And More Yet!

And More Yet!


Are the chips of the cross so heavy?(Thomas Case, "The Rod and the Word, A Treatise on Afflictions")

In the school of affliction, God teaches how to estimate, or at least to make some remote and imperfect guess, at the sufferings of Jesus Christ. In times of prosperity we pass by the Cross carelessly--at the best we do but shake our heads a little. The reading of the story of Christ's passion stirs us up some pity towards Him--but it is quickly gone; we forget as soon as we get into the world again. 

But now . . .
  let God pinch our flesh with some sore affliction; 
  let Him fill our bones with pain, and set us on fire with a burning fever;
  let our feet be hurt in the stocks, and the irons enter into our souls;
  let our souls be exceedingly filled with the scorning and contempt of the proud;
  let us be destitute, afflicted, tormented, and so forth--
then we sit down and look upon Him whom we have pierced, and begin to say within ourselves:

"Are the chips of the cross so heavy? What then was the cross itself, which my Redeemer bore? 
 Are a few bodily pains so bitter? What then were those agonies which the Lord of glory sustained in His soul? 
 Is the wrath of man so piercing? What then was the wrath of God, which scorched His righteous soul, and forced His very heart's blood through His flesh on a cold winter's night, so that His sweat was as great drops of blood falling down to the ground?
  Are the buffetings of men so grievous? What then were the buffetings of Satan, which our Lord sustained, when all the brood of the serpent lay nibbling at His heels?
  Is a burning fever so hot? How then did the flames of Hell itself scald my Savior's soul?
  Is a chain so heavy, a prison so loathsome, the sentence and execution of death so dreadful? O what then was it for Him who made Heaven and earth to be bound with chains, mocked, abused, spit upon, buffeted, reviled, cast into prison, arraigned, condemned, and executed in a most shameful and accursed manner?" 

Blessed be God, 
  my prison is not the bottomless pit,
  my burnings are not unquenchable flames,
  my cup is not filled with divine wrath!
In a word, my sufferings are not Hell. 
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, by whom I am delivered from wrath to come!
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Let us try and not attend to its gewgaws!
(Mary Winslow)

How poor and unsatisfying are all things here below--even the best and the loveliest! Is it not strange that we can lose sight of Heaven and eternal glory--and grovel in the dust to gather pebbles, for the pleasure of throwing them away afterwards?

Oh, to walk more intimately with Him, to live above the world, and hold the creature with a looser hand, taking God's Word as our guiding light and our unfailing spring of comfort. God has eternally provided such a magnificent and holy Heaven for us above, that He is jealous lest we should set our hearts too fondly and closely upon the fleeting attractions of earth. Therefore it is that He withers our gourds and breaks our cisterns--only to dislodge us from this poor world, and lead us to seek those things which are above, where Christ our treasure is.

Let us keep our eye and our hearts upon our blessed eternal home. Earth is but a stage erected as our passage to the place Jesus has gone to prepare for us. What a place must that be--which infinite power and love has engaged to provide! Oh, let us not lose sight of Heaven for a moment. 

How prone are we to allow our minds and hearts (our treacherous hearts!) to become entangled with the baubles of a dying world. No wonder Christ exhorted us to watch and pray. Heaven is our home--our glorious home. We are but strangers and pilgrims here on earth. Try and realize it. Let us keep ourselves ready to enter with Him to the marriage supper of the Lamb. In a little while, and we shall see Him, not as the 'Man of sorrows,' but the 'King in His beauty!' Then let us fight against the world and all its vain attractions, for it is passing away. 

The world and its 'nothings' are often a sad snare to God's saints. Oh that by faith we may overcome it all, and keep close to Jesus! We are not of the world--let us try and not attend to its gewgaws! 

Keep a more steadfast, unwavering eye upon Christ. He has gone a little before us, and stands beckoning us to follow!

Live for eternity! Let go of your hold upon the world! 

Receive this exhortation from an aged pilgrim, who, as she nears the solemn scenes of eternity, and more realizes the inexpressible joys that await us there, is anxious that all believers who are traveling the same road might have their hearts and minds more disentangled from worthless earthly things, and themselves unreservedly given to Christ. Let us aim in all things to follow Him who, despising this world's show, left us an example how we should walk. Have your lamp trimmed and brightly burning, for every day and every hour brings us nearer and nearer to your home!

"Dearest Jesus! help Your pilgrims to live more like pilgrims--above a poor dying world, and more in full view of the glory that awaits us when we shall see You face to face!"

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. When Christ, who is your life, appears--then you also will appear with Him in glory!" Colossians 3:1-4

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus!" Hebrews 3:1