Evening, December 29
Go To Morning Reading
“What think ye of Christ?”
Matthew 22:42
The great test of your soul’s health is, What think you of Christ ? Is he to you “fairer than the children of men”—“the chief among ten thousand”—the “altogether lovely”? Wherever Christ is thus esteemed, all the faculties of the spiritual
man exercise themselves with energy. I will judge of your piety by
this barometer: does Christ stand high or low with you? If you have
thought little of Christ, if you have been content to live without
his presence, if you have cared little for his honour, if you have
been neglectful of his laws, then I know that your soul is sick—God grant that it may not be sick unto death! But if the first thought
of your spirit has been, how can I honour Jesus? If the daily desire
of your soul has been, “O that I knew where I might find him!” I tell you that you may have a thousand infirmities, and even scarcely
know whether you are a child of God at all, and yet I am persuaded,
beyond a doubt, that you are safe, since Jesus is great in your esteem.
I care not for thy rags, what thinkest thou of his royal apparel? I care not for thy wounds, though they bleed in torrents,
what thinkest thou of his wounds? are they like glittering rubies in thine esteem? I think
none the less of thee, though thou liest like Lazarus on the dunghill,
and the dogs do lick thee—I judge thee not by thy poverty: what thinkest thou of the King in
his beauty? Has he a glorious high throne in thy heart? Wouldest thou
set him higher if thou couldest? Wouldest thou be willing to die if
thou couldest but add another trumpet to the strain which proclaims
his praise? Ah! then it is well with thee. Whatever thou mayest think
of thyself, if Christ be great to thee, thou shalt be with him ere
long.
“Though all the world my choice deride,
Yet Jesus shall my portion be;
For I am pleased with none beside,
The fairest of the fair is he”