1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene
early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away
from the sepulchre. (John 20:1)
This was my mother’s absolute favorite, and she sang it almost daily as she
went about her daily chores, and she sang it often as she worked among her many
flower in garden – our entire lawn was a patchwork garden. I sometimes thought
that she must have felt very close to the Lord among her roses and numerous
other flowers. The Morning Glories were always still open when she arrived
outside to water her flowers and to dig among the many varieties. And, yes, the
morning dew still glistened on the petals when she appeared early while the
morning was just dawning with its golden rays adorning the eastern horizon.
When a small boy, I could not fathom the ecstasy my mother must have felt in
seeing beauty being created by her care and labors, but that beauty began to
dawn on my mind as I grew in wonder and knowledge of what natural beauty God
could create through the hands of His servants of the garden. As I learned of
that fervent love of Mary Magdalene in coming to the garden sepulcher early
(while it was yet dark), I began to understand more fully my mother’s love.
Love compels us to seek the object of its love early – even while it is yet
dark.
This gentle and gracious little hymn and its music were composed by C. Austin Miles, March
1912.
In the Garden
I come
to the garden alone
While
the dew is still on the roses
And
the voice I hear falling on my ear
The
Son of God discloses.
Refrain
And He walks with me, and He
talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry
there,
None other has ever known.
He
speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so
sweet the birds hush their singing,
And
the melody that He gave to me
Within
my heart is ringing.
Refrain
I’d
stay in the garden with Him
Though
the night around me be falling,
But He
bids me go; through the voice of woe
His
voice to me is calling.
Refrain
We
have a God who literally walks in beauty. He did so from the very beginning in
the Garden at Eden when He walked in fellowship with our first parents. He is
forever at the work of creating life as is done in the silent solitude of the
garden. Mary Magdalene braved the wrath of Rome and the Jewish leaders in
coming to the Garden Tomb early where she discovered to her soul’s delight an
amazing wonder – that which was dead was now alive (the Lord Jesus Christ).
Doubtlessly, the dew hung heavily upon the roses of the garden that early
morning. It was the first opportune moment to come to the tomb since she had
witnessed the body of Jesus being placed there for it was the morning following
the Jewish Sabbath on which travel was not allowed. Therein lies a lesson for
us:
1. Seek the Lord early
while He may yet be found. “Seek ye the LORD while he may be
found, call ye upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6) “O God,
thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh
longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power
and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” (Psalms
63:1-2)
2. Do not seek the
Lord in the confusion of the market place or the sports arena. It is
easier to hear His Voice where the flowers grow in the silence of the Garden. “…..stand
still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” (Job 37:14) “Be
still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10) God most often speaks in
the solitude of the heart in soft and gentle whispers. He is a gentleman who
never screams. “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before
the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not
in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the
earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire:
and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12) If God does
not scream and shout at us, perhaps we should also honor Him with our reverence
in worship – not shouting or screaming out our prayers. Only Christ can
disclose the beauty of His Voice to you in the garden.
3. Jesus puts a melodious
song in our hearts. His Voice is the most unpretentious, but most
resounding, of all in the garden. We are made glad at His Voice and Gospel. “How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15) There is a beautiful
little song by Luther Ridges which goes:
There's within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low:
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
in all of life's ebb and flow.
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.
When I get ‘down and out’ under the disappointments of the world, I simply
remember that little song, or the Scripture upon which it is based, and my
heart is made glad.
You will remember that God walked with Adam in the dews and damps of the Garden
at Eden before Adam chose to follow another voice. God still walks with those
in the garden who reject that discordant voice of the serpent and chooses,
instead, to hear God. “I’d stay in the garden with Him Though the night
around me be falling, But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to
me is calling.” Yes, do we not love those Garden and Mountain-top
experiences! But we go to the mountain to be near to God and to gain
understanding of His will in prayer; however, we cannot remain forever on the
mountaintop. Just as Jesus bids us to “Come unto Him” to find rest, He then
expects us to “Go into all the world” following that newly found
rest and preach and teach. Remember it was God’s Voice that told Noah to “Go
into the Ark.” When the Flood waters receded, it was the Voice of God
that told Noah and his family to “Go forth out of the Ark!”
We cannot stay in our harbors and havens of rest forever. Once invigorated by
the Holy Spirit of God and provisioned with the grace and knowledge of God, we
must sally forth to perform our calling in Him.
The refrain in this hymn is quite full of Gospel truth and Spirit: “And
He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy
we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.” Can we walk
with Christ? Yes, of course we can do so if we are agreed in surrendering our
carnal wills to His Divine Will! “Can two walk together, except they be
agreed?” (Amos 3:3) Jesus is forever reassuring our doubtful hearts of
His care and love for us. We may, perchance, tarry with Jesus in our
Gardens of Prayer and be spiritually fortified and enabled to perform works
that we never before believed possible. But during those moments of tarrying,
just as the two men walking the Road to Damascus after the resurrection, be
overcome with the burning joys in our hearts of His fellowship and Presence
over His Broken Bread and Body.
Have you felt that joy? If not, you had best spend more time in the garden
listening for that Voice.
