五月一日
他的两腮如香花畦，如香草台。（歌5：13）
百花开放的月份来了！三月的风、四月的雨已经完成了它们的任务，大地又换上了美丽的春装。我的心哪！穿上便装到野外去拾取属天的花朵吧。你知道你该往那里去，因为“香花畦”是很出名的地方，你也常闻到“香花”的芬芳，你必立即就到你的良人，在他里面得到一切爱情和快乐。那腮曾受人的毒打，常满了同情的泪，也曾受人的唾弃——那腮满怀恩怜的微笑，对于我心好像是芳香的肉桂一样。主耶稣啊！你的脸受辱受唾时并未畏缩，因此我要欢乐地称颂你。那腮满了忧伤的刺痕，血从荆冕刺破的额角滴滴流下，这种无限之爱的记号比“香草台”更能欢畅我心。若我不能看到他整个的脸，单看他的腮就够了，因为只要一看，我的灵性就必大得振奋，并得到各种的欢乐。耶稣不但是芳香，而且是“香花畦”；不只是一种花，而且是各样的香花。他是我的玫瑰，我的百合花，我的安心草（hcanscasc）和我的凤仙花。他若与我同在，那末终年都是五月，我的心要在他恩惠的晨露中洗濯它快乐的面，并以他应许之鸟儿的歌唱作为安慰。至宝贵的主耶稣啊！叫我真知道与你永远同住、与你永远相交是有福的事。我是不配的，我的腮不配你亲！让我也用我的唇与你亲嘴。
“天使称赞名最香，人亦歌咏名无双；
天上地下常颂扬，耶稣我恩主耶稣。”
May 1
“His cheeks are as a
bed of spices, as sweet flowers.” — Song of Solomon 5:13
Lo, the flowery
month is come! March winds and April showers have done their work, and the
earth is all bedecked with beauty. Come my soul, put on thine holiday attire
and go forth to gather garlands of heavenly thoughts. Thou knowest whither to
betake thyself, for to thee “the beds of spices” are well known, and
thou hast so often smelt the perfume of “the sweet flowers,” that
thou wilt go at once to thy well-beloved and find all loveliness, all joy in
Him. That cheek once so rudely smitten with a rod, oft bedewed with tears of
sympathy and then defiled with spittle–that cheek as it smiles with mercy is
as fragrant aromatic to my heart. Thou didst not hide Thy face from shame and
spitting, O Lord Jesus, and therefore I will find my dearest delight in praising
Thee. Those cheeks were furrowed by the plough of grief, and crimsoned with red
lines of blood from Thy thorn-crowned temples; such marks of love unbounded
cannot but charm my soul far more than “pillars of perfume.” If I may
not see the whole of His face I would behold His cheeks, for the least glimpse
of Him is exceedingly refreshing to my spiritual sense and yields a variety of
delights. In Jesus I find not only fragrance, but a bed of spices; not one
flower, but all manner of sweet flowers. He is to me my rose and my lily, my
heart’s- ease and my cluster of camphire. When He is with me it is May all the
year round, and my soul goes forth to wash her happy face in the morning-dew of
His grace, and to solace herself with the singing of the birds of His promises.
Precious Lord Jesus, let me in very deed know the blessedness which dwells in
abiding, unbroken fellowship with Thee. I am a poor worthless one, whose cheek
Thou hast deigned to kiss! O let me kiss Thee in return with the kisses of my
lips.
