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CAPTIVATED BY CHRIST

J.Laurie

I have been enjoying the sense of the immense value of being held enraptured by the Person and glories of the Lord Jesus. It is a very real thing to be captivated in our affections by the personal worth of the Lord Jesus, and to be held by the power and attraction of His love. I trust that is an experience which all of us have enjoyed, but it is something that we feel tested in sustaining. I would like to say a little that might help us to be maintained increasingly in the enjoyment of all that flows from Christ Himself.

I read this scripture about the queen of Sheba because she represents that in part. I have no doubt that the record brings out typically how the nations in a coming day will be held by the greatness of Christ in his royal dominion, and how the nations and the kings of the earth will be drawn in order to bring their glory to Him. But it is a marvellous privilege granted to those of us who belong to the assembly now to be held by the power of attraction that there is in the Lord Jesus Himself. The apostle Paul uses the expression that he had “been taken possession of by Christ Jesus” (Phil.3:12) – “taken possession of”! I suppose in one sense that Paul was taken possession of because of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. The Lord had rights over him and He had taken possession of him as one who had been bought with a price. We have all been bought with a price. But I think the expression Paul uses “taken possession of” goes beyond that, and conveys how he was entirely captivated by the Lord Jesus. He was held by the attraction of the Son of God, of whom he began to speak so early. In this scripture, the queen of Sheba seemed to be similarly held by the greatness of Solomon. She makes mention of seven things here and the first bears on the personal greatness of Solomon. “The queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon”. Think of all that flows down from Christ Himself personally. How great He is. We would surely feel the importance and bearing of His headship over us; the One from whom all wisdom and resource flows. How good it is to be held under the blessedness of all that flows from Christ our living Head.

Then she makes mention of a variety of things. I did not have in mind to say too much about the detail of them, but each of them brings out some distinctive touch. Consider the food of his table. It is true that we feed on Christ, and other scriptures would bear on that, but here the reference is to the food of his table. I believe it is an allusion to what the Lord would give us to enjoy; how in the love that marks Him, He would brings us to share in all that He enjoys, the food of His table. Think of sharing in all that Christ Himself finds delight in. What pleasure it must be to the heart of the Lord Jesus to have a vessel that can share in His interests, and partake and participate in all that forms part of His own delight and joy. Then she makes mention of “the deportment of his servants, and the order of service of his attendants and their apparel”. All these details would seem to bring out the beauty of what is of Christ among His saints. That is also something that is attractive to our hearts, to see what is of Christ in one and another, and to esteem it rightly. Think of taking account of “his servants, and the order of service of his attendants and their apparel, and his cupbearers and their apparel”. We take account of those who are helped to bring out something by way of response to the Lord Jesus and in the service of praise. How attractive it is to take account of what is of Christ in one another, and to see how much it yields joy to the heart of the Lord Jesus and to ourselves when we begin to discern that. I am interested in the reference to their apparel. Do we move suitably so that we commend ourselves in this respect to one another? Do we walk as those who are attendants on the Lord, as it were? Do we move in such a way that there is a living testimony that would stimulate the heart and affections of others?

She finally makes mention of “his ascent by which he went up to the house of Jehovah”. And then it says, “there was no more spirit in her”. It seems as if she reached some climax in her thoughts and considerations and so we have this remarkable reference, “there was no more spirit in her”. I would take that to mean that there was no impulse within her that would lead her in any direction other than to be occupied with Solomon. She was absorbed by all the greatness that was before her. What a fine thing that is when there is no other distracting activity in our affections or in our minds which might otherwise lead us away from Christ, when we should be held by all the charm and blessedness that we find in Himself.

But there is one thing that is not mentioned; she makes no reference to his love, or to his embrace. For that we have to go to the Song of Songs and find out how the spouse found something of precious intimacy. That is why I said at the beginning that the queen of Sheba sets out this thought in part. I do not believe that she sets it out fully, because she and her servants turned and went to her own land. When we are truly captivated by the love of the Lord Jesus, we have no wish to depart. We sit down enraptured in His presence. I leave that challenge with us. What a precious thing it is to be held by the power of His love. Who of us would want to turn away and go to some other place? Do we not long to be with Him? Is it not the true hope of every believer to be with Christ, and to be like Him, to be held forever in the enjoyment of his love? The spouse in the Song makes reference to His embrace, “his right hand doth embrace me”, Song of Songs 2:6. She would never turn away and go to another land. I do not despise what came out in the queen of Sheba, because she brings out some remarkable touches. But there is something that surpasses all this, and it is the intimate enjoyment of the love of Christ which would lead our hearts into the joy of union with Himself. It is then that our hearts are truly held in rapture by Him. We would have no wish to depart; we would wish, by the Spirit’s help, to be maintained in the enjoyment of that position of intimacy with Himself. I am sure we all carry exercise about that, so that we might be sustained in that joy. One would seek to encourage the brethren that we should cultivate intimacy with the blessed Spirit, so that He might serve us in order that our hearts would be captivated by the glories of Christ, and the intimate enjoyment of His love. May it be so increasingly.

Word in meeting for ministry, Dundee
20 November 2012

Edited and Published by John A Brown

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