Post by Lee on Mar 8, 2014 23:21:51 GMT
Only when we have fully appreciated our total unworthiness of God’s mercy, and when we have fully realised our abject poverty and utter nakedness as children of Adam, and then, hopeless and helpless we come to seek God’s mercy, and we find him through Jesus Christ, our Lord—what is our reaction? Surely it is one of joy and thankfulness and praise. Hallelujah! “O praise the LORD, all ye nations, praise him all ye people, for his merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever” (Psalm 117:1). And so, instead of the spirit of heaviness, we receive the garment of praise, as Isaiah so beautifully expresses it: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified” (Isa. 61:3).
How are we wearing our garment of praise? Do we keep it about us and have joy in the Lord? Are we fully covered by this beautiful garment? Or are we grumblers still? “None have such reason to be glad, as reconciled to God.” Let us then wrap this joyful garment about us, and every day lift our hearts in praise, expressing our thankfulness in thoughts (to be read by God), in words (to be shared by our fellows), and in deeds (that men may be given an example). When first we learned the truth, we did rejoice with unfeigned joy, and we devoted ourselves to our Lord, and eagerly sought the covering of the next garment.
. Vol. 121: The Christadelphian: Volume 121. 2001 (electronic ed.) (445–446). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.