ON Luke 12:31-53.
'THE heart always follows the treasure, and that wherever it may be. We get here the positive objects of faith set before us, and with this the characteristics of a Christian.
We must have motive and power to overcome the world-something on which to set faith; and for this God has given us Christ. Law could not give life, nor an object, to govern the heart. The Object on which we look gives perfect rest to heart and conscience. We know God's perfect love, as seen in His Son, Jesus Christ, though ours are poor hearts to know it. Not only has Christ satisfied the Father's heart, but He has met all the claims of God's righteousness. Hence we start on our Christian course, having a perfect heart and perfect conscience before God. Our relationship and standing-that in which we walk and stand-are entirely based upon what Christ has done. Law puts judgment at the end of our course, Christianity puts redemption at the beginning of our course. We cannot see Christ sitting at God's tight hand, without saying, " He has put away our sins."
Here the Christian course commences, for the Christian is a redeemed person.
Christ has given Himself, He kept nothing back. All has been given and done that could be given and done, to that we have not even to think of what Christ has brought us out of, but what He has brought us into. We are only to look at the things before us, that we " may win Christ." If we would win Him, Christ must be applied to everything that passes in our hearts; and if we are indeed bent on winning the prize, we are glad to have all judged by the word, which, sharper than any two-edged sword, pierces " even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit." If the one Object is before us, we judge all by it. In its light' all weights are to be laid aside; gold and silver to be counted as dung and dross; and the most precious things on earth vile and worthless. We have a perfect rule for everything in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we have not the power of Christ within-" lights burning" (ver. 35), we cannot bear a true testimony, nor witness for Him. We have here the power of truth in the heart, and its open profession, with the attitude suited to it. Christ is to characterize us, and we are to be waiting for Him (ver. 36); it should be the stamp on the Christian's character; not only "waiting," but "watching."
Blessed promises to us, and Christ waiting till He can come and fetch us, when He will gird Himself and come forth to serve His own, are set before us in verse 37. Most wonderful the place He takes here. When His time comes, He will bring us into the fullness of joy in heaven; not only give us the best of the table, the richest and most costly, but He Himself, taking the most lowly place, will serve us. No longer shall we have loins girt for Him, but He will have His girt for us. As He delights to love and have us with Him, so does He delight to come forth, and serve us. His heart is set upon this. Are our hearts set upon Him?
Having become Man, He learned the lesson of lowliness down here; devoted Himself wholly to us, and forever has His ears bored for us. (Compare Ex. 21) Hence He will come forth girded, ready to serve, for His heart will not be perfectly happy until He makes known the perfect result of His own love above.
This is the first part of the Christian life-the true state of the affections. Then, in verses 41-43, comes the second part; we are called to serve as His stewards during His absence, and His love should constrain as to it. Are our hearts so nourished in Christ, that we can say that it is His love that is carrying us through this world? Are we thus living to Christ, and yielding ourselves up to His service with ready delight? The true state of heart for the Christian is in verse 36; and the true state of service in verse 43.
In the second chapter of this gospel, we learn that it was God's mind that the coming of Christ to this world should bring " peace and good-will toward men," and peace was in the Person of His Son, but He was utterly rejected. It is beautiful to notice the unselfish joy of the angels, in singing forth praises that men should become the objects of God's love, instead of themselves. God had angels to serve Him, but He wanted men to love Him; and yet, for His love towards men, He got hatred, and His Son was crucified. Thus verse 51 shows us, that if we really take Christ's part, the world will surely hate us; while, if we love the world, we are the enemies of God. Christ took nothing but the lowest place here in this world, beginning His history in the manger, and closing, it on the cross. There is not a snare, a cross, trial, temptation, persecution, peril of any kind, in which we may not give the world proof that we love the Christ it has cast out, and that we are His. If we follow Christ in all that He puts before us in our path, there will surely be the cross, but we shall have the full outflowing blessing of God's own heart and presence.
Consult Christ as to your walk, service, and state of heart, for it will decide everything in the secret of your soul. Only so can you go with Him in communion, and learn the largeness of His heart.
This supposes we are in the place of the Christian; having the duties, blessings, and privileges of a Christian. This is all founded on Christ's work, and God will never disclaim Christ's work, for it perfectly glorified Him. The Lord keep us very humble before Him, ever walking in the blessed sense of His love, and our perfect acceptance before Him in Christ. F. G. B.
READY.
READY feet to do Thy will,
Ready hands to serve Thee still,
Ready mind Thy voice to hear,
Ready drooping hearts to cheer.
Ready every foe to face,
Ready still to shew Thy grace,
Ready every need to meet,
Ready to wash erring feet.
Ready still to watch and pray,
Ready all the livelong day,
Ready if to lose or gain,
Ready if 'tis joy or pain.
Ready when the Savior's near,
Ready when dark clouds appear,
Ready when the storm is high,
Ready through a cloudless sky;
Ready, Lord, to meet with Thee,
Ready for eternity. W. E. (Hull.)
" HERE AM I, SEND ME."
IN the prophet Isaiah we have a beautiful and touching instance of the way in which the renewed heart responds to God's desires as to others, when once all question between itself and God are settled, not merely according to man's sense of need, but according to the claims of God's holiness. Servant and prophet of Jehovah, as Isaiah was, the revelation of His glory according to the claims of His holiness paralyzed all action in him, and left him with nothing but the sense of his own uncleanness, as well as of that of the people of God amongst whom he served and prophesied. Until the " live coal " from off the altar, that stood before the Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of hosts, touched his lips he had not properly realized the relation in which Jehovah stood to His people, and to himself as one of them. That relation was one of sovereign grace, founded upon the sacrifice that was ever under Jehovah's eye. A sacrifice that had once for all met every claim of God against His people. The efficacy of that sacrifice had now reached the prophet's.conscience, and it set his heart free to serve the One whose perfect grace he tasted. We must come as sinners to the cross to get peace, and start as saints from the cross to serve. When fully ready in conscience for the-glory, we are alone truly ready in heart for service. C.W.