I love the subject of faith. I really love it when faith is compared to or explained with our senses. "Taste and see that the Lord is good" hits home with all those who love biting into a delicious, well-grilled steak! Such comparisons open our eyes to truths that might otherwise be lost in abstraction. So, it is with joy that I send forth this very good word from Charles Spurgeon. Read it slowly, thoughtfully. It will reward you richly.
“His
fruit was sweet to my taste.”—
Song of Solomon 2:3
Faith, in the
Scripture, is spoken of under the emblem of all the senses. It is sight: “Look unto me and be ye saved.”
It is hearing: “Hear, and your soul
shall live.” Faith is smelling: “All
thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia”; “thy name is as ointment
poured forth.” Faith is spiritual touch.
By this faith the woman came behind and touched the hem of Christ’s garment,
and by this we handle the things of the good word of life. Faith is equally the
spirit’s taste. “How sweet are thy words to my taste! yea, sweeter than honey
to my lips.” “Except a man eat my flesh,” saith Christ, “and drink my blood, there is no life in him.”
This “taste” is faith in one of its highest operations.
One of the first performances of faith is hearing.
We hear the voice of God, not with the outward ear alone, but with the inward
ear; we hear it as God’s Word, and we believe it to be so; that is the “hearing”
of faith. Then our mind looketh upon
the truth as it is presented to us; that is to say, we understand it, we
perceive its meaning; that is the “seeing” of faith. Next we discover its
preciousness; we begin to admire it, and find how fragrant it is; that is faith
in its “smell.” Then we appropriate
the mercies which are prepared for us in Christ; that is faith in its “touch.” Hence follow the enjoyments,
peace, delight, communion; which are faith in its “taste.” Any one of these
acts of faith is saving. To hear Christ’s voice as the sure voice of God in the
soul will save us; but that which gives true enjoyment is the aspect of faith
wherein Christ, by holy taste, is received into us, and made, by inward and
spiritual apprehension of his sweetness and preciousness, to be the food of our
souls. It is then we sit “under his shadow with great delight,” and find his
fruit sweet to our taste.
No comments:
Post a Comment