Rose of Sharon

by Pastor Karen Runjo

God and ultimately Jesus, is described as the Lily of the Valley and as the Rose of Sharon.

Song of Solomon 2:1

I am a big fan of roses. I love their form, their colours and colour combinations and their scent – 3 big ticks as far as I am concerned! I have a family member who hates them. He hates their thorns and isn’t that into flowers, so thinks – what’s the big deal? Yet he knows I love them, and kindly helped me cut and sprout some cuttings from my Mum’s roses in our childhood home.

How is Jesus the Rose of Sharon to us? I love that when we draw close to him, the beauty of who He is like a sweet fragrance rising up to greet us. When we ponder what He is like, he is perfect in form from every angle, and when we see the ‘colour’ of Him – the creativity and intracity we are surrounded with, we are overcome with delight.

The Christian life is not without thorns; a cost to a life with roses. Yet, when we draw close and breathe in the scent of the rose’s perfume, its intoxicating aroma causes all else to fade away in that moment, the thorns forgotten and the cost worthwhile.

Prayer thought:

With a grateful heart, consider the many facets of God. List out loud or on paper attributes or names of God, starting at ‘A’ and working your way through the alphabet. See how far you can get before tears of thankfulness well up! You could also include children in this activity.