Union and Communion with Christ

a review by S. H.

When I first read Union and Communion with Christ I did so because I admired the author, J. Hudson Taylor, who was a missionary in China a century ago. The second time I read it, I did so because I wanted to relive the impact it had made on my understanding of my relationship with Christ...

Union and Communion is a short, devotional study of The Song of Solomon, originally written for China's Millions, a publication of the China Inland Mission. It is in the slightly more archaic style typical of books written in the early 1900s but, to me at least, this style works as a compliment to the frequently quoted poetry of The Song of Solomon. The writer interprets the imagery of the bride and bridegroom as depicting our relationship with Christ. Using this imagery he beautifully illustrates the personal nature of our union with Christ and brings out intensely practical challenges regarding what it means to experience and enjoy communion with Him. How we may neglect this communion and what that means to us in our everyday lives and to Christ Himself, is all brought out in the very real symbolism of human relationship. This little book not only changed my appreciation for The Song of Solomon but helped me to see how it's up to each of us individually to fully engage (or not) with our real-life relationship with Christ.

Although Union and Communion with Christ is still in print, it does not seem to be readily available in book stores and may need to be ordered on line. It can also be downloaded free at: http://www.missionaryetexts.org/unionjht.txt.

S. H.