Come, My Beloved

Song of Solomon 7:11-12 Come, my beloved,
Let us go forth into the field;
Let us lodge in the villages.
Let us get up early to the vineyards;
Let us see if the vine flourish,
Whether the tender grape appear,
And the pomegranates bud forth:
There will I give thee my loves.

And, precious blessed husband of thy church and people! may I not consider this invitation as given also by thee to thy church and to thy people, yea, to my poor soul? Methinks I hear thee saying to me, personally to me, 'Come, my beloved; come, let us go forth into the field of my word alone; let us go together also to the villages of my people, and dwell in my house and vineyards: both in private and in public will I manifest myself unto thee, and shew thee my loves.' Oh, thou bountiful Lord! thy whole heart is love. All is grace, and mercy, and kindness in Jesus; and all thou art, and all thou hast, is for thy people, thy redeemed, thy Segullah, thy chosen! Lord, give me but grace in the lively actings of faith, and my soul shall follow thee "whithersoever thou goest!"

- from Robert Hawker's The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions, September 2, Evening