Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VIMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VI
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
Here, then, we have in two words the path of the servant of
Christ--"_Follow Me_." The Lord had just given Peter the sweetest
pledges of His love and confidence. He had, notwithstanding all past
failure, entrusted him with the care of all that was dear to His
loving heart in this world, even the lambs and sheep of His flock. He
had said to him, "If you have affection for Me, feed My lambs,
shepherd My sheep;" and now, in one brief but comprehensive utterance,
He opens before him his proper path--"Follow Me." This is enough. It
includes all besides. If we want to follow Jesus, we must keep the eye
continually upon Him; we must mark His footprints and tread therein.
Yes, mark them, and walk in them; and when tempted, like Peter, to
"turn about," in order to see what this one or that one has to do, or
how he does it, we may hear the correcting words, "What is that to
thee? follow thou Me." This is to be our one grand and all-absorbing
business, come what may. A thousand things may arise to distract and
hinder. The devil will tempt us to look hither and thither, to look at
this one and that one; to imagine we could do better here than there,
or there than here; to be occupied with, and imitating, the work of
some fellow-servant. All this is met by those pointed words, "Follow
Me."
There is immense danger of following in the wake of others, of doing
certain things because others do them, or doing things as others do
them. All this has to be carefully guarded against. It will be sure to
come to nothing. What we really want is a broken will--the true spirit
of a servant that waits on the Master to know His mind. Service does
not consist in doing this or that, or running hither and thither; it
is simply doing the Master's will, whatever that may be. "They serve
who stand and wait." It is easier to be busy than to be quiet. When
Peter was "_young_," he went whither he would; but when he got
"_old_," he went whither he would not. What a contrast between the
young, restless, ardent, energetic Peter, going whither he would, and
the old, matured, subdued, experienced Peter, going whither he would
not! What a mercy to have the will broken!--to be able to say from the
heart, "_What_ Thou wilt--_as_ Thou wilt--_where_ Thou wilt--_when_
Thou wilt"--"not my will, but Thine, O Lord, be done"!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account