Morning, August 25
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Song of Solomon 2:3
"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.