I do not know how you feel, but when I am permitted to give anything to him who opened his five wounds for me, who gave heart and soul, and all that he had for my redemption, I am full of delight. When I receive I fall flat on my face, but when I am permitted to give, a hand is laid upon me to lift me up, and I rise honourably accepted with my gift. You would all feel honored if you were permitted to present a gift to a queen, how much more to give to the King of kings! The cattle on a thousand hills are his: if he were hungry, he would not tell us; if he were thirsty, he would ask no drink from us; but yet in condescending love he comes to us, and his church comes to us, in forma pauperis,* and begs us to assist to support his work among men; and when we give cheerfully to Jesus, we are honored in the giving.
* - Latin phrase meaning "in the form of a pauper"
From a sermon entitled "The Widow Of Sarepta," delivered June 21, 1868. Image by P J Hansen under Creative Commons License.
No comments:
Post a Comment