|
34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. {obtain: Heb. bring forth}
36. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
This is the hearing of faith — the voice of Christ to the inmost ear — the impression of his word upon the heart. (John 5:25. Revelation 3:20.) The effect is unwearied diligence and patient expectation; like the priest waiting at the doors of the tabernacle for the assured blessing (Exodus 29:42); or the people watching at the temple gates for his return from his holy ministrations. (Luke 1:10, 21.) This free and habitual attendance upon Sacred Ordinances indicates an healthy appetite for Divine nutriment. The superficial professor excuses himself from this “weariness” (Malachi 1:13) by the fear of legality, or the danger of overvaluing the means. But is there not at least equal danger of undervaluing the means, to which our gracious Lord has engaged his blessing? (Exodus 20:24. Isaiah 56:7. Matthew 18:20.) In gazing on the heavenly Jerusalem, the apostle “saw no temple therein.” (Revelation 21:22.) But what right-hearted Christian will doubt that the life-blood of his soul while on earth consists in watching, like the servants of the temple, daily at her gates (Psalm 84:1, 4, 10), when not involving the neglect of imperative obligations. Wisdom's child will ever be familiar with Wisdom's gates. The Weekly as well as the Sabbath assemblies will be his delight. Most thankful will he be for the service, which invigorates him in the midst of the toils of his worldly calling. “The way by the footsteps of the flock, beside the Shepherds' tents,” will be his constant resort. (Song of Solomon 1:7, 8.) And never would he wound the feelings of his Shepherd by willfully absenting himself from the well, when he comes to water his flock. All the ordinances of prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, or godly conference, will be his salutary provision. When it is not so; when the common routine satisfies; when the intervals between the Sabbath pass without any appetite for food, or any effort to seek the bread of the sanctuary — Christian, is not thy pulse beating feebly? Hast thou not lost many a precious message from thy Lord (see John 20:19, 24) — the fruit of thy Minister's special study, a word of distinct application to thy state, and which might have guided and comforted thee to the end of thy days? Oh, listen to thy Lord's rebuke — “Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die.”†
Observe the blessing breathed down upon the Lord's waiting ones. They find life. (Isaiah 55:3. John 5:24.) For he on whom they wait is the Author (John 1:4; 11:25; 14:6), the Dispenser (Ib. 10:10), the Keeper of life. (Colossians 3:3. 1 John 5:11. Jude 1.) “He therefore that hath him, hath life” (1 John 5:12), with all its present privileges of favour of the LORD. (Isaiah 64:5.) ‘The smiles of God make heaven; and they that obtain favour of the LORD, have a heaven upon earth.’† Set then this expectation before thine eyes in waiting on thy God. ‘I am seeking life for my soul; I will wait at the post of his doors, missing no opportunity of a means of grace; I shall not wait in vain.’
Would that the sinner — the thoughtless sinner — not the daring and ungodly only — pondered how his heartless neglect of wisdom wronged his own soul! (Chapter 1:17-19, 31; 9:12. Jeremiah 7:19. Acts 13:46. Numbers 16:38.) How cruel he is to himself, while he is despising his Savior. Every bait of sin is the temptation to suicide — soul-murder. The snatching at it is as if men were in love with damnation. ‘They that hate me love death. They love that which will be their death, and put that from them which would be their life. Sinners die, because they will die; which leaves them inexcusable, makes their condemnation more intolerable, and will for ever justify God when he judges. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.’”†
|