O! Who was it that suffered? What did He suffer? For whom did He suffer? Think of Him, the Father's fellow, and the church's Beloved. Think of the Garden and the Cross, and see how they demonstrate on the one hand, the enormity of our guilt; and on the other, the force of His almighty love. Think of the debased and abject character of those for whom He died, depraved men, and the enemies of God! That Man of sorrows, is the Savior of the world! That naked, bleeding victim is the mighty Conqueror of death and Hell!
O what triumphs of love and of holiness were there, when the earth trembled; and the sun grew dark; and the veil of the temple was rent in twain; and the rocks broke asunder; and the graves gave up their dead; and Hell itself was moved with terror; and the Great Redeemer exclaimed, "It is finished!"
Christ is precious to all who believe! Abraham "rejoiced to see Christ's day, and he saw it and was glad." Moses esteemed Him more precious than all the treasures of Egypt. David esteemed Him "fairer than the children of men." The Church in her divine songs speaks of Him as the "rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys;" as "the chief among ten thousand and the altogether lovely One;" and as the One whom "her soul loves." The wise men of the East adored Him. Simeon took Him up in his arms, and said, "Now Lord, let you your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation!" And to holy men wherever found, Jesus is precious! "The upright love You!" "Whom having not seen, you love." "To you who believe, He is precious!"
In all your duties and trials He will be precious. When the world loses its charms, He will become more glorious and lovely than ever. When death invades, He will become its mighty conqueror. When you sleep beneath the clods of the valley, He will be the resurrection and the life. When the books shall be opened, and small and great shall stand before God, and the precious Savior shall come in the clouds, and you shall go to be forever with the Lord, He shall be doubly precious, and more and more precious through interminable ages!
[Gardner Spring]
Revelation 5:12 … Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.❤
