“I sleep, but my heart waketh.” — Song of Solomon 5:2

Paradoxes abound in Christian experience, and here is one — the spouse was asleep, and yet she was awake. He only can read the believer’s riddle who has ploughed with the heifer of his experience. The two points in this evening’s text are — a mournful sleepiness and a hopeful wakefulness. I sleep. Through sin that dwelleth in us we may become lax in holy duties, slothful in religious exercises, dull in spiritual joys, and altogether supine and careless. This is a shameful state for one in whom the quickening Spirit dwells; and it is dangerous to the highest degree. Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is…

high time for all to shake off the bands ofsloth. It is to be feared that many believers lose their strength as Samsonlost his locks, while sleeping on the lap of carnal security. With a perishingworld around us, to sleep is cruel; with eternity so near at hand, it ismadness. Yet we are none of us so much awake as we should be; a fewthunder-claps would do us all good, and it may be, unless we soon bestirourselves, we shall have them in the form of war, or pestilence, or personalbereavements and losses. O that we may leave for ever the couch of fleshlyease, and go forth with flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! Myheart waketh. This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadlysmothered. When our renewed heart struggles against our naturalheaviness, we should be grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a littlevitality within the body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will helpour hearts, will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is reallythe voice of our Beloved, saying, “Open to me.” Holy zeal will surelyunbar the door.

“Oh lovely attitude! He stands With melting heart and laden hands; My soul forsakes her every sin; And lets the heavenly stranger in.”

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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen