The rose suggests fragrance and beauty; a Christian life should be beautiful, winning, attractive. It should be sweet, pouring forth the fragrance of holy love wherever it goes.
The heart in the rose suggests that all true living for Christ is from the heart.
But at the center of all was the cross. Until we have Christ, we can have neither fragrance nor beauty.
We must never forget that nothing but the self-sacrificing love of Christ in our hearts can transform our lives.
We sometimes sing, "Take the world, but give me Jesus" but do we really mean it?
It is a very sweet hymn, but do we mean it? Are we ready to have the prayer answered, fully, wholly, whatever it may cost?
We expect to be like Christ in Heaven, but do we think earnestly about being like Him here and now? Would we exchange our poor, meager measure of Christ-likeness today for Christ to have the complete control of our lives? It would make a tremendous change in our lives, at least, in some of our lives.
[J. R. Miller]
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Titus 2:10 ... Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
Ephesians 5:2 ... And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Luke 9:23 ... And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.❤
