Day 27. Abide with Us
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"They constrained him, saying, Abide with us." Luke 24:29
If the two disciples had not constrained Jesus to stay with them, He would have passed on, and they would have missed the blessed enjoyment of His company, and the disclosure of Himself which He made to them at the end. The lesson is for us.
No doubt we miss many rich comforts and blessings, because we do not earnestly constrain Jesus to tarry with us. He loves to be constrained. He does not go where He is not really and earnestly desired, where His presence is not eagerly sought after. Only love in us, can receive and enjoy Christ's love.
The only reason we do not have more blessed fellowship with Christ, is because we really do not want more. He is willing to be our abiding guest, entering into every experience with us in our work, in our pleasures, in our social life, in our temptations and trials; but many of us do not want Him always with us. His presence would interfere with our methods of business, or with our way of living, or with our enjoyments and amusements. We do not then constrain Him to abide with us, and He passes on, and we miss the blessing He would bring.
If we were truly to desire Christ to abide always with us, He would never go away. What a life of blessing and joy we would live — if He were indeed always with us! Unbroken communion with Him would hold Heaven close about us all the while, and thus these sordid earthly lives of ours would be permeated and struck through with the sweetness and fragrance of holiness, and transformed into the likeness of Christ Himself.
Then all of life's experiences would be transfigured. Joy would be purer, and even sorrow would be illumined. All through life, this should be our continual prayer; then in death our earthly communion, shall brighten into heavenly glory!
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