Tuesday, February 2, 2016

O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.

Death and the curse were in our cup-
O Christ, ‘twas full for Thee!
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop-
‘Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup-love drank it up;
Now blessings’ draught for me.

Jehovah lifted up His rod-
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

The tempest’s awful voice was heard-
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me.

Jehovah bade His sword awake-
O Christ, it woke ‘gainst Thee!
Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;
Thy heart its sheath must be-
All for my sake, my peace to make;
Now sleeps that sword for me.

For me, Lord Jesus, Thou hast died,
And I have died in Thee;
Thou’rt risen: my bands are all untied,
And now Thou liv’st in me.
When purified, made white, and tried,
Thy GLORY then for me!
                   Mrs. A. R. Cousin


I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Psalms 40:1-3

.....There are two ways in which to view a suffering Christ, first, as bruised of Jehovah; secondly, as rejected of men.  In the former, He stood alone; in the latter, we have the honor of being associated with Him.  He stood alone, for who could have stood with Him?  He bore the wrath of God alone; He traveled in solitude down into "the rough valley that had neither been eared nor sown," and there He settled forever the question of our sins.  With this we had nothing to do, though to this we are eternally indebted for everything.  He fought the fight and gained the victory alone, but He divides the spoils with us.  He was in solitude "in the horrible pit and miry clay;" but directly He planted His foot on the everlasting "rock" of resurrection, He associates us with Him.  He uttered the cry alone; He sings the "new song" in company. (Psalm xl. 2, 3.)
     Now the question is, shall we refuse to suffer from the hand of man with Him who suffered from the hand of God for us?..... We do not reach the high dignity of sons through suffering, but through the quickening power of the Holy Ghost, founded on the accomplished work of Christ, according to God's eternal counsel.  This can never be touched.  We do not reach the family through suffering.  The apostle does not say, That ye may be counted worthy of the family of God for which ye also suffer.  They were in the family already; but they were bound for the kingdom, and their road to that kingdom lay through suffering; and not only so, but the measure of suffering for the kingdom would be according to their devotedness and conformity to the King.  The more like we are to Him, the more we shall suffer with Him; and the deeper our fellowship with Him in the suffering, the deeper will be our fellowship in the glory.  There is a difference between the house of the Father and the kingdom of the Son:  in the former, it will be a question of capacity; in the latter, a question of assigned position.  All my children may be around my table, but their enjoyment of my company and conversation will entirely depend on their capacity.  One may be seated on my knee, in the full enjoyment of his relationship, as a child, yet perfectly unable to comprehend a word I say; another may exhibit uncommon intelligence in conversation, yet not be a whit happier in his relationship than the infant on my knee.  But when it becomes a question of service for me, or public identification with me, it is evidently quite another thing.  This is but a feeble illustration of the idea of capacity in the Father's house, and assigned position in the kingdom of the Son.....                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        C. H. Mackintosh

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