Fellowship With God

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

(Continued from July 1983)

"A garden barred is my sister, my bride; A garden shut up, a fountain sealed, Thy shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with precious fruits (4:12,13. RVM).

The vivid imagery of these verses would suggest what God intends every marriage to be. From the beginning God ordained that a man shall "leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and the twain shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:4-6). For disciples in fellowship with God the injunction is binding: to marry, "only in the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:39). These definite boundaries cannot be violated without serious consequences: for why "should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets?" (Prov. 5:16). There is no provision whatever for divorce and remarriage for anyone in fellowship with God. "He hateth putting away" (Mal. 2:16 RVM'). Where the couple are careful to live by the truth of God's word their life together is beautifully depicted as "a paradise of pomegranates", symbolic of God's approval and blessings with "precious fruits".

"Awake, 0 north wind; and come, thou south;

Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.

Let my Beloved come into His garden

And eat His precious fruits" (4:16).

The path of fellowship with God will bring us into sunshine as well as cloud. Whatever betides we do well to remember the Lord's word: "I walk in the way... in the midst of the paths ... that I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries" (Prov. 8:20-21). Perplexing trials are permitted in God's sovereign purposes to teach us that we can fully trust Him to order the course of our lives and provide for our needs. Herein is God's glory, "that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perisheth though it be proved by fire, might be found unto praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:7).

"I was asleep, but my heart waked:

It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to Me, My sister, My love, My dove, My undefiled:

For My head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night" (5:2).

On the night in which the Lord was betrayed, the goodman of the house received the message, "The Master saith unto thee, where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?" (Luke 22:11). If now the same request is directed to you would you be able to welcome the Lord of glory? The Lord has need of your home and so He "knocketh, saying, open to Me... for My head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night!" A deadly device is used by the evil one to draw away the hearts of believers is the T.V. It is our submission that television in the home can be a hindrance to fellowship with God. The minds and hearts of believers can be filled by the Lord when they are sanctified for Him.

"I opened to my Beloved:

But my Beloved had withdrawn Himself, and was gone.

My soul had failed me when He spake.

I sought Him, but He gave me no answer" (5:6).

God's terms for fellowship with Him cannot be changed to suit individuals or classes. "Supposing Him to be in the company, they went a day's journey" (Luke 2:44); costly mistake for Mary and Joseph. It took them three days and much sadness to get back into His company! Where are you? Are you with Him or far from Him? "Try your own selves, whether ye be in the faith... or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? (2 Cor. 13:5).

"What is thy Beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women?

What is thy Beloved more than another beloved That thou doest so adjure us?" (5:9).

It could be interesting to compare our individual answers to this searching question with that given in the Song of Songs. Then we would perhaps find out that we do not know enough of our Lord Jesus who is the Beloved. Borrowed knowledge or lack of vision is unacceptable when we must set Him forth. Looking carefully at the description of the Beloved in 5:10-16, the first impact made is that of the glory of His nature; then of His majestic pre-eminence. Subsequent descriptions show unmistakably that knowledge of the Beloved which is possible only through a personal close acquaintance with Him who is portrayed as "altogether lovely ... my Beloved and this is my friend."

"Whither hath thy Beloved turned Him, that we may seek Him with thee? I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine:

He feedeth His flock among the lilies" (6:1,3).

Says Paul to Timothy: "Exercise thyself unto godliness ... for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee" (I Tim. 4:7,16). "1 am my Beloved's and He is mine" (6:3) is the spontaneous answer to the enquiry of 6:1. Is it not clear that those with whom we rub shoulders day by day would best be reached for the Lord through our individual lives of fellowship with Christ?

"My Beloved is gone down to His garden, to the beds of spices,

To feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine:

He feedeth his flock among the lilies." (6:2,3).

The expressions, "His garden" and "the gardens" may typify "God's tilled land" (1 Cor. 3:9 RVM).

"My Beloved is gone down ... to feed in the gardens". This speaks of the satisfaction which the Lord looks for in His people. In the expression "He feedeth His flock" there is a lovely picture of the great Shepherd at work.

"I am my Beloved's,

And His desire is toward me" (7:10).

We can never be the losers for being out and out for the Lord and His service. Simon Peter asked the question: "Lo, we have left all, and followed Thee; what then shall we have?" (Matt. 19:27). The blessings which the Lord set before the apostles and every one else satisfied their longing minds. "I am My Beloved's", is a great claim to a stand which vows unconditional surrender of heart and life and all to Christ. Fellowship with the Lord demands ultimately just this voluntary confession and commitment to the Lord before God and men. The Lord's recompense is equally great as expressed in the word: "His desire is toward me." "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye shewed toward His name. (Heb. 6:10).

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