December 6 - Morning"As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly." — 1 Corinthians 15:48
The head and members are of one nature, and not like that monstrous
image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head was of fine gold,
but the belly and thighs were of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet, part of
iron and part of clay. Christ's mystical body is no absurd combination of
opposites; the members were mortal, and therefore Jesus died; the glorified
head is immortal, and therefore the body is immortal too, for thus the
record stands, "Because I live, ye shall live also."
As is our loving Head,
such is the body, and every member in particular. A chosen Head and
chosen members; an accepted Head, and accepted members; a living Head,
and living members. If the head be pure gold, all the parts of the body are
of pure gold also. Thus is there a double union of nature as a basis for the
closest communion. Pause here, devout reader, and see if thou canst
without ecstatic amazement, contemplate the infinite condescension of the
Son of God in thus exalting thy wretchedness into blessed union with His
glory.
Thou art so mean that in remembrance of thy mortality, thou
mayest say to corruption, "Thou art my father," and to the worm, "Thou
art my sister"; and yet in Christ thou art so honoured that thou canst say
to the Almighty, "Abba, Father," and to the Incarnate God, "Thou art my
brother and my husband." Surely if relationships to ancient and noble
families make men think highly of themselves, we have whereof to glory
over the heads of them all. Let the poorest and most despised believer lay
hold upon this privilege; let not a senseless indolence make him negligent
to trace his pedigree, and let him suffer no foolish attachment to present
vanities to occupy his thoughts to the exclusion of this glorious, this
heavenly honour of union with Christ. December 6 - Evening"Girt about the paps with a golden girdle." — Revelation 1:13
One like unto the Son of Man" appeared to John in Patmos, and the
beloved disciple marked that He wore a girdle of gold. A girdle, for Jesus
never was ungirt while upon earth, but stood always ready for service, and
now before the eternal throne He stays not is holy ministry, but as a priest
is girt about with "the curious girdle of the ephod." Well it is for us that
He has not ceased to fulfil His offices of love for us, since this is one of
our choicest safeguards that He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Jesus is never an idler; His garments are never loose as though His offices
were ended; He diligently carries on the cause of His people. A golden
girdle, to manifest the superiority of His service, the royalty of His
person, the dignity of His state, the glory of His reward. No longer does
He cry out of the dust, but He pleads with authority, a King as well as a
Priest. Safe enough is our cause in the hands of our enthroned
Melchisedek.
Our Lord presents all His people with an example. We must never unbind
our girdles. This is not the time for lying down at ease, it is the season of
service and warfare. We need to bind the girdle of truth more and more
tightly around our loins. It is a golden girdle, and so will be our richest
ornament, and we greatly need it, for a heart that is not well braced up
with the truth as it is in Jesus, and with the fidelity which is wrought of
the Spirit, will be easily entangled with the things of this life, and tripped
up by the snares of temptation. It is in vain that we possess the Scriptures
unless we bind them around us like a girdle, surrounding our entire nature,
keeping each part of our character in order, and giving compactness to our
whole man. If in heaven Jesus unbinds not the girdle, much less may we
upon earth. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth. December 6 |