"Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away” (Song of Solomon 2:10)  

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 let me sleep spiritually while nature all around me is awaking from her winter's rest. He bids me "Rise up," and it’s a good thing, because I’ve been amusing myself with the vanities of the world. He is risen, and I am risen in Him, so why should I cleave to the dust? 

 He says to me, "my love," and calls me beautiful; this, in itself, is a good reason for my rising. If He’s exalted me, and thinks me desirable, how can I linger with sinners and fools among the sons of men? He bids me "come away", further and further from everything selfish, degrading, worldly and sinful. He calls me from the outwardly religious and false pretenders who don’t know Him, and who don’t care for the mystery of the higher life. 

 He beckons me to, "come away", so what is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin? O my Lord, I want to come away, but I’m caught in the thorns, and can’t escape from them. I need You to break the spell of indifference so I’ll no longer look upon sin. You call me to Yourself by saying, "come away," and this is a wonderful sound. 

 To come to You is to come home from exile, home to rest after carrying a heavy burden of guilt. But Lord, how can this stony heart rise? How can this lump of clay come away from the flesh pit? O raise me, draw me. Your grace can do it. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in my heart, and I’ll continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, and come away.