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March 21 |
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Morning Reading |
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Evening
Reading |
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"Ye shall be scattered, every man to his
own, and shall leave me alone." |
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John 16:32 |
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Few had fellowship with the sorrows of
Gethsemane. The majority of the disciples were not sufficiently advanced in
grace to be admitted to behold the mysteries of "the agony." Occupied with
the passover feast at their own houses, they represent the many who live
upon the letter, but are mere babes as to the spirit of the gospel. To
twelve, nay, to eleven only was the privilege given to enter Gethsemane and
see "this great sight." Out of the eleven, eight were left at a distance;
they had fellowship, but not of that intimate sort to which men greatly
beloved are admitted. Only three highly favoured ones could approach the
veil of our Lord's mysterious sorrow: within that veil even these must not
intrude; a stone's-cast distance must be left between. He must tread the
wine-press alone, and of the people there must be none with him.
Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, represent the few eminent, experienced
saints, who may be written down as "Fathers;" these having done business on
great waters, can in some degree measure the huge Atlantic waves of their
Redeemer's passion. To some selected spirits it is given, for the good of
others, and to strengthen them for future, special, and tremendous conflict,
to enter the inner circle and hear the pleadings of the suffering High
Priest; they have fellowship with him in his sufferings, and are made
conformable unto his death. Yet even these cannot penetrate the secret
places of the Saviour's woe. "Thine unknown sufferings" is the remarkable
expression of the Greek liturgy: there was an inner chamber in our Master's
grief, shut out from human knowledge and fellowship. There Jesus is "left
alone." Here Jesus was more than ever an
"Unspeakable gift!" Is not
Watts right when he sings
—
And
all the unknown joys he gives,
Were bought
with agonies unknown.
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Evening Reading |
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"Canst thou bind the sweet influences of
Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?" |
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Job 38:31 |
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If inclined to boast of our abilities, the
grandeur of nature may soon show us how puny we are. We cannot move the
least of all the twinkling stars, or quench so much as one of the beams of
the morning. We speak of power, but the heavens laugh us to scorn. When the
Pleiades shine forth in spring with vernal joy we cannot restrain their
influences, and when Orion reigns aloft, and the year is bound in winter's
fetters, we cannot relax the icy bands. The seasons revolve according to the
divine appointment, neither can the whole race of men effect a change
therein. Lord, what is man?
In the spiritual, as in the natural world,
man's power is limited on all hands. When the Holy Spirit sheds abroad his
delights in the soul, none can disturb; all the cunning and malice of men
are ineffectual to stay the genial quickening power of the Comforter. When
he deigns to visit a church and revive it, the most inveterate enemies
cannot resist the good work; they may ridicule it, but they can no more
restrain it than they can push back the spring when the Pleiades rule the
hour. God wills it, and so it must be. On the other hand, if the Lord in
sovereignty, or in justice, bind up a man so that he is in soul bondage, who
can give him liberty? He alone can remove the winter of spiritual death from
an individual or a people. He looses the bands of Orion, and none but he.
What a blessing it is that he can do it. O that he would perform the wonder
to-night. Lord, end my winter, and let my spring begin. I cannot with all my
longings raise my soul out of her death and dullness, but all things are
possible with thee. I need celestial influences, the clear shinings of thy
love, the beams of thy grace, the light of thy countenance, these are the
Pleiades to me. I suffer much from sin and temptation, these are my wintry
signs, my terrible Orion. Lord, work wonders in me, and for me. Amen. |
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