Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath and Sunday, July 29 & 30, 2023
Several weeks ago, Denise, one of the members of our church’s flower committee, created a fantastic flower arrangement for the front of the sanctuary. Then she took a single rose and arranged it as you see above, on the communion table which is beneath a picture of Jesus at the back near the entrance.
Beautiful, isn’t it? It reminds me that Jesus is sometimes referred to as the “Rose of Sharon.” This is because the little Bible book Song of Solomon’s romantic imagery is thought to be parable of Jesus’ love for us. In Song of Solomon 2:1 and 2 [NKJV] the speaker says, “I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys.”
Naturally, poets and songwriters have delightedly made use of those metaphors. In 1922, Ida Guirey wrote the following words, which have become a public-domain gospel hymn. Take a few moments to linger over these thoughts:
Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom within my heart;
Beauties of Thy truth and holiness impart,
That where’er I go my life may shed abroad
Fragrance of the knowledge of the love of God.
Jesus, Rose of Sharon, sweeter far to see
Than the fairest flow’rs of earth could ever be,
Fill my life completely, adding more each day
Of Thy grace divine and purity, I pray.
Jesus, Rose of Sharon, balm for every ill,
May Thy tender mercy’s healing pow’r distil
For afflicted souls of weary burdened men,
Giving needy mortals health and hope again.
Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom forevermore;
Be Thy glory seen on earth from shore to shore,
Till the nations own Thy sov’reignty complete,
Lay their honors down and worship at Thy feet.
For more Bible information about Jesus, click the link below:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/jesus-christ