Salvation and Dilapidation

“To enter into life halt or maimed.”

Matt, xviii. 8.

THERE are two ways of entering into the life of God — the mounting up with the wings of an eagle and the halting on lame feet. The prodigal son came in by the former way; he entered at once into rest; he was greeted instantaneously with the music and dancing of the Father’s house. The patriarch Jacob came in by the other way; he halted on his thigh amid the glories of Peniel; the breaking of the day came to him in the shrinking of the sinew. I am glad there is this latter way of entering into life. I am glad one can enter into the life of God when he has not the wings of an eagle — when he feels the reverse of soaring. I am glad that depression is not incompatible with the new birth — that a man may be halt, maimed, mutilated, and yet at that very time may have already passed from death unto life. None but Christ ever offered such liberal terms of salvation. None but Christ would ever accept a bird with broken wing. The men of the past demanded the flight of the eagle. They wrote upon the portals of their heaven, ‘’ The halt and the maimed enter not here.” Greece demanded the beautiful; Rome called for the strong; Judea summoned the good; none said to the labouring and heavy-laden “I go to prepare a place for you.” None but one — the Man, Christ Jesus. He alone invited the lame feet. The Greek could only come in the car of Venus; the Jew could only ascend in the chariot of Elijah; the Christian could totter into the Kingdom of God.

O Love Divine, all loves excelling! we thank Thee for Thy transcendence. All earth-born love is built upon some glory of its object; my carnal heart waits for the appearing of my brother’s star. But Thoti waitest not for the star; Thou hast songs in the night. Thy heart is less exacting than mine; it claims less at the starting. / demand at the very least the presence of a bow in the cloud; Thou wilt accept the cloud without the bow. / refuse to be reconciled to my brother unless he has offered me his gift; but Thou bringest Thy gift to invite my reconciliation. Thou comest to me in my impotence, in my poverty, in my mean attire. Thou comest to me when it is still midnight. Thou comest when there is only a manger with no Christ in it; Thou bringest Thy Christ to the manger. Thou comest when there is only the storm and no Jesus; Thou bringest Jesus to walk upon the storm. Thou alone hast seen the prodigal afar off. Other masters have delayed their coming till he has put on the ring and the robe; Thou bringest the ring and the robe to the house of his squalour. Man’s heart can rise to the hills of heaven; but Thine alone can embrace the valleys of earth.