loving, willing heart.

As a lily among the thorns,

So is My love among the daughters (2:2)

One who is committed to a life of fellowship with God has a responsibility to keep himself pure as He is pure. He must learn to discern between what is holy and common; he must keep away from the profanity of the world and hold a straight course in separation to Christ. Says God, "I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters" (2 Cor. 6:17, 18).

I sat under His shadow with great delight,

And His fruit was sweet to my taste.

He brought me to the banqueting house,

And His banner over me was love (2:3,4)

Time taken to be alone with God is a must if we are to know Him and His will for our individual lives. The commandment is: "Be still, and know

that I am God" (Psa. 46). Preoccupation in the Lord's service, legitimate as it may be, cannot be substituted for the time of communion with Jehovah God. The salutary lesson to Martha of Bethany should serve as a reminder to all of us about the mind of God (Luke 10:38-42). Taking time to be alone with God is a daily requirement which was demonstrated by the Lord Jesus during His earthly sojourn. Hearing and receiving God's Word and going forth into the world to live by it is the hallmark of the true servant. In this way we discover the reality of diving provision, protection and security in a world of uncertainty.

The voice of my Beloved!

My Beloved spake, and said unto me,

Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth;

The time of the singing of birds is come (2:8-13)

The voice of "my Beloved", who is Christ, can be heard through study and meditation on the written Word. We need to search the Scriptures for "These are they" says the Lord, "which bear witness of Me" (John 6:39). Organized ministry times are also important for hearing the Word through God's servants. The voice of God through the Word is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth:

I sought Him, but I found him not

It was but a little that I passed from them.

When I found Him whom my soul loved:

I held Him, and would not let Him go (3:1-4).

It is sad when we fail God and break fellowship with Him. God is faithful and merciful in that He makes provision for confession and cleansing of our sins with a view to our restoration to fellowship with Himself (1 John 1:5-9). It behooves us to discern the tender dealings of God in Christ for our good always, lest we break our commitment to Him.

My Beloved is mine, and I am His;

He feedeth His flock among the lilies.

Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away (2:16,17).

The vision of "My Beloved" is here brought into focus. "That life which I now live ..." says Paul, "I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me" (Gal. 2:20). The watchword of Paul the man in fellowship with God was, "For me to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21). The one speaking in the Song of Songs at first had as her watchword; "My Beloved is mine, and I am His" (2:16). What is your

watchword expressing a consuming passion for Christ? Should it not rather be, "I am by Beloved's, and My beloved is mine?" (6:3). John the Baptist puts it succinctly for us all when he says, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

Behold, thou art fair, my love

Thou art all fair, my love;

And there is no spot in thee (4:1,7).

The bride here can be seen primarily as a picture of the Church, the Body of Christ (Eph. 5:22-33), but lessons for the daily life of the believer can properly be taken from this and the following verses.

God's purpose in us is that we might be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29) and our spiritual lives are jealously guarded by God Himself (Jude 24). It is a serious offence for any one of His own to accept any commitment which is contrary to the perfect will of God for our lives. This is why we must learn to wait patiently on God in all our decisions.

How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is thy love than wine! (4:10)

Many young disciples burning with their first love for the Lord have come to a crossroad over the issue of marriage. Some have been stumbled because of a lack of heart discipline to discern and obey the will of the Lord and His gracious leading in the choice of a partner. The concept of marriage originated from God with definite guidelines for happiness and goodwill in the human family. It is a shipwreck of the faith for any disciple 'who compromises God's standards in this matter.

To be continued.

E.I. Bassey, Lagos, Nigeria | Jul 1983
General