Song of Solomon 3:1

He had shown himself through the lattice. He had opened up to his bride the vision of another and brighter world — a world of sunshine and song. He had called her to get up and come to that good land beyond the mountains and the hills. Then, having awakened her affections, he had withdrawn to his own place, and the bride is left behind in the night. She has heard of the day and looks forward to the daybreak, but she is still in the night. The presence of the King will bring the day, just as his absence makes the night.

The conscience is awake — the affections are lively: "I sought him whom my soul loves." Yet there is no joy — she is in trouble... A lively conscience — ardent affections, yet in darkness! There can only be one cause for such a state of soul — the eye does not rest on the Beloved Himself. There may seem to be other causes, but this is the real one... She has rest as to salvation; "my bed" — a resting place: though for a moment, it is "night" with the soul.

It matters little, for the purpose of the enemy, what the eye rests on, so long as he can get it off Christ. It may rest on the best of things: the work of the Lord, our fellow believers, love for one another, the fellowship of the saints. But even these things, good as they are, will lead to failure. That happens when any one of them becomes the ruling object of the heart in place of the Person of Christ.

Though she sought the Bridegroom she has to admit, more than once, "I found him not." Why is this? Is she not seeking the right person? Indeed she is, but at first she seeks him in a wrong way. She says, "On my bed, I sought him." She sought him, but at the same time she sought to keep her ease... How many of us would like to have Christ if we could spare the flesh. The love of Christ would drive us to follow after Christ, but the love of ease holds us back.

She is not seeking the daybreak, the time of singing, or the land of song. It is a person, himself, that she longs to see. In her eyes he is fairer than the fairest land, and better than all the blessings he brings. When love is awakened, Christ alone can satisfy the heart of the Christian. As homesick saints we welcome the thought that soon the last tear will be wiped away... but as lovesick saints we want "Jesus Himself." ... The heavenly city, with its walls of jasper, its gates of pearl and its streets of gold, would be no heaven without Christ.

The soul, I admit, may feel when in darkness as if He had withdrawn Himself and was gone. But in such a case it is the soul that has withdrawn itself from Him; not the Lord that has withdrawn Himself from it... The Lord is always the same. He does not change. When there is a change in our communion — in our enjoyment of Christ — it lies entirely with ourselves.

In Canticles 3 we have another attitude, another state of heart. She is alone and in darkness. She seeks her Beloved, but does not find Him. There is affection, but no joy... The chapter confirms the application to Israel. In her solitary state she seeks the Messiah, and, after asking those who watched, soon found Him whom her soul loved.