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overcame,
and am set down with my Father in his throne." Joseph was such an overcomer.
God's way up for Joseph was down, as it must be for
every disciple. His descent was climaxed with false accusation and
imprisonment. At every point he suffered for no fault of his own,
but solely "for righteousness sake." He had thirteen long years of insult
and injury, suspicion and slander, testing and trial and treachery; but
all these actually created the king. He said: "God hath caused me
to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." And when we see him seated
with Pharaoh on his' throne, fully forgiving and feeding and caring for
his brethren who had sold him, we behold that "bound-less unselfishness
upon which God confers boundless power." Crowns of righteousness will be
conferred upon those who have learned to "have the mind which is also in
Christ Jesus."
The Saviour said: "The meek
. . . shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). Shortly before the American
civil war closed, General Howard had succeeded another officer as head
of a special division. General Sherman had been the commanding officer,
and when he was arranging for a grand review of the army at Washington,
he sent for General Howard. He told the General that the friends
of the other officer insisted upon his riding at the head of the corps.
"But it is my command," said Howard, "I am entitled to ride there." "Of
course you are," replied Sherman, "you led the men through Georgia and
the Carolinas; but, Howard, you are a Christian and can stand the disappointment."
"If you put it on that ground," said Howard, "there is but one answer.
Let him ride at the head of the " "Yes, let him have the honour," said
Sherman; "but you will report to me at nine o'clock and will ride by
my side at the head of the army." So it is with the saints who have
humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God. The promise is that
He will exalt you in due time. Every downward step, every dying to
self, every embracing of the Cross--whether in the form of denial or degradation,
of suffering or separation, of sorrow or vexation, of false accusation
or humiliation--all these and a hundred other things we might mention,
are not a descent but actually an ascent to the throne. Our call
to embrace the Cross is a call to reign with Christ.
Beloved, Christ is coming.
He. says, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every
man according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22:12). Crowns of righteousness
await all those who love His appearing. Can we respond out of a full
heart, Amen, Even so, come Lord Jesus. "Thy kingdom come." And in
our prayers let us ask as never before-for "just enough wood to make a
cross." "Oh Christ, descend! Scarred temple, wear the crown!
Bruised hand, take the sceptre! Wounded foot, step the throne!
Thine is the kingdom!" Oh, searching hour when He looks us over, the born
crucified, not for medals but for our birthmarks, the marks of the Lord
Jesus.
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot,
or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty
in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright
ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the
archers, spent,
Leaned Me against a tree
to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that
compassed me, I swooned:
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Mastcr shall
the servant be,
And pierced arc the feet
that follow Me;
But thine are whole; can
he have followed far
Who has no wound nor scar?
--Amy Carmichael.
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