And it is the desire of our heavenly Father that it should. To this He brings all His dear children by one way or other, that they "follow hard after Him." Sometimes He visits them with sore chastisement, and then, with tear-dimmed eyes and bleeding hearts, they cry to Him for mercy, and He wipes their tears away, and gently binds up their wounds, so that they love Him more than ever, and "follow after Him."
Sometimes He permits a dark cloud to overshadow them--they become timid and fearful, they cannot realize His presence, and faith, hope, and love begin to languish. Then do they lift up their hearts, exclaiming, "Lord, send help. Oh, give light, comfort, security!" and soon a friendly hand is outstretched, and a loving voice whispers, "Fear not! I am with you still;" and with a firm, unfaltering step they "follow after Him."
Sometimes they become surrounded with difficulties and dangers--every step of their pathway is trodden with pain; they look around, but can discover no way of escape, until, in answer to the urgent prayer, "Lord, help me!" they are conducted to a quiet resting-spot, and then, permitted by their heavenly Guide to enter an easier path, "they follow hard after Him."
Or it may be that weary months are appointed them, months of sickness and pain, when prayer seems unheard, longing desire unheeded, and the most urgent entreaties appear utterly unavailing. The disease may even take such deep root that the appalling thought comes home, "this sickness is life-long." Death itself would almost be regarded as a relief, but it comes not. No! the discipline is needed, severe though it be; the child will not be forsaken, for an eye of love rests upon it; the heart will not utterly fail, for One will yet strengthen it on the bed of languishing; the soul will not perish, for the Refiner is even now purifying it from its dross. Let "patience have her perfect work," and then mark the change. Where all was fretfulness, impatience, despondency, there is now submission, calmness, hope. And why?
Because the Comforter has come. He has revealed the truth, that pardon is more precious than health, God's love more precious than any earthly good, salvation more precious than years of unalloyed worldly happiness and unbroken health. Who shall wonder that the soul thus comforted should desire "to abide under the shadow of the Almighty,"--to have Him ever near--to bask in the sunshine of His favor--to hold fast by the everlasting Arm; and knowing, from bitter experience, how impossible it is to tread life's stormy path without such a companion, how soon the heart would fail, and doubt arise, and temptation beset, and despondency return--that this should be its language, "O Lord, my soul follows hard after You!"
Reader, what is your state? Are you under the chastening hand of God, pleading hard that He would send relief? Do you know what it is to groan underneath a burden which seems too heavy for you to bear? Oh, be comforted! Turn the eye of faith heavenward, and, if the burden be not removed, you will be abundantly strengthened to carry it. Still pray on; the Lord's time is coming.
Believe it, Christian, your trial has been sent in tender love. God has appointed it not only to bring you to believe in His love, but also to a growing enjoyment of it, that you may long ardently for its possession and "follow hard after Him." He would have you nearer to Himself, and more like to Himself--holy, as He is holy, not in degree, but in likeness; He would teach you, by His nearness, more entire submission to His will; He would improve your love to Him, which He will do by manifesting His to you. You will yet find the suffering-time a blessed time--a time of holy freedom with your God and Savior--a time of heavenly refreshment from Him such as you never enjoyed when as yet you were unvisited by trial and distant from the cross. Oh, do not think that He is indifferent to your pains and anguish, to your prayers and tears, to your longings for help and deliverance. By the very permanence of your griefs He designs to increase your desires after Him. He would have your prayers yet more urgent, your submission yet more entire, your aspirations yet more heavenly.
He sees you and understands you better than you do yourself; as He made you, He knows what is in you--all your peculiar feelings and thoughts, your dispositions and likings, your strength and your weakness. He knows what must be rooted out and what engrafted--what banished and what cherished--what destroyed and what intensified. And He is working out His own gracious purpose even now--interesting Himself in all your fears and anxieties, noting your very countenance, whether smiling or in tears--noting your voice, the beating of your heart, and your very breathing. Oh, cling to the assurance that He loves you--that you are one for whom the Savior offered up His last prayer and sealed it with His precious blood! Oh, if He has given His own Son for you, how shall He not with Him also freely give you all things!
Remember, too, that the great Intercessor--your Redeemer, Elder Brother, High Priest, and Mediator--is pleading for you within the veil. Who so well fitted as He to sympathize with and strengthen you? He has sorrowed Himself--groaned beneath the pressure of an anguish in which there was none to share, and for your sake drained the very dregs of the cup of anguish. Let this be the prayer of your heart--
"The cross our Master bore for us, for Him we gladly would bear, But mortal strength to weakness turns, and courage to despair! Then mercy to our failings, Lord, our sinking faith renew, And when Your sorrows visit us, oh send Your patience too!"
Oh, make known to Him your case! Go to Him in your weakness and weariness--oppressed by disease, weighed down by care--and be sure you go to One who has Himself felt oppression and weariness--One who will pity you, who forgets not the anguish He endured as the God-man, who remembers what human weakness is, who will look upon your beating heart, upon your pale cheek, upon your anxious brow, and whose very pleadings will seem to echo within your soul, "O my Father, have compassion on this poor suppliant! I once wept. I once was sorrowful. I once endured pain and anguish. Now, Father, even now, have pity, as You once, in the days of my flesh, had pity on me!"
Yes, Jesus is ever the same. His heart is unchanged--unchangeable. He is passed into the heavens, but He is still the God-man, the God incarnate, and still feels in perfect sympathy and brotherhood with man.
Then, whatever be your cross, whatever your trouble, whatever your anguish, bring it to Jesus. The Father may reject you--His own Son He will not. Your sins may cry aloud for vengeance--the blood of the slain Lamb will plead louder for mercy. You have no merit to entitle you to ask anything, but the Victim of the great atoning sacrifice is still before the throne. You may dread to enter the holy of holies--the great High Priest still and forever offers the eternal sacrifice. He is piteous and faithful. Oh, "follow hard after Him," for He loves you still, and He bears upon the palms of His hands, upon His jeweled bosom, and upon His swelling heart, the names, and needs, and prayers of His ransomed ones.
O Lord, my heavenly Father, I bow down before You to bless You for all Your mercies, and especially for not having dealt with me according to my many sins. Pardon, I beseech You, for Your Son Jesus Christ's sake, all the offences of my past life, and enable me to believe in Him to the salvation of my soul. Increase my longing after conformity to my Divine Redeemer, and may the remembrance of His marvelous love, and grace, and mercy incline my heart to follow hard after Him. Blessed Jesus! Your followers and people have the assurance of Your own gracious declaration, that whatever they shall ask in Your name, they will receive it. O Savior of the world! I humbly ask of You more love, more grace, more faith and trust in You. Help me to cling to You. In the darkest hour may I realize Your presence; in the time of greatest danger may I hear Your voice; and when my faith begins to fail, oh let Your strengthening arm uphold me. Remember, O Lord, the word unto Your servant in which You have caused me to hope, and answer me according to the multitude of Your mercies. Amen.
