“The voice of my beloved, behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart.” Song of Solomon 2:8,9
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Great Original, perfectly free from the constraints of creation’s limitations, and in particular, of sin’s laws and effects. He indeed is at perfect liberty, a freedom that has only but one limit, His holy nature. Christ, because of His sovereignty, being Almighty, is joyfully free to leap upon mountains, and skip upon the hills. He is absolutely free from the limitations of the physical aspects of earth, and at the same time, rising victoriously above all that sinful man is obligated to submit to. When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, His imposed and accepted constraints, those limitations of the flesh at that time, and the obligations of His Father’s will and purpose, through the accomplishment of His work on Calvary, He was set free to regain heaven, knowing that fulness of joy that He knew with the Father before the world began. There He reigns, free in heart and mind, in perfect union with the perfect Father and Holy Spirit. All is subservient to Him, for He is the conquering King, the overcoming Lion.
Why is it that Scripture, through the eyes and words of Solomon, portray Christ, the perfect Beloved, as a “roe (doe), or a young hart (buck)?” It is because, as we discover in Solomon’s song, He is not the prisoner of walls, or of mixed desires of those whom He loves, whom He came to save. He is the Everlasting Shepherd, who by His abounding love and grace, is ever seeking the lost. He is free by virtue of the boundless energy and power of the Spirit of God, to leap and to skip upon and over every obstacle in His path. His heart is ever soaring to the heights of heaven, ever desiring to bring those whom He loves, to a greater experience of His love and power. What then of the believer, this one for whom Christ died? Is he or she called to know this abounding freedom, and joy? Yes, the call of God is to know this abounding Life. (Jn. 10:10) How can it be so? Is it the revealed will and purpose of God? To answer this question, one must “see” this vision of such a life. Then there must be the learning God’s way of faith, trusting the Spirit of God for the realization of that Life.
In the fifty-first chapter of the book of Isaiah, we see a “path” which God lays out before us that we might KNOW such a life of power and blessing. He writes to the one who is seeking the Lord, following after righteousness. He instructs this one who is pursuing God to, “Look unto Abraham your father, and to Sarah, that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” (v.2) There are three things to note in the example of Abraham, and all of them have their origin and realization in Christ The first is the “calling.” What does this calling? It is that definite, though quiet, drawing out of the soul to seek God. The calling of God, with respect to its purpose, is confirmed to the heart by the Spirit, when one truly believes. The second thing is the blessing of God. The immeasurable blessing of God in Christ is revealed to the believer, “…by the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are FREELY given to us of God.” (1 Cor. 2:12) God draws out the heart to Himself, saves the soul, places the believer in Christ, there to begin to reveal to him or her the spiritual blessings in Christ. Thirdly, God “increases” the believer as He did Abraham. God increases the believer’s capacity for Himself. It is as our vision of the truth of our union with Christ is revealed to us, understood and grasped, in an ever-increasing manner, that we begin to know Christ’s abundant, abounding and free Life.
Dear Father, Grant us to see our lives hidden in Christ, deriving all by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayed for our families during this difficult season. Thank you for your devotionals. I think of your family often Craig.
Good Morning, Randy: Thanks for the note. Good to hear from you. Trusting the Lord to be closer than a brother to you all. He indeed is so faithful to enable us to run this race, and finish it well. God bless you immeasurably for His glory.