THE POWER OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
"GOD forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Gal. 6:14.
"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Gal. 5:24.
"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Gal. 2:20.
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. 6:6. THEY were living to themselves; self, with its hopes, and promises, and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfil their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and she surrendered for it to be given her at any cost, in His way, and He sent her sorrow; she had asked for purity, and He sent her thrilling anguish; she had asked to be meek, and He had broken her heart; she had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all her living hopes; she had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed her in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver" (Mal. 3:3), until she should reflect His image; she had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to her it lacerated her hands. She had asked she knew not what, nor how, but He had taken her at her word, and granted her all her petitions. She was hardly willing to follow on so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. She had upon her an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. She could almost pray Him to depart from her, or to hide His awfulness. She found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it; but she can not go back, for she has come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within her. He is fulfilling to her His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32. But now at last her turn has come. Before, she had only heard of the mystery, but now she feels it. He has fastened on her His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and she can but choose to follow. Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams the mystery of His cross shines out upon her. She beholds Him lifted up, she gazes on the glory which rays forth from the wounds of His holy passion, and as she gazes she advances, and is changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through her, for He dwells in her. 2 Cor. 3:18. She lives alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship: willing to lack what others own (and what she might have had), and to be unlike all, so that she is only like Him. Such are they in all ages who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Rev. 14:4. Had she chosen for herself, or her friends chosen for her, she would have chosen otherwise. She would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His kingdom. She would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If she had halted anywhere—if God had taken off His hand and let her stray back—what would she not have lost? what forfeits in the resurrection? But He stayed her up, even against herself. Many a time her foot had well-nigh slipped; but He in mercy held her up. Now, even in this life, she knows all He did was done well. Even now she begins to enter into His joy, for she has suffered with Him. It was good for her to bear the cross, for by so doing His crown is hers. She is rich in that not her will but His, was done on her and in her, and therefore, now, she is ready to have it done through her, and thus to be unto Him an instrument of power.—Anon.