Sweet Notes from

"They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept." (Chapter 1 verse 6). How often has this phrase fallen in desolation from the lips of the believing child of God? Like the young bride of the Song of Solomon we have followed hard after Christ in our new-found faith, but how soon we have had to bear the testimony "Mine own vineyard have I not kept." "Draw me …" was the cry of the believing soul in verse 4 of this chapter of the Song of Solomon; "look not upon me …" is the theme that breaks forth here just a few lines later. The love of the believer in Christ does, indeed, "ebb and flow", just like the love of Solomon's Bride.

But, praise God for the "grace of enquiry". "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth," in verse 7, "where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?" None other but Christ will satisfy the searching soul; not even the best of the "companions" will warm the heart that has lapsed into the coldness of spiritual winter. "No man save Jesus only." Listen to His reply, my seeking soul! "If thou know not, O thou fairest among women," He says to you, "go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed the kids beside the shepherds' tents." There is a way back to your Beloved! It is the way that all the ransomed have ever travelled back to green pastures again! It's by the "footsteps of the flock."

"Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock," and feed your soul beside the tents of the shepherds of God's unchanging grace, and soon you will know what it is to have communion with your Saviour again and to pour out your love in His presence. "While the king sitteth at his table", says the young bride in verse 12 where she has gone by the "foot steps of the flock" and found her beloved again, "my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." Like Mary of old, we can break our "box of spikenard, very precious," upon the head of our Savour in glad sacrifice and adoration; but only when we have returned to Him by searching for Him with all our hearts. "Go thy way forth, then by the footsteps of the flock," to the place where you can work and worship to the praise of His name.