Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Comfort ye, comfort ye  my people, saith your God.  Isaiah 40:1

....."Ye that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak;" and if that is too much to expect of you, the least that I can ask is that you will bear with them.  I do beseech you by the gentleness of Christ that ye tread lightly the sick chamber, and speak softly to such as are crushed by adversity.....Do learn to make another's case thine own.  Be kind.  Let every tone of your voice, every gesture of your limbs, every look of your face show the kindness of your heart.  God will surely requite it.  Are his children in the furnace, he watches them.  If you aggrieve them in their trouble, he will vex you in his sore displeasure.  And there are spiritual ailments which, like bodily ones, require tender care and gentle treatment.  Do not aggravate the sorrows of those who are harassed with doubts, tempted with evils, and distracted with anxious cares.  Their tale may appear simple enough to you, but it is very serious to them.  What troubles them might not give you an instant's concern.  Pass it not over, therefore, as nonsense.  Your Lord and Master knew how to condescend to men of low estate; and his condescension was always pure, never arrogant.  He is far more gentle than the tenderest among us.  Oh, how desirable to learn his way!
.....Lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.  Cheer the hearts when the limbs are weak.  Tell the doubting that God is faithful.  Tell those that feel the burden of sin that it was for sinners Christ died.  Tell the backsliders that God never does cast away his people.  Tell the desponding that the Lord delighteth in mercy.  Tell the distracted the Lord doth devise means to bring back his banished.  Covet the character of Barnabas.  He was a son of consolation.  Study the sacred art of speaking a word in season.  Apprentice yourself to the Great Master.  Learn the secrets of the trade. Acquaint yourself with the mystery of the guild.  Let your own troubles and trials qualify you to sympathise and succour.  You will be of great value in the church of God if you acquire the art of compassion, and are able to help those that are bowed down.
    But will you please give heed to the special instruction.  We are to make straight paths because of lame people.  You cannot heal the man's bad foot, but you can pick all the stones out of the path that he has to pass over.  You cannot give him a new leg, but you can make the road as smooth as possible.  Let there be no unnecessary stumbling-blocks to cause him pain.          
                                                                                                                                         C. H. Spurgeon

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