“Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.” — Song of Solomon 2:10

Lo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me! Fair weather is smiling upon the face of the earth, and He would not have me spiritually asleep while nature is all around me awaking from her winter’s rest. He bids me “Rise up,” and well He may, for I have long enough been lying among the pots of worldliness. He , I in Him, why then should I cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations, I would rise towards Him. He calls me by the sweet title of “My love,” and counts me fair; this is a good argument for my rising. If He has thus exalted and thinks me thus comely, how can I linger in the tents of Kedar and find congenial associates among the sons of men? He bids me “Come away.” Further and further from everything selfish, grovelling, worldly, sinful, He calls me; yea, from the outwardly religious world which knows Him not, and has no sympathy with…

the mystery ofthe higher life, He calls me. “Come away” has no harsh sound in it to myear, for what is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin? O myLord, would that I could come away, but I am taken among the thorns, andcannot escape from them as I would. I would, if it were possible, haveneither eyes, nor ears, nor heart for sin. Thou callest me to Thyself bysaying “Come away,” and this is a melodious call indeed. To come to Theeis to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, tocome to rest after long labour, to come to the goal of my desires and thesummit of my wishes. But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump ofclay come away from the horrible pit? O raise me, draw me. Thy grace cando it. Send forth Thy Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in myheart, and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, andindeed come away.

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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen