WHEN the Lord Jesus Christ came down into this world, He came to win back the confidence of man in God. Besides that, He came to bring to us, and to give to us, what perfect confidence always does give to us; and that is, the fullest satisfaction in the One confided in.
It is a principle which you will find true throughout the wide range of the truth of God, that wherever there is a full trust and confidence in Him, it always brings with it the most perfect rest of heart and satisfaction to the one who trusts Him. So we read, “Trust in the Lord,... and verily thou shalt be fed; “and again, “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.” It is not that God satisfies us with ourselves, or with the scenes and circumstances through which He calls us to pass; but He satisfies us with Himself, and meets all our need there, ―in Himself, where, blessed be His name, there is an infinite, resource, ― “according to his riches in glory.” It is in view of this that the psalmist could say, “How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God, therefore the children of men do put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” And what must follow? “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasure.”
Now, I want you to notice that man, in the garden of Eden at first, got away from all this. He mistrusted God, listened to Satan’s voice, and got to think that after all God was not perfect goodness to him. Well, he got away from the only source of satisfaction, goodness, and blessing; but God took care that man, in leaving Him, should carry away a constant yearning and craving for satisfaction, which nothing but the One he turned away from could answer to. But, man left God, and turned to himself for satisfaction. He began, as we say, to develop his own resources. He built his cities, and made his musical instruments, and cunning devices of man’s art; but it all told a sad, sad tale of distance and departure from God. “God hath made man upright, but they have found out many inventions.” The invention met the necessity, it is true; and, so far, all was right in that way. But what made the necessity? why was the need felt? They tell us that necessity is the mother of invention; which is true enough. Oh, that all would as readily believe that needs and necessities result from departure from God!
Well, in wondrous grace, the Lord Jesus Christ, came here, to win us back to that place of depending confidence where God can be everything to us for time and forever. Man was a long time learning that he has not in himself the elements of true satisfaction. Indeed, save where grace has wrought, he has not learned it yet. Things went on, from Adam downwards, for a very long time; but still no satisfaction. God’s heart was still towards man, and in wondrous love and mercy, He anon called to him, “Why do you spend your labor for that which satisfieth not? “And, so it went on, till the Lord Himself, in this world, found a poor, lone, unsatisfied creature, at Sychar’s well-side, seeking to satisfy herself then, as all her life hitherto, with the poor things which earth afforded and held out to her. But there she was still, ―and thirsting Ah, said the blessed Lord, “If thou knewest the giving character of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink,’ thou would have asked of him and he would have given thee living water.”
He meant, “If you only had confidence in God, and knew the character that He is now showing Himself in towards poor man, ―that of a giver; ah, if you only knew that, and that I am here, His only-begotten Son, the expression of His heart of love to you in giving, you would have asked of Me, and I should have given you that which would divinely satisfy you, meeting all your need, answering to all the cravings of your poor needy soul.” Oh, how that showed out the heart of God! How truly could the blessed Saviour say, “The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
Let me ask you now, who are reading this, do you know that love which passeth all understanding? God has proved it all out to you in the gift of His own dear Son. You know if a little child loves its mother, as it ought to, it would say, “Oh, I love my mother so much, I would do anything for her!” The child measures its love, and proves it too, by what it will do for the object of its affection. Well, it is written, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; “and again, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, in that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” That was God’s unspeakable gift, by which He proved and measured out to us the perfect love of His heart,—perfect love, which casts out fear, because it provided that which took away its cause. Gold and silver, the precious things of earth, are nothing to be compared with this unspeakable gift. God alone knows its value, and He says, “the precious blood of Christ;” and He who measures all our sins, too says,” the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from every sin.” God laid all our sins on Him, and He bore all the consequences of them when “He gave himself a ransom for all.” Now, let me ask you, have you a portion in that? Can you say,
“My sins were laid on Jesus,
Who washed the crimson stains
White in His blood most precious,
Till not a spot remains?”
Well, if you cannot, God still lingers in grace; it is His day of waiting, “not willing that any should perish.” He still stretches out His hand, beseeching you to come and have confidence in that love which He has so fully proved to you. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses;” not reckoning against them all the bad things they had done. So the Lord Jesus said, He “came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” The day of grace still lingers on, ―God’s longsuffering too―but both must come to an end. Hear, then, once more the Saviour calling, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” W. R. S.