The Scriptures reveal to us many things the Lord has saved us for, and it is well that when we find them we should ponder them over in His presence, seeking the needed grace to be just what He wants us to be. We all have to confess that we come far short of what God has intended concerning us; but though we have failed, in a great measure, to reach the standard, “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Among the rest there are five things we will consider together.
A Savor of Christ
“For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:15). At the very outset, let our hearts be searched with the question, Am I really like this? Do I in this world give out a fragrance that puts the Father in mind of His most beloved Son? Do the actions of my daily life speak of that perfect One whose every deed glorified God? Taken as a whole–does life, heart, and mind; does hand, foot, and voice, savor of Christ? As the flower is made for beauty and perfume, according to its kind, so, child of God, you are here to delight the eye of God and yield Him a fragrance of Christ. Some flowers are lovely to look at, yet give little perfume; while others not so pretty, charm the senses with their sweet odor.
A Letter Known and Read
“Ye are our epistle . . . known and read of all men” (2 Cor. 3:2). If the penman writes an illegible hand, who can read it? He may write great and wise things, yet it is all in vain; his writing is nothing but hieroglyphics not decipherable. Such a life is of no more use to plain people than some inscribed Egyptian tablet or an Assyrian brick. There are many useless “epistles,” albeit they are well ornamented. It is legibility, not ornamentation, that people want. The great thing is to write that others may read.
Spell out your life in a bold, clear hand; let it be known by all what God hath done for your soul. Mark in the short pauses, where you stay an instant for the breath of Heaven–the full stops, when God commands you to stand still and see His salvation with you–the question marks, when some important question from Heaven confronts you–the notes of exclamation when at some unexpected providence you uttered an ejaculation of praise–the capital letters, marking important things–the underlining, where stress is laid on special dealings of God–the paragraphs, marking important stages of your pilgrimage–the quotation marks, when you tell the helpful things you have gleaned from others. And when the epistle of life is being written, take care of the blots–the sinful things which disfigure the Christian character.
A Mirror Reflecting Christ
“But we all, with unveiled face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image” (2 Cor. 3:18, R.V.). A broken bit of the commonest glass, when it catches the sun’s rays, will glitter on the ground like a jewel. You do not see the poor glass, it is the sun in it. You exclaim, how beautiful! The eye is dazzled at the sight. If you run forward and pick it up, it is discovered to be nothing of any value, and its glory has departed, although as it lay in lowly fashion on the ground the sun condescended to fill this worthless thing with his own bright glory. And in this is furnished a parable of soul transfiguration. The redeemed one, though in himself so worthless, may be a mirror that in him may be reflected to this world the glory of the Sun of Righteousness, becoming changed into His image. But he is nothing in himself, and a cloud or any intervening object will stop the reflection, and men will not see the Christ of God.
A Lantern
“For God . . . hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Cor. 4:6). A lantern is not a sun, nor a moon–it is just a small thing in which to carry a little candle, to throw illumination a few paces on a dark night. And God has shined into these small hearts of ours that we might give the light of the knowledge of Him, which is salvation, upon a dark world. Shine on, Christian; do not worry your head because you are not some great luminary. Your little glimmer may guide some weary feet from the abyss of hell to Mount Calvary, where Jesus died to save sinners. Keep the glass clean, see that the candle is lit, hold your lantern in hand, and be careful that your cloak doesn’t cover it.
An Earthen Vessel
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7). How greatly do some people desire to be fine pottery, when they can only be ordinary earthenware. It is better to be a clean brown mug, if the Master will use it, than some china vessel that was not at hand, or unclean. Ah, how often it is His delight to use the things which are considered by men to be common, that the excellency of His power may be fully seen. He has not chosen that the service of His spiritual kingdom shall be performed by seraphs or archangels, but by men and women, such as you and me, girt about with infirmities. Upon such is made to rest the power of Christ, working in every willing servant to will and to do of His good pleasure. Marvellous indeed is this condescending grace of our God to take up such weak vessels. Let us praise Him with our lips and serve Him with our lives!