March 1

Morning

Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind. Breathe on my garden and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choicest fruits. — Song 4:16 BSB

Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Our souls may wisely desire the cold north wind of trouble if that alone can be sanctified to draw forth the fragrance of our graces. We should not shy away from the harshest storm if it stirs the garden of our soul to bloom. In this verse, the bride humbly accepts the rebuke of her Beloved, asking Him only to send His grace, not dictating how it should come. Have we not, like her, grown so weary of spiritual deadness that we long for any stirring that would move us to action?

She also desires the warm south wind of comfort—the sweet warmth of divine love, the joy of the Redeemer’s presence. These, too, can rouse our sluggish spirits to life. She does not mind whether it be the cold wind of adversity or the warm wind of comfort, as long as her graces are brought to life and she can offer the fragrant spices of her garden to delight her Beloved. She cannot bear to be unfruitful, and neither should we.

How astonishing is the thought that our small graces can bring comfort to Jesus. Could it really be? It seems too wonderful to believe. If our trials, or even death itself, can somehow glorify our sweet Lord, should we not welcome them? If only by the bruising of our hearts, we could bring delight to the heart of Jesus, then let our hearts be crushed! Our graces, without trials to exercise them, are like sweet perfumes hidden within flowers, never released. But the wisdom of the great Gardener uses both affliction and consolation to bring out the sweet fragrance of faith, love, patience, hope, and joy. May we learn, by experience, the truth of this!

Evening

To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” — 1 Pet 2:7 BSB

Just as all rivers run into the sea, so all joys find their source and fulfillment in our Beloved. His eyes are brighter than the sun, His face more beautiful than the finest flowers, and no fragrance compares to the breath of His mouth. The treasures of earth, the gems of the mine, and the pearls from the sea—all these are worthless when compared to His preciousness.

Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but even he could not fully express just how precious. None of us can ever truly grasp the value of God’s indescribable gift! Words fall short when it comes to explaining how essential Christ is to our satisfaction and joy. Have you ever found that in the midst of earthly abundance, there is still a famine of the soul if your Lord is absent? Even when the sun is shining, if Christ has hidden His face, the whole world feels dark. What a desolate wilderness life becomes without Him! If He hides Himself, the flowers in our garden wither, our fruits decay, and our hopes are overturned like trees in a storm.

All the light of earth cannot make daylight if the Sun of Righteousness is hidden. Jesus is the soul of our soul, the light of our light, and the life of our life. Dear reader, what would you do in this world without Him, when you rise to face the challenges of the day? What would you do at night, when you come home weary and spent, without the sweet fellowship of Christ? But, praise His name, He will not leave us to face this life without Him, for Jesus never abandons His own. Still, let the thought of life without Him make us cherish Him all the more.