Calvary's tragedy!.
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"The place which is called Calvary." Luke 23:33
The hill of comfort—is the hill of Calvary.
The house of consolation—is built with the wood of the cross.
The temple of heavenly blessing—is founded upon the cleft rock—cleft by the spear which pierced His side.
No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul—like Calvary's tragedy!
Light springs from the midday-midnight of Golgotha!
Every flower of blessing blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of that accursed tree!
In that place of thirst—grace has dug a fountain which ever gushes with waters as pure as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind!
You who have had your seasons of trouble—will confess that it was at Gethsemane, Gabbatha, and Golgotha that you have found real comfort.
The bitter herbs of Gethsemane—have often taken away the bitters of your life.
The scourge of Gabbatha—has often scourged away your cares.
The groans of Golgotha—have yielded you rare and rich comfort.
Do men make their own gods?
"Do men make their own gods? Yes—but they are not gods!" Jeremiah 16:20
One great besetting sin of ancient Israel was idolatry, and we who are the spiritual Israel are vexed with a tendency to the same folly! We no longer bow down to sticks andstones—but Mammon still intrudes his golden calf; and the shrines of pride are not forsaken. SELF in various forms, struggles to subdue the chosen ones under its dominion; and the flesh sets up its altars wherever it can find space for them.
Children are often the cause of much sin in believers. The Lord is grieved when He sees us doting upon them above measure; they will live to be as great a curse to us—as Absalom was to David, or they will be taken from us to leave our homes desolate. If Christians desire to grow thorns to stuff their sleepless pillows—let them dote on their children!
It is truly said that "they are not gods," for the objects of our foolish devotion are very doubtful blessings; the solace which they yield us now is dangerous, and the help which they can give us in the hour of trouble is little indeed.
Why, then, are we so bewitched with vanities?
We pity the poor heathen who adore a god of stone—and yet worship a god of gold! Where is the vast superiority between a god of wood—and one of flesh? The principle, the sin, the folly is the same in either case; only that in our case—the crime is more aggravated because we have more light—and sin in the face of it. The heathen bows to a false deity—but he has never known the true God. But we commit two evils, inasmuch as we forsake the living God—and turn unto idols! May the Lord purge us all from this grievous iniquity!
"The dearest idol I have known,
Whatever that idol be;
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee!
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