Tender Kisses, Frank Hall Let
him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better
than wine." Song of Solomon 1, 2. Of all the relationships that
we as believers share with our blessed Savior, perhaps none
is more intimate and comforting than that of marriage. Jesus
has bethrothed us to Himself in holy matrimony and covenant
grace. We are his beloved bride and
apple of his eye, the darling of his heart, and he is the gracious
husband of our immortal souls. We are by sovereign grace forever
one with Jesus our husband. Oh, what a glorious privilege
it is to be joined to Jesus in the blessed bond of marriage.
He loves me. He cares for me. He defends and
protects me. He provides for my every need. He comforts, supports, and cherishes
me. I have his heart, and he has
mine. I am my beloved's, and my beloved
is mine. I belong to him, and he belongs
to me. Oh, that my beloved would kiss
me with the kisses of his mouth, that he would embrace my soul,
draw me to himself, caress my heart ever so gently with his
merciful touch. and grant me sweet tokens of
his love for me. Oh, how I long for him to express
his love and affection to me with the tender kisses of sovereign
love, free grace, immutable faithfulness, and undying compassion, for his
love is better than wine. wine makes glad the heart, but
his love is better than the finest wine. His love causes my broken
heart to rejoice, renews my strength, brightens my vision, causes me
to walk uprightly in the paths of righteousness, and moves my
heart to take flight through the heavens with wings as an
eagle. Excess wine intoxicates men and
is forbidden by God. Too much wine will ruin a man. It alters the state of men's
minds, seizes control of men, dulls their senses, and destroys
their ability to exercise sound judgment and reason. But Jesus'
love is better than wine. It is not possible to overindulge
in the intoxicating love of Jesus, nor is it forbidden. Indeed,
the Gospel encourages love to Jesus. The wine of His love doesn't
ruin men, it transforms them. His love for us invigorates our
love for Him, intoxicating our hearts, seizing control of them,
overpowering our wills and our senses, giving us sound reason
and spiritual judgment. O blessed Lord, we beg You, give
us this wine, fill our cups full, cause them to overflow, pour
into our hearts the intoxicating love of Jesus the Lord. The desire
of a believer's soul can be summed up in one word, Jesus. Whom have I in heaven but you,
and there is none upon earth that I desire beside you. Psalm
73, 25. We desire Him, His person, His
love, His glory, His grace, His will, His salvation, His righteousness,
His way, All we want is in Jesus. All we need is in Jesus. All we have is in Jesus. Jesus is all and Jesus is better. Better than the treasures of
kings. Better than all earthly possessions. Better than passing
pleasures and prestige. Indeed, He is better than all
earthly delights combined. If we don't have Jesus, then
we have nothing. If we have Him, then we have
everything. Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
more than all in Thee I find.