It was a lovely Lord's Day afternoon when two brothers set off in a boat to cross the river with the object of preaching the Gospel on the other side. They had tasted the Lord's grace, and with hearts aglow with His love were glad to be able to tell others of the Savior of sinners. Oh! what a reality it is to know Jesus! About half way across one opened his Bible and showed the other some lines which were written in it; they were these:-
"When thou hast failed, look up,
When failing not still gaze:
When empty, raise thine empty cup;
When full, return Him praise."
He read them, and re-read them, and then made a copy so that they should not be forgotten, for the precious truth they contained went home to his soul. What a blessed resource we have, ever to be able to look up, and know a heart there in glory, ready to meet us, ready to hear us, and ready to fill us if we but turn to Him. How is it with you, dear fellow laborer? Has failure come in? Have you lost the sunshine of His face? Oh! if so, look up! There is One there in glory Who has ever had His eye upon you, and is now at this very moment waiting for you to look up to Him. He can restore, oh, tell out to Him all, hide nothing from Him and keep nothing back, and you will find the preciousness of our first line.
" When thou hast failed, look up! "
The result, surely you know, will be the same as it was with Peter, who proved the unfailing restoring grace of His blessed Master, Who prayed for him, looked upon him, and restored him, then used him.
" When failing not still gaze."
Thank God! the pathway is not all failure, and then how precious to be occupied with the Person of Jesus, following the example of Stephen whose gaze was fixed upon Jesus. He looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus-oh! dear fellow laborers, do not we need to be more occupied with Him, to bask more in the sunshine of His love, if we are to be here for Him, and if our lives are to show forth His praise.
The last two lines contain two precious thoughts:-
"When empty, raise thine empty cup,
When full, return Him praise."
No need to be empty! He can ever fill. "Of His fullness have all we received, and grace upon grace." If we want to have full hearts, we must turn to Him to fill them. He who ever fills the heart of the Father with perfect delight, is surely enough for us. Oh! to be in that attitude of soul that He may fill us with Himself, then it will be that our cup will run over, and He will get the praise.
Not long after reading those lines, and the happy conversation that followed, they arrived at the place they were to speak, and then all around and up on the hill side were people ready to hear the good tidings of God's grace. It was out of full hearts they spoke, and the Lord blessed the Word, and as they finished they spoke to one and another. One young lad was especially touched and very readily listened to the one who now pressed upon him his need of salvation, and there and then that very day he took Christ as his Savior. About two years after, this young fellow stood with the one who had spoken to him that day, and testified in the open air to the saving grace and power of the Lord Jesus.
Many years have passed since then, but the message of those four lines has often been passed on, and used in encouragement to many. May they now speak to each reader for His Name's sake.
" When thou hast failed, look up;
When failing not, still gaze:
When empty, raise thine empty cup;
When full, return Him praise."