Morrison G Wood
Joshua 3: 14-17
Psalm 127: 2 (from: … so to his)
There are two things, which are on my heart: the greatness of the power of Jesus, and the greatness of His love. I think we would greatly benefit from the contemplation of the fact that there is a Man who has gone into death and He has broken its power, triumphantly, totally, completely. This is shown figuratively here in the Jordan, “the Jordan is full over all its banks”. It was not a trickle at that time when the people passed over; the river was there in full volume in all its power; but when the ark came and the priests’ feet dipped into the water, these waters stood. It is figurative, but it conveys to our souls the magnitude, the wonder of the power of Jesus who went into death; and He broke its power. What a scene this must have been. As the people crossed over, there was no water in sight. Not only that but we are told that they crossed over on dry ground. I like the use of the word “completely” – it appears twice in this section – I commend it to us for our contemplation and study, to contemplate the fact of what Jesus has done in His power. We have been instructed that this teaching as to the Jordan is not so much His love (although His love would most certainly be there) but it is His power. I am struck with this, the sheer blessedness of it. On the one hand what it means for God, but this is for us to pass over, because Jesus has broken the power of death. To enter into our spiritual and heavenly privileges, a way has been made through death for us.
The time is soon coming when all the saints will be gathered and brought into the light: the saints now sleeping, like our beloved sister, how precious that is. I commend this to us for the contemplation of our hearts, the greatness of His power. What I am convinced of here is the power of Jesus, a Man going into death, who broke that awesome power that had swept right down through the ages, and apart from two notable exceptions, had carried everything away. There was one man of whom we read and we are told that “he was not, for God took him”, Gen 5: 24. We read of another one, “Jehovah would take up Elijah into the heavens by a whirlwind”, 2 King 2: 1. They did not pass through death. But beloved, the final, dark, solemn, power of death, with all the fears, and the terror that it brings, that power has been defeated and it has been defeated by Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
In the Psalm it is His love, “so to his beloved one he giveth sleep”. I think there is something very precious about this. We have been talking about the totality of the people, the entirety of the people, and there is not one single saint who will be left behind. All will pass over, totally, completely. But here we have the love of Jesus to the one individual, and for our beloved sister. He has given to her sleep. How she needed that, how weary, and worn she was. In our recent visits it was sad to see one we loved so much and who had been so faithful, so reliable, so constant. We knew something of her and her husband’s exercises, and their coming here, and she was one indeed, greatly beloved. She was loved by many, “so to his beloved one he giveth sleep”. It was the love of Jesus in its greatness, who served her and put her quietly to sleep and now He has her to Himself. He is enjoying her, and she is enjoying the rest and the comfort of that realm where Jesus is, and the presence of Jesus. How infinitely blessed.
Let us take time off to reflect on how dearly we are loved by our Saviour. For many of us it would appear, if the Lord does not come soon, that He will serve us, each one, as “his beloved one”. How He loves us, and will put us to sleep. Then the time is coming when He will wake the saints now sleeping. Take time off to contemplate and enjoy how dearly loved you are by your Saviour. Enjoy it every moment of the day. Our beloved sister certainly did and now she is in the joy of His presence and company. I commend these things to us simply, dear brethren: the greatness of the power of Jesus as breaking the power of death, and the greatness of the power of His love that can deal with each and every one of His own.
May our hearts be comforted. For His Name’s sake.
Brechin
31st August 2009
(At the meeting for the burial of Mrs Betty McCrone)