January 26
"And he taught them many things by parables."--Mark 4:2 The Scripture employs two beautiful figures to illustrate
the reception of the divine testimony. One is the committing of the seed to
the ground, as in the parable of the sower. The husbandman scatters the seed
in the bosom of the earth, and the ground having been previously ploughed
and reduced to a beautiful tillage, opens its bosom to receive the grain.
After a little time the seed begins to germinate, to strike a root downward,
and shoot a germ upward; as the Lord speaks, "First the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear." This emblem beautifully represents how the testimony of
Jesus Christ finds an entrance to the soul, takes root downward and carries
a shoot upward. The root downward is into the depths of a tender conscience;
and the shoot upward is the aspiration, breathing, and longing of the soul
for the living God. The other figure is that of grafting. "Receive," says
James, "with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."
Now when a scion is first put into the stock, after a little time sap begins
to flow out of the stock into the scion, and this sap unites the two
together. So it is spiritually when the soul receives the testimony of
Christ. The testimony of Christ is received into a broken heart, as the
scion is inserted into and received by the stock. As, then, life flows out
of the stock into the scion, it creates and cements a sweet and blessed
union with God's word and him of whom the word testifies. Thus it grows up
into a living bough, which brings forth blossoms of hope, leaves of a
consistent profession, and fruit of a godly life. January 26 |