"And He bearing His cross."--John, xix. 17.
When did Jesus bear the cross? Not that moment alone, surely, when the
bitter tree was placed on His shoulders, on the way to Golgotha. Its
vision may be said to have risen before Him in His infant dreams in
Bethlehem's cradle; there, rather, its reality began; and He ceased not
to carry it, till His work was finished, and the victory won! A _cloud_,
of old, hovered over the mercy-seat in the tabernacle and temple. So it
was with the Great Antitype--the living Mercy-Seat--He had ever a cloud
of woe hanging over him. "He _carried_ our sorrows."
Reader! dwell much and often under the shadow of your Lord's cross, and
it will lead you to think lightly of your own! If _He_ gave utterance to
not one murmuring word, canst _thou_ complain? "If we were deeper
students of his bitter anguish, we should think less of the ripplings of
our waves, amidst His horrible tempest."--(_Evans._) The saint's cross
assumes many and diverse shapes. Sometimes it is the bitter trial, the
crushing pang of bereavement--desolate households, and aching hearts.
Sometimes it is the crucifixion of sin, the determined battle with
"lusts which war against the soul." Sometimes it is the resistance of
evil maxims and practices of a lying world; vindicating the honor of
Christ, in the midst, it may be, of taunt, and obloquy, and shame. And
as there are different crosses, so there are different ways of bearing
them. To some, God says, "put your shoulder to the burden; lift it up,
and bear it on; work, and toil, and labor!" To others, He says, "Be
still, bear it, and _suffer_!"
Believer! thy cross may be hard to endure; it may involve deep
struggles--tears by day, watchings by night; bear it meekly, patiently,
justifying God's wisdom in laying it on. Rejoice in the assurance that
He gives not one atom more of earthly trial than He sees to be really
needful; not one redundant thorn pierces your feet. In the very bearing
of the cross for _His_ sake, there are mighty compensations. What new
views of your Saviour's love! His truth, His promises, His sustaining
grace, His sufferings, His glory! What new filial nearness; increased
delight in prayer; an inner sunshine when it is darkest without! The
waves cover you, but underneath them all, are "the everlasting arms!"
Do not look out for a situation _without_ crosses. Be not over anxious
about "smooth paths;"--leaving your God, as Orpah did Naomi, just when
the cross requires to be carried. Immoderate earthly
enjoyments--unbroken earthly prosperity--write upon these, "_Beware!_"
You may live to see them become your greatest trials!
Remember the old saying, "No cross, no crown." The sun of the saint's
life generally struggles through "weeping clouds." One of the loveliest
passages of Scripture is that in which, the portals of heaven being
opened, we overhear this dialogue between two ransomed ones--"And one of
the elders answered saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
white robes, and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, _These are they which came out of great
tribulation!_"
"ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND."
Twenty-second Day.