Tender Love

Tender Love

by S.N. Redford

Tender Love Tender Love by Elder S.N. Redford from The Banner of Love Sept 15, 1934 'O my Dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the sacred places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.' Song of Solomon 2:14 The text is full of tender love that Christ has for His poor afflicted people. He calls her his dove. He has called her by other endearing names before, but here He calls her His dove. Although a poor, weak and defenseless dove, yet she is in the clefts of the rock. The rock represents Christ. The dove's nature is to fly for safety. Perhaps no bird can fly so fast as the dove. There were cities of refuge in the land of Canaan to which a fugitive of justice could fly, and as long as he remained in that city he was safe. This too, was a figure of Christ. Christ is not only 'an hiding place from the wind,' but He is the only hiding place for a poor condemned sinner. Then fly little dove, to the rock that is 'Higher than I' for safety. Our blessed Lord possessed humanity as well as divinity. The poor defenseless dove feeds upon the flesh and blood of Jesus but we often need to get higher up to escape our enemies; so fly on little dove, to the mount of His divinity. Here is a mountain whose top reaches to the highest heavens; so high it has never been explored. Here is omnipotent power, immutability, omnipresence, omniscience and everlasting mercy. Here the little dove is safe, here only. How my poor heart overflows with joy at the sweet thought that God's humble poor, has such a stronghold to flee to in times of trouble. Here we are safe from a broken law, safe from the world, the flesh and the devil. The dove of Christ is not only in the clefts of the rock, but she is in the secret places of the stairs. The stairs represent Christ also. Jacob saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven. A ladder or stairway has steps by which we ascend or descend. Now the steps are secret steps that none know of but God's people. Prayer is one of those secret places. There is no power in the world that can prohibit His dove from this secret stairway. Here Christ meets with them and they sup with Him and He sups with them. Another secret place in the stairs is praise to God. The little dove often has to spread her wings of faith and fly for life from the bloodthirsty hawk, but when safe in the cleft of the rock then what a feast of rejoicing and praise to God for deliverance. It is a joy unspeakable and full of glory. Another secret place in the stairs is meditation. There are hundreds of God's humble poor that are old and feeble, they can no longer go to the House of God. There are others that are cast on beds of pain. Others are far away in strange lands. But Christ meets with them in secret meditation, and when they meet Jesus in the field of meditation, a third party would be an intruder. Just you and your love, what a feast. Another secret place is when He walks with us in the thorny way and opens to us the Scripture. Look how they sparkle with jewels. Oh, when He unlocks these rich mines and lets us behold our riches, we forget our poverty. 'Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.' Jesus invites His dove to look to Him, so dear child of God turn your tear stained face to Jesus, look heavenward, you have nothing to fear. It is true, little dove, you spent your life in mourning, but there is beauty in your tears to Christ. He takes notice to every tear that falls from your eyes. He also invites you to let Him hear your voice in prayer, although it may only consist of groans, yet it is sweet to Him. Dear reader, I have scarcely touched the great truths in the text; preach it out and enjoy it.

Primitive Baptist Writings