Divine Sympathy

’ I know their sorrows.” — Exod. iii J.

Man cannot say so. There are many sensitive fibres in the soul the best and tenderest human sympathy can not touch. But the Prince of Sufferees, He who led the way in the path of sorrow, “knoweth our frame.” When crushing bereavement lies like ice on the heart — when the dearest earthly friend cannot enter into the peculiarities of our grief, Jesus can, Jesus does, He who once bore my sins also carried my sorrows. That eye, now on the throne, was once dim with weeping! I can think in all my afilictions “He was afilicted;” in all my tears, Jesus wept.’*

Israel had long groaned under bondage. God appeared not to “knw it. He seemed, like Baal,” asleep;” yet at that very moment was His pitying eye wistfully beholdiog His enslaved people. It was then He said, “7 KNOW their sorrows T

He may seem at times tlms to forget and forsake us; — leaving us to utter the plaintive cry, “Hath God forgotten to be gracious,” when all the while He is bending over ns in tenderest love. He often suffers our needs to attain their extremity — that He may stretch forth His succoring hand, and reveal the plenitude of His Grace I ‘•’■ Ye have seen the end of the Lordj that the Lord is very pitifal and of tender mercy P (James v. 11).

And ^’’ hnoivimf our sorrows, is a blessed guarantee that none will be sent but what He sees to be needful. “I will not,” says He, “make a full end of thee, but / will correct thee IN measuee” (Jer. xxx. 11.) All He sends is precisely meted out — wisely apportioned. There is nothing accidental or fortuitous: — no redundant thorn — no superfluous pang. He ‘■’’putteih our tears into His hotty (Ps. lvi. 8.) Each one is counted — drop by

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drop — tear bj tear; — they are sacred things among the treasures of God I

Suffering believer, the iron may have entered deeply into thy soul; yet rejoice! Great is thine honor — thou art partaker with Christ in His sufferings.” Look upwards to this bright Bow encircling thy dark sky I Jesus, a sorrowing, sympathizing Jesus, “knows” thine aching pangs and burning tears, and He will” come down to deliver theeP^