Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 14

(1) Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

A Light from the Dark Ages

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) is considered the greatest of medieval saints. Martin Luther, himself a monk, wrote of him, “He was the best monk that ever lived, whom I admire beyond all the rest put together.” Born into a noble family in France, he turned his back on wealth and nobility to live as a monk and to advance the life of holiness, discipline, prayer, and ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of the people.

He and his followers hewed a home out of a wilderness of forests, a desolate haunt of robbers. The order he founded became the chief religious power in western Europe for three hundred years. Bernard’s writings and poetry became his lasting legacy to the church. His fruitful contemplation of eighty-six sermons on the first two chapters of the Song of Songs is a classic of biblical exposition.

But the labours and legacy of Bernard of Clairvaux were all done in a dark and difficult time. The Middle Ages, scornfully termed “The Dark Ages,” was a period of moral darkness and a corrupt church. The world of Barnard gave no encouragement for the Christian faith.

Visualize Bernard the monk, before dawn at prayer in his bare cell. Soon another day in the monotonous succession would be upon him – hard labour in the field, the constant danger of robbers, and the wickedness of men with whom he would have to deal. But now he kneels in contemplation and his soul is filled with a sweetness that transcends the dark and difficult time in which he lived. His gifted mind gives expression to the rapture of his soul:

Jesus, the very thought of Thee

            With Sweetness fills My breast;

But sweeter far thy face to see,

            And in thy presence rest.

 

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,

            Nor can the memory find

A sweeter sound than thy blest name,

            The Saviour of mankind.

 

O hope of every contrite heart!

            O joy of all the meek!

To those who fall, how kind thou art,

            How good to those who seek!

 

But what to those who find? Ah! This

            Nor tongue nor oen can show;

The love of Jesus, what it is

            None but his loved ones know.

 

Jesus, our only joy by thou,

            As thou our prize wilt be;

Jesus, be thou our glory now

            And through eternity.

 

We do not live in the Dark Ages but in an age of enlightenment. However, amid the confusion and chaos of our world, we, all the more, need to contemplate holiness, love, and beauty of Jesus – to fill our life with the sweetness of His presence.

Centuries ago, Solomon wrote, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Let us meditate and think more upon Christ and then more of His likeness shall be seen in us.

[Extracted and edited from Songs in the Night by Henry Gariep]

 

(2) Easter Sunrise Service

Thank God for a blessed Sunrise Service at the Republic of Singapore of Singapore Yacht Club on 1 April 2018. We contemplated upon Luke’s account of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in Luke 24:1-12.

Observing from our text the devotion of the woman folks toward our Lord when they rose early to come to the sepulchre bringing with them the sweet fragrance of spices prepared, albeit, to a sealed tomb.

Their love and consecration were exemplary. Their hearts were stirred with the life our Lord has imparted to them.  Of sins forgiven, the peace and joy of reconciliation with God through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

They were pleasantly surprised to see the heavy stone that sealed the tomb rolled away. It enabled them to enter and see the empty tomb, the delight of receiving the first evidence of the resurrected Christ. As the angels testified to them, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen…”

 The angles reminded them the words of Christ, foretold, now fulfilled before their eyes, “The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

 Imagine the excitement and delight of carrying such good news to the other disciples. Indeed, when we take time to seek the Lord early, we experience the delight of His presence and wisdom strengthening our hearts for a new day. May He energized us with the resurrection life daily to be His witness, as we seek Him early and find Him unfailingly imparting the delight for life to us. A blessed life indeed! Amen.

 

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee