SUNDAY COLUMN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 127, 11 March 1939, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. (Conducted by the Ashburton Ministers’ Association}. CHRIST’S WILLING CAPTIVES. “Thanks ho unto God, which always loadeth us in triumph in Christ, and makoth manifest through us the savour of His knowledge in every place. For we are a sweet savour of Christ unto God, in them that are being saved, and in them that are perishing; to the one a savour from death unto death; to the other a savour from life unto life.’ (II Corinthians ii.' 14-16. R.V.) “1 cannot but speak what I have felt, seeing my Lord Jesus hath broken a box of spikenard upon the head of His poor prisoner, and it is hard to hide a. sweet smell : it is a pain to smother Christ’s love; it will be out whether tve will or not.’’ * * * * Thanks he unto God, which always leadeth us in triumph to Christ. The picture in Paul’s mind is that of a Roman procession, the triumphant march of a victorious general, returning from the wars. The spoils of battle are borne before him, incense is burned and spices scattered as he passes by, and his most noteworthy captives follow, chained it may be to his chariot. Even so, says Paul, we are Christ’s prisoners, led captive in His triumph. But we are not sullen victims, made a spectacle against our will, our conqueror’s hour of triumph the hour of our hitter shame. Wo are Christ’s willing, captives, glad to own Him as our conqueror, proud and happy if we can bring honour to His triumph or add now lustre to His name. We are Christ’s captives. In strange ways lias Ho conquered us, not J\v such might as the world knows, hut by the might of love and sacrifice. Ho has won us by His Cross. On that Cross He overcame the powers of darkness, making a show of them openly, leading them in triumph (it is the same word that Paul uses again). But on the Cross He won aii even greater victory. He conquered our hard hearts, subdued our rebellious wills. How can we longer resist a. love that lias given such proof of itself We have to say, Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed. Nor is. it that when He "takes us captive wo lose our own liberty. This 1 Captor is also our great Deliverer, He brings us out of the slavery of our own selfhood into a service that is perfect freedom. We put our life into His hands, and He gives it back again, enriched and gladdened. In that surrender we find out true Master, or rather the true Lover of our soul. Well may we rejoice to be His captives, led in His triumph-march. He makes it our triumph too. He maketh manifest through us the savour of His knowledge in every .place. Just as the Roman, victor’s name received an added lustre through the captives he displayed, so is Christ glorified in every soul that His love has conquered. Paul himself rejoiced to know that the miracle of his conversion had brought to the Christians of Judaea a new sense of the power of God. They heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he onco made havoc; and they glorified God in me. He could even bear to remember how he had once been chief of sinners, because this also had been turned to,God’s glory. For this cause I obtained mercy, that in. me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all His longsuffering, for an example. Others would learn from his story not to despair, hut to turn to the same merciful Saviour. ’ And, even so, Christ is still glorified by what men see of His saving power in hearts that are yielded to Him. Still He makes manifest through such the savour of His knowledge.

“So shall our lives Thy power proclaim, Thy grace for every sinner free.”

A sweet savour oi Christ —that is what the life of every one of Christ’s rejoicing captives is to become. Just as the incense was burned, the sweet spices scattered, as the victor passed along, so will the souls that Christ has fully conquered shed around them the fragrance of their Lord. They rejoice to tell what He has done for them. They cannot from His praise forbear. Yet it needs no word of theirs to make others feel the presence of Christ in them, or to show to others how wonderful He is. The fragrance speaks for itself. It is not that all will be attracted to Christ even by! the loveliness of His saints. To them that are perishing a savour from death unto death; as though the conqueror’s enemies see in his triumph the coming of their own destruction. There may be some whose hearts are only haidened against Christ. But there will surely be many to whom the sight of Christ’s victory in some other life brings a waft of gladness, the gladness of knowing that they also belong to the same wonderful Lord. While to some that sight will be indeed a savour from life unto life, a life-giving breath of hope and deliverance, assuring them that what Christ has dono for these others He can do in them also. They too will be led to submit themselves to Him, and to take their place among the rejoicing captives of this King of Love. A PRAYER. My Lord, forgive me that so little of Thv love has reached others through me. Forgive me that there has been so little in my life to bring glory to Thy name or to make others desire Thy salvation. I fear that I have often only dishonoured Thee, and made it seem a small thing to belong to Thee. Is it that in my heart there still lurks a secret rebellion, an unwillingness to be altogether Thine? Show me again Thy love, my Lord. Let me see afresh wliat Thou hast done for me. Reveal to me Thy beauty, that I may desire Thee. Bring, as Thou only canst, every secret thought of my heart captive .to Thy obedience. Make me the willing prisoner of Thy love. Amen. —•Francis B, James.