Christ's Sympathy to Weary Pilgrims, by Octavius Winslow (1808 - 1878). An excerpt from the text.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
~ Psalm 43:5, Psalm 77:2-3 & 10, Lamentations 3:17-23, Psalm 57:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
~ John 14:1, Isaiah 43:1-2
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
~ John 15:13, John 10:11, Romans 5:6-8, Ephesians 5:2, 1 John 4:9-11
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
~ Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 11:13
Eternally repose your weary soul in the bosom of Jesus. Forward, believer in Christ, to the toils, duties, and trials of another stage of life's journey. Jesus is enough for them all. Jesus will be with you in them all. Jesus will triumphantly conduct you through them all. Beloved one, live in the constant expectation of soon seeing Jesus face to face — conversing with He whom here below, cheered, comforted, and sweetened many a weary step of your Christian pilgrimage. That moment is speeding on. In a little while and all that now wounds and ruffles, tempts and pollutes — will have disappeared like the foam upon the billow, and you shall eternally repose your weary soul in the bosom of Jesus.
The solitary object of His love. It is a great mercy when we can retire from the crowd and deal with God individually — when we can take the precious promises to ourselves individually — when we can repair to Jesus with individual sins, infirmities, and sorrows — feeling that His eye bends its glance upon us — His ear bows down to us — His hand is outstretched to us — His whole heart absorbed in us as though not another petitioner or sufferer offered a request, or unveiled a sorrow. As if, in a word, we were the solitary object of His love. His invitation to you is, "Come unto Me." He would have you come. You cannot honour Him more than by recognising His personal relation to yourself, disclosing your personal circumstances, making personal confession of personal sin, presenting personal needs, and unveiling personal infirmities, backslidings, and sorrows.
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