I AM THE ROSE OF SHARON AND THE LILY OF THE VALLEY
SONGS OF SONG 2:1
Mary Monday by Parris Bailey
Years ago Frank and I traveled to a certain city in the country of Bulgaria. We went because there was a gypsy pastor that wanted us to come and minister to his gypsy church. We had been there before so I was quite aware of what I was getting into. Gypsies are a nomadic people that are much despised in every country across Europe. They speak their own language and have their own belief system and yes the majority of them are trained at an early age to steal. Their living conditions are deplorable and they lack the basic necessities to live. We had a good service, all of us crammed into a small room and in fact, I remember sharing about the woman who pressed into the crowd and got healed. Upon hearing me say, she got healed, the crowd all jumped up and started dancing and playing music and screaming. I guess I had finished preaching! That’s a great way to stop a preacher for sure!
After we left that night we walked back into the town to eat. I was feeling overwhelmed about those gypsies and how they live from day to day. Fourteen-year-old girls carrying around babies, men sniffing glue, and I could go on and on, but an unbelievable smell grabbed my attention. It was heavenly and upon inquiring I was told that the time of the rose harvest was there.
Our guest took me to the roses the next day. There we were, all picking the rose petals and laughing with the gypsy pastor, getting that precious smell on our clothes, our hands and all over us. I heard a gentle voice, telling me “I am the Rose of Sharon”. I laughed, because He has a way to get across his point in our life doesn’t he? He had to drag me across the world, to this city in Bulgaria and shout into my spirit, “I am the Rose of Sharon”. I saw the contrast between how the gypsies live with open sewerage and just across the way, is the loveliest smell and sight one could ever imagine. But as C.S. Lewis says, “we would rather make mud pies in the slums, then take a holiday out at sea, we are far too easily pleased.” I really don’t see much of a difference between the way the gypsies live and our carnality. How soon we forget His smell!
I pray that you hear his shout today-“I am the Rose of Sharon”! This rose is the smell we should smell; this rose is the fragrance that gets us through life. His beauty allures us and keeps us safe from the nomadic spirit of the world. This rose brings life to dead things. Spurgeon said, ”Lets walk through the fields of heavenly contemplation and say O blessed rose, bloom in my heart forever!”