Street Meeting, Eighth

A curious though not unusual matter, unfolded this day. Light rain began to fall by midday. I must confess that in my small, limited understanding, I had supplicated the Lord for a clear and pleasant afternoon for our assembly. Yet, He chose to send the very showers! And what a familiar lesson that was for my soul, for in sending rain, He nevertheless, by His sovereign and unsearchable providence, did gather the people together in their appointed place. I have learned time and again, that rain is the Gospel herald's best friend. I am very grateful that His ways are not our ways. I shall not therefore, spend time recounting a narrative of this afternoon's gathering which was visited by blessed showers. It is far more meet and proper to speak less of the gathering and more of the Gatherer! The sheer greatness of the LORD! That is the proper subject for meditation. And so, we turned to that familiar passage in the fourteenth chapter of the book of Luke, verses seven to fourteen. What a sweet, yet powerful, presentation of the Gospel's own beauty is contained therein! It truly shines forth, bright and radiant, simple, clear, and utterly lovely. 

Indeed, it is a sound and righteous notion to perceive in this sacred passage a timely admonition on the virtues of humility and the sacred duty of caring for the poor at the first reading. But should the soul inquire further in the graces of our dear Lord, in both the counsels given—the matter of the chief seat and the inviting of the wretched—it is truly the incomparable goodness of God that shines forth, lighting the path as a bright candle in this dark world.

Did not Christ Jesus, our blessed Head, model this very humility for us? He, the Son of God, emptied Himself entirely, putting on the humble garment of a servant, and was obedient even to the dreadful and bitter death of the cross. And what is the glorious recompense for such lowliness? He now sits high upon the throne of power! All authority in heaven and earth is most deservedly given unto Him. Therefore, let this not be merely a lesson of manners, but an evangelical truth. If we are to model our King in His willingness to descend and take the lowest place, we too shall be assured of that great promise: to forever be found in His presence, dwelling in glory where He is. What great hope for the meek and lowly.

True, untainted humility is not a mere refinement of manners, but a sacred fruit, born directly from a profound and saving knowledge of God. If we could but truly behold Him—as the blessed Scriptures declare—high and lifted up upon His eternal throne, and then gaze upon our own condition... What then? We would see our absolute incapacity to add even a farthing to His infinite goodness, and yet, stand convicted as deserving of the very worst penalty for our wicked and treacherous rebellion against such holiness and majesty! In that blinding, glorious light, what is there left of our poor, sinful self to think anything of? Absolutely nothing, save only our dependence upon unmerited grace. And this makes the matter of human pride terribly plain: Pride is nothing more but the bitter fruit of ignorance. Ignorance of the true God and His purity, and a dreadful ignorance of the immense debt we truly owe Him for our manifold offences.

My heart is stirred by a reflection upon that second illustration. It is indeed far more than a mere admonition regarding consideration of our less fortunate neighbors; it is a profound mirror held up to our very souls.

It is a most humbling reminder that we ourselves, all the sons of Adam, are the true poor and incapable.

Consider the glorious exchange: God Himself is the Bountiful Host, the One who issues the great invitation to an offer of infinite goodness and bounty, a feast we could never earn or prepare. And the story reveals a terrible truth about us: that we are utterly unable to return good for good! We have nothing of worth, nothing acceptable to bring to His table. Therefore, there remains naught for us to do but to give thanks with trembling hearts, and to cast all our hope upon His sovereign and immeasurable tender mercy. In both of these instances, we see our Blessed Christ not merely instructing us, but modelling for us the very heart of the matter. The whole point of His instruction is to make us remember what God has done for us. He did not give us the just penalty our sins deserved, but instead, returned infinite good for our wretched evil.

Here is the tragic folly of the human heart. In spite of our utter ignorance—our constant, restless clamoring to find lasting meaning and true life within the cold, dead confines of this passing world—God is yet offering us true life, a life eternal and abundant, and this life is found wholly and perfectly in His blessed Son, who Himself is that very life! And thus, the mystery is solved. The true and ultimate meaning of our poor existence is not hidden in some earthly pursuit, but is revealed in the worship of the true and living God, who did lovingly create us for that very, sacred life-giving purpose. What a blessed, comforting, and saving truth to engrave in the soul.

This day's entry closes with a sober contemplation of the Last Things. The final word upon this matter of humility and goodness is that there awaits a definite, great, and unavoidable day: a glorious resurrection of the Just and a terrible damnation of the Unjust.

That arresting passage in the Gospel of Matthew 25:34-45 grants us such a chilling and yet comforting preview of this inevitable reckoning! The Blessed—those found at the right hand—are utterly surprised to be commended for their kindness shown to the lowly. They discover they had shown mercy, unknowingly, unto the very Brother of the poor, Christ Himself. Is this not the very essence of pure goodness? And what magnifies the deed so gloriously is this: to do it with no expectation of any earthly favor in return. To do good, purely and truly, unto God. Indeed, no cup of cold water given in His name is missed by our Just and All-Seeing Father, who sees in secret. But then, the sight turns, and His gaze falls upon the cursed. These are they who perhaps lived quiet, yet fundamentally selfish lives, merely keeping to their own affairs and resources. By their wicked omission and neglect—by choosing to keep what little they had—they have, alas, earned the damning curses of a Holy God instead!

How utterly tragic it is to find, at the great end, that by neglecting our fellows, we have in that very act neglected to do good unto our God, the very Judge of the living and the dead. May the Lord grant us a conscience ever sensitive to the needs of others, and see ourselves as being in need of God's goodness, lest we fall into such a devastating omission.

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds. The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your name put their trust in You. For You have never forsaken those who seek You, O LORD.

Psalm 9

The day draws to a close, and yet the Lord's comforting hand rests upon me still, ministering words of beautiful truth to my weary and restless heart. Indeed, my soul feels wondrously enlarged whenever I am privileged to speak of the greatness of God to my people. Yet, there are times—I must confess—when this labor seems so fruitless in the eyes of the world, especially in these closing hours, where the net seems to gather fewer and fewer of the precious fishes.

But I am reminded: I can only peer out from the poor confines of the boat, seeing merely the surface of the restless waters. God, however, sees that which dwells under the waters! Therefore, I shall not fret over the lack of visible fruit, but shall fix my trust fully upon the LORD, and seek only to obey with gladness. And what a blessing this is: even the Troubles themselves are now made good to my soul! For they serve only to draw me closer to my God, allowing me to see His powerful hand move in such loving care and protection, safeguarding both my frail body and my troubled spirit. He is utterly true to His Word—He will never, never leave us nor forsake us! He is the blessed God with us, here, and in the next.