|
Devotion
"She
hath wrought a good work on me." (Mark 14 :61. This
woman had an emotion in her soul and it swelled and longed
for expression. She was charged with wastefulness. No, no
it was not waste. Had she not poured out the fragrant
ointment then, there would have been waste. Her soul
panted for some way to express her devotion, and she took
this way and her love was increased and tendered and she
was qualified to be a greater blessing to the world. Had
she not given expression to her love, she would have lost
love and there would have been the waste. Whatever
elevates us and serves to make us more capable of doing
good is not waste. Þ
She wrought this work on Jesus. "To what purpose was
this deed done ?" That should not be the question.
"For whose sake was it done?" That is the
question that settles the matter. Everything done from the
stirring of love in the heart for Jesus makes it a good
work. Working a good work on Jesus Christ is the law of
Christian devotion.
True devotion is that disposition of heart that moves it
to perform with tender affection and burning fervor all
its services to God. The bowing of the knees, the
prostrating of the body on the ground, the lifting of the
eyes heavenward, the wringing of the hands, and the pious
sighs and groans are not full proof of a devoted heart. In
all acts of true devotion there is a high esteem, a
profound respect, a holy adoration for the Divine Majesty;
there is an humble acknowledgment of the soul's dependence
and duty; there is an intense desire to lavish the heart's
love upon Jesus by doing all things for His sake.
No exercising of the soul is so ennobling, so hallowing,
so consoling as the performing of humble, sincere acts of
devotion. True devotion is attended by self sacrifice.
Devotion is more than sentiment. It is a principle fixed
in the core of our being. We cannot always be in acts of
devotion, but the principle is in the soul and it
expresses itself on every fitting occasion.
"I
want a principle within
Of jealous godly fear,
A sensitiveness to sin,
A pain to feel it near;
Tender as the apple of the eye,
O God, my conscience make!
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake."
table
of contents
|
