My heart bursts it banks. There are moments in your life when you can truly testify of overwhelming happiness. Times like when your crush admits with rosy-red cheeks that you are her crush always. Times like when you receive an offer letter from the company of your dreams. But all of that pales in comparison with the joy of Salvation. In that moment everything else fades to black – the world and all its valuables recede into oblivion. You are before your King and Maker, the Lofty One.
It is in such a moment that your heart truly breaks our emotional barricades, spilling forth beauty and goodness. Your lips offer the fruit of praise because in one expert move Christ has redeemed you from the curse of the law. He has translated you from darkness to enveloping Light. This is true happiness. Everything else is an additive. Read Deuteronomy 28:1-15. See as it overflows with blessings for the believer. This is how the Creator rolls. It is no wonder that in Psalm 45 the sons of Korah esteem him as the handsomest of men. They remind us that every word from His lips is sheer, effortless grace. How beautiful are the words of such a King! They are like the fragrant oil used to anoint.
Take great care as you read Psalm 45; it is the picture of a wedding – my wedding. Don’t laugh, don’t snigger. According to the ancient writer Pliny, the lily is the tallest of flowers and yet hangs its head down. A picture of humility … like our Lord and King who is the Lily of the valley we are Lilies – exceeding all other flowers for whiteness. We are the Bride of the Lamb who knew no sin. I am Christ’s bride. The church is Christ’s bride. He has put on his garments drenched with grace, fragrant with the breeze of mountains.
He awaits the arrival of you and me – a bride glittering in the golden jewelry of righteousness. This is the covenant reality of a believer. This is why He died – to bring us into a place of intimacy. Anything less than that is but an empty knick-knack. The Lily of the valley in all His simplicity and innocence was crushed by man’s pride, yet He blossomed again against all odds, just for you and me.
This is the definition of Salvation. Forget your country; put your home behind you. Be here – the King of Kings is totally in love with you. Put on the dazzling dress of divinity, the robe of righteousness sewn by the blood of the Risen King. Don’t miss a word! The Christian life is a call to a relationship that stretches and shatters the limits of our imagination. It is no mere religion, not a set of hollow rules and regulations. It is a totally new lifestyle.
In the place of fellowship, locked within the chambers of communion your tastes are transformed. You love the right, and hate the wrong. This is what marks you out as a Royalty among your companions. This is the reason you can ride majestically, ride in triumph because you are riding on the side of truth. Even as hell’s horde attack you strap your sword to your side, knowing that your King has blessed you.
Indeed your thoughts are filled daily with beautiful words. You wax lyrical; every word that pours forth from your lip is poetic brilliance. With the heart we believe, with the mouth we confess. Have you come to that mountain of intimacy? Have you made up your mind to chase after the King, to hunger and thirst after righteousness?