Transformed by Love

Transformed By Love

My friend, Brandi, posted this on her blog and I post it here with her permission. from A Place Of Quiet Rest by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

In the old testament book called the Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs), we read the story of a wealthy king who decides to find a bride. Much to everyone's surprise, the king does not pick one of the wealthy, well-educated, well-bred young women of the city. Rather, he goes out into the country and selects a common, ordinary peasant girl to be his bride. She is not beautiful; in fact, her skin is rough and dark from having worked out in the sun in her family's vineyards. When the king brings her back to the palace, the "daughters of Jerusalem" are astonished at his choice. And no one is more astonished than the girl herself.
Nonetheless, the king takes his bride into his bedchamber, where he lavishes his love on her. By the end of the story, this young peasant girl has become a lovely, radiant woman whose beauty attracts the attention of all who see her. What has happened? She has spent time alone with her bridegroom. And she has taken on his characteristics. It is not her own loveliness, but his, that others see in her. She has been transformed by his love.
Deep within the heart of every true child of God is a longing to be like Jesus, to reflect His beauty. We cry out,

O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art!
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fulness -
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

-Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960)

But there are no shortcuts to Christlikeness. Shortcuts only lead to masquerading. There is no substitute for spending consistent, quality time alone in His presence. The cost is great. But the rewards are even greater. If we want to be transformed, we must be willing to

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word . . .
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Much time spend in secret with Jesus alone;
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

- William D. Longstaff (1822-94)