Wednesday, March 19, 2014

What’s in a Kiss?

“Orpah kissed…but Ruth clave” (Ruth 1:14).

How Naomi’s heart must have rejoiced as “Ruth clave unto her.” Orpah kissed and departed. Judas kissed and betrayed his master. We need to distinguish between kissing and cleaving. It is possible to give great outward demonstration of affection, yet there may be no depth in it.

The cleaving love of Ruth accompanied by her passionate words of love and loyalty meant so much more than the demonstrative kiss of Orpah who returned to her own people and gods.

Kissing may be lip service and no more, a token acknowledgement without heart affection. May it not be so between Christ and us.

May we rather pray:

“Keep us Lord, oh keep us cleaving

To Thyself and still believing.

In this way our love will be revealed and revived.