Would that she could care for Him, and claim His whole attention, as a sister might care for a brother. She is deeply conscious that He has richly endowed her, and that she is as nothing compared with Him; but instead of proudly dwelling upon what she has done through Him, she would fain that it were possible for her to be the giver and Him the receiver. Far removed is this from the grudging thought, that must so grate upon the heart of our LORD, "I do not think that GOD requires this of me"; or, "Must I give up that, if I am to be a Christian?" True devotion will rather ask to be allowed to give, and will count as loss all which may not be given up for the LORD'S sake--"I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of CHRIST JESUS my LORD." This longing desire to be more to Him does not, however, blind her to the consciousness that she needs His guidance, and that He is her true, her only Instructor. I would lead Thee, _and_ bring Thee into my mother's house, That Thou mightest instruct me; I would cause Thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate. I would give Thee my best, and yet would myself seek all my rest and satisfaction in Thee. His left hand _should_ be under my head, And His right hand should embrace me. And thus the section closes. There is nothing sweeter to the Bridegroom or to the bride than this hallowed and unhindered communion; and again He adjures the daughters of Jerusalem, in slightly different form:-- Why should ye stir up, or why awake My love, Until she[5] please? Hallowed communion indeed! May we ever enjoy it; and abiding in CHRIST, we shall sing, in the familiar words of the well-known hymn-- Both Thine arms are clasped around me, And my head is on Thy breast; And my weary soul hath found Thee Such a perfect, perfect rest! Blessed JESUS, Now I know that I am blest. FOOTNOTE: [5] See note on p. 26. SECTION VI UNRESTRAINED COMMUNION Cant. viii. 5-14 WE have now reached the closing section of this book, which, as we have seen, is a poem describing the life of a believer on earth. Beginning in Section I. (Cant. i. 2-ii. 7) with the unsatisfied longings of an espoused one--longings which could only be met by her unreserved surrender to the Bridegroom of her soul--we find that when the surrender was made, instead of the cross she had so much feared she found a King, the KING of LOVE, who both satisfied her deepest longings, and found His own satisfaction in her. The second section (Cant. ii. 8-iii. 5) showed failure on her part; she was lured back again into the world, and soon found that her Beloved could not follow her there; then with full purpose of heart going forth to seek Him, and confessing His name, her search was successful, and her communion was restored.