At His Feet

“AT HIS FEET.” — Luke vii. 38.

ORIENTALS are demonstrative, and in their devotions they pay greater attention to bodily posture than we do. Let us be the more careful of the posture of our souls.

It is interesting to consider our posture towards our Lord.

He bears us on his heart (Solomon’s Song viii. fi.) in his bosom (Is. xl. 11), in his hand (Is. xhx. 2. li. 16), on his shoulders (Luke xv. 5).

But yet “at his feet” is our most usual place.

I. IT IS A BECOMING POSTURE.

The posture is admirable for many reasons.

1. As he is divine, let us pay him lowliest reverence.

2. As we are sinful, let us make humble confession.

3. As he is Lord, let us make full submission.

4 As he is All in All, let us manifest immovable dependence.

5. As he is infinitely wise, let us wait his appointed time.

The best are at his feet joyfully, bowing before him.

(167)

MY SERMON-NOTES.

The worst must come there, whether they will or no.

II. IT IS A HELPFUL POSTURE.

1. For a weeping penitent (Luke vii. 38).

Our humility will help penitence.

Our lowly submission will bring assurance.

Our full obeisance will prepare for service,

2. For a resting convert (Luke viii. 35).

In such a position devils are driven out, and no longer rule us.

In such a position they are kept off, and can not return.

In such a position we give the best proof of being in our right mind.

3. For a pleading intercessor (Luke viii. 41).

We plead best when we are lowliest.

We may be rulers of the synagogue, but when

our heart is breaking we find most hope 4. For a willing learner (Luke x. 39). Mary “at

his feet,” showed —

A lowly sense of personal ignorance.

A believing acceptance of the Lord’s teaching.

A hopeful uplooking to him.

5. For a grateful worshipper (Luke xvii. 16).

So the healed leper expressed his thanks.

So angels adore, giving him thanks, while

bending low.
So would our hearts bow in unutterable

gratitude.

6. For a saint beholding his Lord’s glory (Rev. i.

17). Overwhelmed, humbled, overjoyed, exhausted

with excess of ecstasy.
Come, then, and submit to Jesus, and bow
He is so worthy: pay him all reverence.
He has received from you so much despite:

kiss his feet. He will so freely forgive: this may well cause

you to bow in the dust before him. He will give you such joy: in fact, no joy excels that of full submission to his blessed

sway.

III. IT IS A SAFE POSTURE.

1. Jesus will not refuse us that position, for it is

one which we ought to occupy.

2. Jesus will not spurn the humbly submissive,

who in self-despair cast themselves before him.

3. Jesus will not suffer any to harm those who

seek refuge at his feet.

4. Jesus will not deny us the eternal privilege of

abiding there. Let this be our continual posture —” at his

feet.”

Sorrowing or rejoicing; hoping or fearing; Suffering or working; teaching or learning; In secret or in public; in life and in death. “Oh, that I might for ever sit With Mary at the Master’s feet”

CLIPPINGS.

In order that the mats or carpets, which are hallowed by domestic prayer, may not be rendered un clean by any pollution of the streets, each guest, as he enters a house in Syria or Palestine, takes off his sandals, and leaves them at the door. He then proceeds to his place at the table. In ancient times, as we find throughout the Old Testament, it was the custom of the Jews to eat their meals sitting crosslegged — as is still common throughout the East — in front of a tray placed on a low stool, on which is set the dish containing the heap of food, from which all help themselves in common. But this custom, though it has been resumed for centuries, appears to have been abandoned by the Jews in the period succeeding the captivity. Whether they had borrowed the recumbent posture at meals from the Persians, or not, it is certain, from the expressions employed, that, in the time of our Lord, the Jews, like the Greeks and Romans, reclined at banquets, on couches placed round tables of much the same height as those now in use. We shall see, hereafter, that even the Passover was eaten in this attitude. The beautiful and profoundly moving incident, which occurred in Simon’s house, can only be understood by remembering that, as the guests lay on the couches which surrounded the tables, their feet would be turned towards any spectators who were standing outside the circle of bidden guests. — Archdeacon Farrar.

Artabanus, one of the military officers of the “AT HIS FEET.” 171

Athenians, was applied to by a certain great man, who told him that he desired an audience of the king. He was answered that, before it was granted, he must prostrate himself before him, for it was a custom of the country for the king to admit no one to his presence who would not worship him. That which was an arrogant assumption in an earthly king is a proper condition of our approach to the King of kings. Humility is the foundation of our intercourse with him. We must bow before his throne. No sinner who is too proud to yield obedience to this law may expect any favors from hie hands. — Handbook of Illustration.

When the Danish missionaries, stationed at Malabar, set some of their converts to translate a catechism, in which it was asserted that believers be come the sons of God, one of the translators was so startled that he suddenly laid down his pen, and exclaimed, “It is too much. Let me rather render it, ‘They shall be permitted to kiss his feet.’” — G. 8. Bowes.

The Rev. Mr. Young was, one stormy day, visiting one of his people, an old man, who lived in great poverty, in a lonely cottage, a few miles from Jedburgh. He found him sitting with the Bible open on his knees, but in outward circumstances of great discomfort, the snow drifting through the roof and under the door, and scarcely any fire on the hearth. “What are you about to-day, John?” was Mr. Young’s question 011 entering. “Ah! sir,” said the happy saint, “I am sitting under his shadow, wi’ great delight” — The Christian Treasury.

The end of all Christian preaching is to cast the sinner trembling at the feet of mercy. — VineL

Low at Thy feet my soul would lie,
Here safety dwells, and peace divine;
Still let me live beneath Thine eye,
EOT lile, eternal life, is Thine.

Anne £toefe