by T. Austin-Sparks
Beloved in our Lord,
He is giving to all of us, as we abide in the Anointing, both grace
and glory. And these twain must needs be together, for we not only
need grace to sustain glory when it shall be manifest, but the
present operations of glory are so painful to our "flesh" that only
His grace is sufficient to endure them.
For the principle of glory, as in us now, is that of fellowship in
the sufferings of the Christ. The glory is not now manifested - the
universe waits for that, and we hope for it - it is a hidden glory
of the heart. In the deeps of our being God is fashioning that
glorious conformity to the image of His Son. Many sons shall be
brought unto glory.
"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction," and "He shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver," are two words that indicate
the character of that grace which now works in our hearts as being
the very filial nature of Him Who learned obedience through the
things that He suffered, and so came to consummation as our Saviour.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit."
Yes, for there is the operating sphere of grace, a deep inwrought
likeness to the Spirit of Him Who pleased not Himself at any time,
neither had pleasure in His own will, undefined as that will was,
but subjected Himself to a WILL that became a Gethsemane of
pressure, and a Calvary of passion, but emerged in a shout of
Victory and a Resurrection into Glory.
But this is the miracle of grace, His grace. And He still addresses
us encouragingly as we wonder whether we can possibly endure the
weight of His yoke. "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light"
because also, "My grace is sufficient for thee."
Does this need the telling? For you have heard of the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, ....It is the wondrous story. The loveliness of
that filial obedience to such an emptying, and such a humbling
consequent upon the emptying, is the Theme of our new song, "Worthy
art Thou!"
Then let us not utter cry, nor even entertain the smart of our hurt
flesh, because God is educating our spirit in Sonship that we may be
able to sustain the weight of glory.
For the invisible glory already is ours. He is storing it within our
hearts. The daily dyings, the pressures almost beyond measure, the
battle in the gates, but drive us to entertain Him in the hidden
shrine of our spirit, where the blood speaks peace, and the glory of
our Beloved is made manifest, even Jesus, crowned with glory and
honour, who by the grace of God tasted death for every man. Yes, by
the grace of God.
Shall we not also, by the same grace, taste our own death in His.
For "The bitter is (or should be) sweet" now; "the medicine food."
Marah's waters are sweetened by that Tree.
And so, maintain the affirmative "IFS" of our faith, which are
confirmative also, "IF SO be that we suffer-together-with
Him, that we may be also glorified-together-with Him."
Yours, counting it joy,
T. Austin-Sparks
T. Madoc-Jeffreys.
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