Song of Solomon 2:16

We have listened to her speak with admiring delight about His many excellent qualities. Still her heart was seeking possession — relationship. When you have the person, you have all his qualities and virtues. He Himself is mine... Now she sees what is coming. She looks ahead to the relationship, and she can say with certainty — He is mine! Blessed triumph! Happy victory! Now she speaks not of the fruits of His love, or of His excellencies, but of Himself. All are included in the Person.

You cannot say of a husband or wife, a child, companion or friend, or of any earthly possessions or goods, "This is mine," except in a temporary and passing sense. The rich man in Luke 12 said to himself, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years." But God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" So it is with every earthly relationship or possession. It is only temporary, and must pass away sooner or later. But the one who can say of Christ, He is mine, has a companion, a friend, a possession that shall never pass away.

They think it would be claiming too much. Surely they forget that He says it first. And can it be claiming too much to say that His word is true?... But how did they come to love Him? Just because He first loved them. As John says, "We love because He first loved us." We never anticipate Christ. He creates the desire that He may satisfy it. He creates the love that He may meet it. He creates the faith that He may answer it... So we may truly say: to desire Christ is to have Him; to desire His salvation is to have it.

The world can no longer say I am its own; the enemy cannot say, I am his. That precious word settles all, "you are Christ's," and no one else's... He bought us at a price. We are His because He bought us — and the price was His precious blood. But is it not enough, O my soul, to know that you are His — His now, and for ever — in time and through all eternity?

The King has already compared the bride to a lily. He has opened to her all the thoughts of his heart. So she comes to realise that his food and his delight is in herself... During the night of Christ's absence what is there to minister to His heart except His beloved people?... He would indeed have us with Himself in the glory where He is, but during the time of shadows He delights to come to His own.

The remnant was once persecuted so badly by the enemy. What a joy it will be to their hearts to see the great Shepherd of Israel feeding His flock among the lilies! There everything speaks of peace, abundance and fullness of blessing. But the highest of all her joys is this: this glorious Shepherd is her Bridegroom, her Beloved, her very own.

Observe, the first thought is "He is mine." This is her own most blessed interest in Christ; still it is herself that is first. Do not many of us get this far and no further? We rest contented and happy in what we have in Christ, and there is no progress in the knowledge of what Christ is in Himself.