We have considered the life more abundant which he gives, until life
with Christ seemed the happiest life man can know. Thoughts of the
full and free forgiveness of all our sins, even sins of scarlet hue,
were comforting thoughts; and while we cast the past behind our backs,
we looked forward to the future with new confidence, remembering the
"stones of help" provided by him to slay the giant sins. Deliverance
from the curse was certainly a pleasant thought; and as we gazed into
Paradise regained, we gave thanks because Christ had purchased for us
the "right to the tree of life" which stands in the midst of the
Paradise of God.
Our meditation was sweet when we thought of his faithful promises
concerning prayer, for his word confirmed our own experience, and we
learned to kneel and ask with a more unwavering confidence.
Considering his reward for faithful labors made us almost forget the
weariness of work as we seemed already to hear his "Well done, thou
good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Christ as the soul's best portion filled the heart with deep,
unspeakable joy, and we took up our cross, singing as we walked,
because his near presence made us almost unmindful of its weight upon
our shoulder.
On Olivet we had our last glimpse of our living Lord. Here we stood
"gazing up into heaven" at "this same Jesus," who is as dear to us as
he was to the twelve. Our hearts thrilled over his parting blessing,
and the thought of his coming again filled us with delight.
Our meditations are over now. They have been "sweet," or, as it may be
rendered, "as the calm evening hour." Meditating upon Jesus has
increased our joy: "I will be glad in the Lord." Around his very name
sweet thoughts thickly cluster. Jesus! my Jesus! In that dear name the
best music of heaven comes down to me.
How sweet it sounds! A bundle of myrrh it is--a hill of
frankincense--a mountain of spices. Through all the livelong day,
through all the silent watches of the night, my mind may turn to Him
whose "name is as ointment poured forth," and no bitter, doubting,
fearful thought shall ever mingle with my musing. No dark thread shall
ever weave itself into the silver web of my sweet meditation of him,
for my unbelief is banished when my Jesus is near. All my grief fades
away in the presence of his glory, and he his own self is the joy of
my heart and the heart of my joy.
"My Beloved is mine, and I am his." All that he is is mine, and all
that I am is his. He is more than all the world to me, and without him
heaven would not be worth having. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and
there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Jesus! my Jesus!
Eternal musings will not exhaust this hive of honey. He has saved me
from my sins and betrothed me to himself for ever. O my soul, "how
much owest thou unto my Lord!" The greatness of my indebtedness I will
not fully realize till I stand upon the yonder shore, and perhaps not
even then.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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