Part 12 (1/2)

_THE COMING OF THE LORD_

LUKE xvii. 22-32.

In a certain very real way the Lord is coming every moment. And the great art of Christian living is to be able to discern Him when He arrives. He may appear as the village carpenter; or we may ”suppose Him to be one of the gardeners,” and we may mistake His appearing! He may meet us in some lowly duty, or in some seemingly unpleasant task. He may s.h.i.+ne in the cheeriness of some triumph, or whisper to us in a message of good news. ”I come again.” And if our eyes are open we shall see Him coming continually.

It is by this perception that the value of our life is measured and weighed.

But He will also come again ”suddenly,” when the soul will be translated into unknown climes. He will come again in the sable robes of death. Shall we know Him? Will our eyes be so keen and true that we shall be able to pierce the dark veil and say ”It is the Lord!” This has been the joyful experience of countless mult.i.tudes. When the summons came their souls went forth, not as victims to encounter death, but as the bride ”to meet the bridegroom!” They had intimacy with Him in life; they had glorious fellows.h.i.+p with Him in death!

MARCH The Thirteenth

_SICKNESS AMONG CHRIST'S FRIENDS_

JOHN xi. 1-16.

And so sickness can enter the circle of the friends of the Lord. ”_He whom Thou lovest is sick._” My sicknesses do not mean that I have lost His favour. The shadow is His, as well as the suns.h.i.+ne. When He removes me from the glare of boisterous health it may be because of some spiritual fern which needs the ministry of the shade. ”_This sickness is ... for the glory of G.o.d._” Something beautiful will spring out of the shadowed seclusion, something which shall spread abroad the name and fame of G.o.d.

And, therefore, I do not wonder at the Lord's delay. He did not hasten away to the sick friend: ”_He abode two days still in the same place where He was._” Shall I put it like this: the awaking bulbs were not yet ready for the brighter light--just a little more shade! We are impatient to get healthy; the Lord desires that we become holy. Our physical sickness is continued in order that we may put on spiritual strength.

And there are others besides sick Lazarus concerned in the sickness: ”I am glad _for your sakes_ I was not there.” The disciples were included in the divine scheme. Their spiritual welfare was to be affected by it. Let me ever remember that the circle affected by sickness is always wider than the patient's bed. And may G.o.d be glorified in all!

MARCH The Fourteenth

”_EVEN NOW!_”

JOHN xi. 17-31.

Let me consider this marvellous confession of Martha's faith. ”I know that _even now_, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of G.o.d, G.o.d will give it Thee!” Mark the ”even now”! Lazarus was dead, and it was midnight in the desolate home. But ”even now”! Beautiful it is when a soul's most awful crises are the seasons of its most radiant faith! Beautiful it is when our lamp s.h.i.+nes steadily in the tempest, and when our spiritual confidence remains unshaken like a gloriously rooted tree. Beautiful it is when in our midnight men can hear the strains of the ”even now”!

And let me consider the wonder of the Divine response. ”_I am the resurrection and the life._” A faith like Martha's will always win the Saviour's best. And here is an overwhelming best before which we can only bow in silent homage and awe. He is the Fountain in whom the stagnant brook shall find currency again. He is the Life in whom the fallen dead shall rise to their feet again.

And what is this? ”Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me _shall never die_!” We shall go to sleep, but we shall never taste the bitterness of death. In the very act of closing our material eyes we shall open our spiritual eyes, and find ourselves at home!

MARCH The Fifteenth

_JESUS AT A GRAVE_

JOHN xi. 32-45.

Here is Jesus weeping. ”Jesus wept.” Why did He weep? Perhaps He wept out of sheer sympathy with the tears of others. And perhaps, too, He wept because some of our tears were needless. If we were better men we should know more of the love and purpose of our Lord, and perhaps many of our tears would be dried. Still, here is the sweet and heartening evangel. He sympathizes with my grief! Never a bitter tear is shed without my Lord sharing the tang and the pang.