| Things to Live For |
Chapter 4 |
Page 5 |
When a branch of a vine is hurt, bruised, broken, its life wasted, the vine pours of its abundant life into the wounded part, to replenish the loss and to heal the hurt. That is what Christ does. Virtue went out of him to heal the sick. Virtue come from him always when the hand of faith touches the hem of his garment, and becomes life and strength in the spirit that is thus brought into vital relation with him. His strength is made perfect in weakness. The greater our need, the more of his grace will come to us. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
The essential thing is our being really united to Christ. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Waiting upon the Lord means trusting him implicitly and patiently, believing in his love, keeping near his heart, living gin unbroken fellowship with him. True praying is waiting upon God. It brings the life up close to him, and from his fullness flows the strength to fill our emptiness. One who goes to God in prayer with his weakness receives help and blessing. Trench’s lines tell us this I a striking way:–
“Lord, what a change within us one short hour
Spent in thy presence will avail to make!
What heavy burdens from our bosoms take!
What parched fields refresh as with a shower!
We kneel, and all around us seems to lower;
We rise, and all, the distant and the near,
Stands forth in sunny outline, brave and clear.
We kneel; how weak! We rise; how full of power!”
Page 5