Devotional Column

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 23 March 1934, Page 1

Devotional Column

Almighty and everlasting God, Who, of Thy toiulor love towards mankind, hast sent Thy Goa our Saviour, Jesus Christ to lake upon Him our flesh, and to sutler death upon the Gross, that till mankind should follow the example of His grout humility, mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of His resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. HOLY WEEK. On Humlay we celebrate Palm Sunday and enter into Holy Week. What do we mean by that t For over 19 con turies this season has provoked the most passionate devotion on the part of Christians, or else it has provoked the scolling and scorning of unbelievers. Our blessed Lord made a great claim: “1, if I be lifted up, will Iraw all men unto Me." To many people to recognise the Cross of Christ as the embodiment of the force which can ;ransform the world is too diliicult to believe. Let us try to imagine ourselves in Jerusalem on Good Friday 1900 years ago. We ask a Jew: ‘What do you regard as the centre of the world’s power?" He would point to the Temple, and remind you God’s chosen people, and that eventually all races would come to receive l Divine blessing through them. Then a Homan (Soldier comes along. < Ton ask him the same question. Would u; not say to you: ‘‘The City of Home is the mistress of the world. With her political power and her commerce she •annot rail to rule. Imagine, again, % Greek passes by. You ask him the question. He makes answer; ‘‘Have von seen Athens? (she is the centre ot the world’s thought and culture; as intellectual is superior to and will outlast material force, so will Athens outlast Home." ! But can you imagine one pointing to the Cross, visible from the eitv walls. > 7 * > and saying: ‘‘He who hangs upon that Cross is the Centre of the World’s i Power,” What scorn such a chum would have called forth. To-day we j know the material and political power of Home is very small. The teaching and philosophy of Athens may eon tinuc to appeal to a few. But the motive power of the Cross of Christ Ims transformed millions. Holy Week, ami Good Friday especially, calls us to an earnest realisation of duty of all Christians. Shall wo in Patca picture in oar minds our Lord’s own words: ‘‘l, if I am lifted up, will draw all men unto me"? May the Cross teach ns ;he great lesson; "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?" As Good Friday comes, let us realise that the crucifixion of Jesus 1 Christ is not merely a past event. Like Pilate of old, we are all asked the groat question, ‘‘What will ye do with Jesus that is called Christ? Will you crucify Him afresh by your scornful neglect, or will you’strive to accept His standard as the standard ot your life, and as the inspiration of your actions?" See ye to it. WOK SHIP AND ITS MEANING. Among all the high activities - or which a human being is capable, w vr? ship is the highest, but what do wo understand by worship? It is denned in the dictionary as meaning, ‘‘To adore as divine, to pay religious homage to, to regard with adoration or devotion." The great value of wor-ship-lies in the fact- that it links man more closely with God than any other activity. Worship being the highest ami hardest of human activities, dcI mands from us continual efort. Too often because we arc not willing to make that effort, wo make many weak excuses: "Oh, wc. can worship God without co-operating with our fellow men within the church." Another ox case: "I don’t care for the mode ol worship used in churches." Such people, however, never have a remedy. Such excuses are made either through crass ignorance or blindness, or deli iterate neglect of what is highest in our nature. It .is a necessary consequence of the supremacy/ of this form of human activity that it must be the hardest .of all things a human being can learn to do. We often pity the physically blind or deaf or paralysed,* but those who fail to appreciate or try to appreciate worship in its true meaning far file re deserve our pity. H wo try to raise our thoughts to the highest level, wc shall learn to value the contemplation of God. God’s love as demonstrated in the sacrifice of His Hon upon the Cross; God’s power in transforming our outlook upon life in such a way that nothing in this world of turmoil ami insecurity can disturb ns. H(. Paul says: "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,- which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Lei us remember this during Holy Week. Let it be our first thought on Easter Day. Let our Euelmrist be one of praise ami thanksgiving. "0 worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. n