"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spice thereof may flow out" (Song of Solomon 4: 16).
Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Did not the spouse in this verse humbly submit herself to the reproofs of her Beloved? She entreated Him to send forth His grace in some form, making no stipulation as to the peculiar manner in which it should come. Did not she, like ourselves, become so utterly weary of deadness that she sighed for any visitation which would brace her to action? Yet, she desires comfort, too, the smiles of divine love, the joy of the Redeemer's presence; these are often mightily effectual to arouse our sluggish life. She desires either one or the other, or both, so that she may be able to delight her Beloved with the spices of her garden. She cannot endure to be unprofitable, nor can we. How cheering a thought that Jesus can find comfort in our poor feeble graces! It seems far too good to be true. The wisdom of the great Husbandman overrules diverse and opposite causes to produce the one desired result. It makes both affliction and consolation draw forth faith, love, patience, hope, resignation, joy, and the other fair flowers of the garden. May we know by sweet experience what this means!