Morning
Time: 10:13 AM PST
"His fruit was sweet to my taste." --Song of Solomon 2:3
Faith, in the Scripture, is spoken of under the emblem of all the senses. It
is sight: "Look unto me and be ye saved." It is hearing: "Hear,
and your soul shall live." Faith is smelling: "All thy garments smell of
myrrh, and aloes, and cassia"; "thy name is as ointment poured forth." Faith is
spiritual touch. By this faith the woman came behind and touched the hem
of Christ's garment, and by this we handle the things of the good word of life.
Faith is equally the spirit's taste. "How sweet are Thy words to my taste! yea,
sweeter than honey to my lips." "Except a man eat my flesh," saith Christ, "and
drink my blood, there is no life in him."
This "taste" is faith in one of its highest operations. One of
the first performances of faith is hearing. We hear the voice of God, not
with the outward ear alone, but with the inward ear; we hear it as God's Word,
and we believe it to be so; that is the "hearing" of faith. Then our mind
looketh upon the truth as it is presented to us; that is to say, we
understand it, we perceive its meaning; that is the "seeing" of faith. Next we
discover its preciousness; we begin to admire it, and find how fragrant it is;
that is faith in its "smell." Then we appropriate the mercies which are
prepared for us in Christ; that is faith in its "touch." Hence follow the
enjoyments, peace, delight, communion; which are faith in its "taste." Any one
of these acts of faith is saving. To hear Christ's voice as the sure voice of
God in the soul will save us; but that which gives true enjoyment is the aspect
of faith wherein Christ, by holy taste, is received into us, and made, by inward
and spiritual apprehension of His sweetness and preciousness, to be the food of
our souls. It is then we sit "under His shadow with great delight," and find His
fruit sweet to our taste.