So much for the backward look. We must not close without a forward look also. There are two remarkable sayings of our Lord which are complements to each other and should be put side by side:
[Transcriber"s note: The following two paragraphs are printed side-by-side in two columns.]
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."
"If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve Me, him will My Father honour."
One of these presents the cross, the other the crown; one the renunciation, the other the compensation. In both cases it is, "Let him follow Me"; but in the second of these pa.s.sages the following of Christ _goes further than the cross of Calvary;_ it reaches through the sepulchre to the Resurrection Life, the Forty Days" Holy Walk in the Spirit, the Ascension to the Heavenlies, the session at the Right Hand of G.o.d, the Reappearing at His Second Coming, and the fellowship of His final Reign in Glory. And two compensations are especially made prominent: first, the _Eternal Home with Christ;_ and, second the _Exalted Honour from the Father._ We too often look only at the cross and the crucifixion, and so see our life in Christ only in its oneness with Him in suffering and serving; we need to look beyond and see our oneness with Him in recompense and reward, if we are to get a complete view of His promise and our prospect. Self-denial is not so much an _impoverishment_ as a _postponement:_ we make a sacrifice of a present good for the sake of a future and greater good. Even our Lord Himself was strengthened to endure the cross and despise the shame by the joy that was set before Him and the glory of His final victory. If there were seven steps downward in humiliation, there are seven upward in exaltation, until beneath His feet every knee shall bow in homage, and every tongue confess His universal Lordship. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.
George Muller counted all as loss that men count gain, but it was for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus, his Lord. He suffered the loss of all things and counted them as dung, but it was that he might win Christ and be found in Him; that he might know Him, and not only the fellowship of His sufferings and conformity to His death, but the power of His resurrection, conformity to His life, and fellowship in His glory. He left all behind that the world values, but he reached forth and pressed forward toward the goal, for the prize of the high calling of G.o.d in Christ Jesus. "Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded."
When the Lord Jesus was upon earth, there was one disciple whom He loved, who also leaned on His breast, having the favoured place which only one could occupy. But now that He is in heaven, every disciple may be the loved one, and fill the favoured place, and lean on His bosom.
There is no exclusive monopoly of privilege and blessing. He that follows closely and abides in Him knows the peculiar closeness of contact, the honour of intimacy, that are reserved for such as are called and chosen and faithful, and follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. G.o.d"s self-denying servants are on their way to the final sevenfold perfection, at home with Him, and crowned with honour: "And there shall be no more curse; But the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb shall be in it; And His servants shall serve Him; And they shall see His face; And His name shall be in their foreheads, And there shall be no night there, And they shall reign for ever and ever."
Amen!
APPENDIX A
SCRIPTURE TEXTS THAT MOULDED GEORGE MULLER
CERTAIN marked Scripture precepts and promises had such a singular influence upon this man of G.o.d, and so often proved the guides to his course, that they ill.u.s.trate Psalm cxix. 105:
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path."
Those texts which, at the parting of the way, became to him G.o.d"s signboards, showing him the true direction, are here given, as nearly as may be in the order in which they became so helpful to him. The study of them will prove a kind of spiritual biography, outlining his career.
Some texts, known to have been very conspicuous in their influence, we put in capitals. The italics are his own.
"G.o.d SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." (John iii. 16.)
"Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm."
(Jeremiah xvii. 5.)
"O, fear the Lord, ye His saints; for there is no want to them that fear Him." (Psa. x.x.xiv. 9.)
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another." (Rom. xiii. 8.)
"SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF G.o.d AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU." (Matt. vi. 33.)
"The holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation."
(2 Tim. iii. 15.)
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
(Matt. vii. 7, 8.)
"WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON: IF YE SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME I WILL DO IT." (John xiv. 13, 14.)
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body what ye shall put on.... Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow." (Matt. vi. 25-34.)
"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." (John vii.
17.)
"If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John viii.
31, 32.)
"And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of Gad. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him." (Acts viii, 36-38.)
"Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death." (Rom. vi. 3, 4.)
"Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread." (Acts xx. 7.)
"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your a.s.sembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a man in vile raiment; and ye have respect unto him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool, are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?"
(James ii. 1-6.)
"Having, then, gifts differing according to the grace that is given us."
(Rom. xii. 6.)
"All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (1 Cor. xii. 11.)
"Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." (Philip, iv. 17.)
"Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on.".... "Behold the fowls of the air.... Consider the lilies of the field.... For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things." (Matt. vi.
25-32.)
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth." (Matt. vi. 19.)
"SELL THAT YE HAVE AND GIVE ALMS." (Luke xii. 33.)
"A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven." (John iii. 27.)
"Simeon hath declared how G.o.d at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name." (Acts xv. 14. Comp. Matt. xiii.
24-30, 36-43.)
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come....
Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim. iii. 1, 13.)
"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing." (2 Cor. vi. 14-18.)
"Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."
(Zech. iv. 6.)
"MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE." (2 Cor. xii. 9.)
"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with G.o.d." (1 Cor. vii.
20, 24.)
"All scripture is given by inspiration of G.o.d, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Tim. iii. 16.)
"OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE, AND I WILL FILL IT." (Psa. lx.x.xi. 10.)