Flowing From Us
The sermon emphasizes the importance of allowing God to develop our graces through suffering and adversity, resulting in a fragrance of holy affections and godly deeds.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the prayer in Song of Solomon 4:16, where the request for the north and south winds to blow upon the garden symbolizes the desire for hidden graces within a Christian's heart to be revealed and shared with others. He emphasizes that just as spices need the wind to release their fragrance, Christians may need trials and suffering to bring out their true qualities and virtues. Cowman illustrates how brokenness can lead to a transformation of love and compassion, enabling individuals to comfort others with the same comfort they have received from God.
Text
"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out!" (Song of Solomon 4:16).
Look at the meaning of this prayer a moment. Its root is found in the fact that, as delicious odors may lie latent in a spice tree, so graces may lie unexercised and undeveloped in a Christian's heart. There is many a plant of profession; but from the ground there breathes forth no fragrance of holy affections or of godly deeds. The same winds blow on the thistle bush and on the spice tree, but it is only one of them which gives out rich odors.
Sometimes God sends severe blasts of trial upon His children to develop their graces. Just as torches burn most brightly when swung to and fro; just as the juniper plant smells sweetest when flung into the flames; so the richest qualities of a Christian often come out under the north wind of suffering and adversity. Bruised hearts often emit the fragrance that God loveth to smell.
"I had a tiny box, a precious box
Of human love--my spikenard of great price;
I kept it close within my heart of hearts,
And scarce would lift the lid lest it should waste
Its perfume on the air. One day a strange
Deep sorrow came with crushing weight, and fell
Upon my costly treasure, sweet and rare,
And broke the box to atoms. All my heart
Rose in dismay and sorrow at this waste,
But as I mourned, behold a miracle
Of grace Divine. My human love was changed
To Heaven's own, and poured in healing streams
On other broken hearts, while soft and clear
A voice above me whispered, "Child of Mine,
With comfort wherewith thou art comforted,
From this time forth, go comfort others,
And thou shalt know blest fellowship with Me,
Whose broken heart of love hath healed the world."
Sermon Outline
- The Prayer of the Gardener
- The Winds of God
- The Fragrance of the Christian
- The fragrance of holy affections
- The fragrance of godly deeds
- The fragrance of a broken heart
Key Quotes
“Just as torches burn most brightly when swung to and fro; just as the juniper plant smells sweetest when flung into the flames; so the richest qualities of a Christian often come out under the north wind of suffering and adversity.” — Charles E. Cowman
“My human love was changed to Heaven's own, and poured in healing streams on other broken hearts, while soft and clear a voice above me whispered, 'Child of Mine, with comfort wherewith thou art comforted, from this time forth, go comfort others, and thou shalt know blest fellowship with Me, Whose broken heart of love hath healed the world.'” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Allow God to develop your graces through suffering and adversity.
- Use your comfort to comfort others and know blessed fellowship with God.
- A broken heart can be a source of healing and comfort for others.