Heart-Communing
1 Kings 2. — “£lni) sl)e came to Jerusalem tmtl) a »er« great train, tmtl) camels tljat bare spices, anb cerr) mitcl) golft, anb precious stones: ana uiljen sl)e teas come to Solomon, slje communed untl) l)im of all tljat urns in tycr l)eart.”
It is not generally a wise thing to tell out all your heart. Samson reached the climax of folly when he did this to Delilah. Yet if we could meet with a Solomon who could solve all our difficulties, we might isely do so.
We have a greater than Solomon in Jesus, who is incarnate Wisdom. The mischief is, that with him we are too silent, and with worldly friends too communicative. This evil should be rectified.
I. WE OUGHT TO COMMUNE WITH HIM OF ALL THAT IS IN OUR HEART.
1. Neglect of intercourse with Jesus is very unkind; for he
invites us to talk with him, saying, “Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” Solomon’s Song ii. 14. Shall our heavenly Bridegroom be deprived of the fellowship of our souls?
2. To conceal anything from so true a Friend betrays tho
sad fact that there is something wrong to be concealed.
3. It shows a want of confidence in his love, or his sympathy, or his wisdom, if we cannot tell Jesus all that is in or upon our hearts. Between bride and Bridegroom there should be no secrets, or love will be wounded.
4. It will be the cause of uneasiness to ourselves if we withhold anything from him. The responsibility will all rest with us, and this will weigh heavily.
5. It will involve the loss of his counsel and help; for when
we unbosom ourselves to him, he meets our case. If we hide our trouble, he may leave us to fret until we confide more fully in him.
6. Reticence toward Jesus is greatly aggravated by our usual
eagerness to tell our troubles to others. Will we make a confidant of man, and hide the matter from our God?
II. WK NEED NOT CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OF TOPICS.
1. Our sorrows. He knows what they are, will comfort us
under them, help us to profit by them, and in due time remove them.
2. Our joys. He will sober and salt them. Joy without
Jesus is the sun without light, the essence of it is gone. Joy without Jesus would be as evil as the golden calf which provoked the Lord to jealousy.
3. Our service. He was a Servant, and therefore he knows
our heart, and will sympathize with our difficulties. Let us speak freely.
4. Our plans. He had zeal and ardor, and was quick of
understanding in the fear of the Lord; he will gladly commune with us concerning all that is in our hearts to do for the Father.
5. Our successes and failures should be reported at headquarters. The disciples of the martyred John took up the body, and went and told Jesus. Matthew xiv. 12. Our Lord’s own evangelists returned and told what had been done. Luke ix. 10.
6. Our desires. Holiness, usefulness, heaven; all these awaken the sympathy of Jesus; lie prays for us about these things.
7. Our fears; fears of falling, needing, failing, fainting,
dying. To mention these to Jesus is to end them.
8. Our loves. Of earth and of heaven, toward others and
to himself. That love which we dare not tell to
Jesus is an evil lusting.
9. Our mysteries; incomprehensible feelings, undefinable
uneasinesses, and complex emotions, will be all the better for being ventilated in Jesus’ presence.
III. NOR SHALL WE CEASE COMMUNING FOR WANT OP REA SONS.
1. How ennobling and elevating is intercourse with the Son
of God!
2. How consoling and encouraging is fellowship with him
who has overcome the world!
3. How sanctifying and refining is union with the perfect
One, who is the Lord our righteousness!
4. How safe and healthy is a daily walk with the ever-blessed Son of man!
5. How proper and natural for disciples to talk with their
Teacher, and saints with their Saviour!
6. How delightful and heavenly is rapturous converse with
the Beloved of our souls!
Warning to those who never speak with Jesus. “Will he not say at the last, “I never knew you”?
Complaint of those who seldom commune with him. “Is this thy kindness to thy friend?”
Hint to those who usually live in communion with him. Be sure to keep up the holy intercourse; and to this end be very thorough, unlock every room in your house, and let Jesus enter.
Congratulation of those who have long enjoyed his fellow ship.
THINGS TO STRIKE AND STICK.
A workman in time of need would part with everything be fore his tools; for to lose them would be to lose all. Reading the Word of God and prayer are the tools of the Christian’s craft; without them he is helpless. How is it, then, that when time presses, he so often foregoes these, or shortens them? What is this but to sell his tools?
If there be anything I do, if there be anything I leave undone, let me be perfect in prayer. — Henry Martyn.
Blessed be God that I may pray. — David Brainerd.
He oft finds help who doth his grief impart,
And to tell sorrow half ens sorrow’s smart.
—Spenser.
What would be said of a member of a family who refused to speak with his father or his brother? What a source of unhappiness to have such a person in the house! WThat, then, must be thought of a professed spouse of Jesus who has had no personal intercourse with him by the month together? Lack of holy communion is a very grievous thing. True love is communicative; it cannot bear to keep its secrets from its Be loved, nor to be restrained in its converse with him. Let the believer see to it that he is not like one of whom we asked, “How long is it since you had fellowship with Jesus?” and he answered, “tt is so long ago that I have almost forgotten it.” Was not this an evil sign?
“Let us be simple with him then,
Not backward, stiff, or cold;
As though our Bethlehem could be
What Sinai was of old.”
The believer should be familiar in the house over whiclr Christ is set, and draw near with full assurance of faith. Come and tell him all your wants and desires freely, without concealing anything from him, foi that would argue distance and distrust. The stronger faith is, the more wants it tells, and the more fully it tells them. Do you want anything of which you cannot tell your Lord? It argues either no real need, or else little faith. Strong faith hath free communion with heaven, and conceals nothing, but tells all. Eph. iii. 12. “In whom we have boldness.” The word translated boldness is “telling all.” — Thomas Boston.
Sing a hymn to Jesus, when the heart is faint;
Tell it all to Jesus, comfort or complaint:
If the work is sorrow, if the way is long,
If thou dread’ st the morrow, tell it him in song;
Though thy heart be aching for the crown and palm,
Keep thy spirit waking with a faithful psalm.
—E. Paxton Hood.