Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,” take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
This is a place to share your spiritual struggles, hopes, and successes as we live out what taking up the cross means.
In Matthew 11, Jesus also says, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
I heard a commentary on this from Fr. Mike Schmitz recently. He said we tend to think of ourselves in a single yoke, but a double yoke was more commonly used, and what Jesus was referring to.
When we assume his yoke, we are beside him, laboring side by side with his strength pulling us on.
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Love that.
I’m not sure if this is correct for this forum ??
I was struggling a lot from the vaccine mandates. For me they are ongoing. My career (medical scientist) is finished now.
But somehow, I have just found a new job in science. It’s plant propagation in a sterile laboratory setting. I start after Easter. Just a few half days to start with. After I’m trained, there will be more shift opportunities.
I feel like there has been some kind of divine intervention with this job. Everything has just lined up way too perfectly. This was meant to be, there’s no other way to explain it.
And it’s not just the job. I seem to be having a complete lifestyle new start, after being stuck in a miserable rut for so long.
I’m also moving homes next week – and I was invited to join a dance class from someone I met a couple of weeks ago.
My life is getting a restart, and it feels like it is my fate. It has not been in my hands. I have a lot of gratitude.
I always say things happen for a reason. Maybe this was God helping you out by getting you out of misery, challenges/obstacles are great for getting out of a rut too!
I believe that this has happened for a reason. And I’m feeling good about it, too.
It DID happen for a reason. I am overjoyed that you are feeling good about it.
Excellent.
With God there are no consequences, only purpose. It is not always apparent what God’s plan is, but you will know it when it becomes known. God bless you as you move from one era to another. God is good.
Yes, I agree with you. And I feel like the plan is moving forward.
A wonderful story! Thank you for sharing. We can sure use Good news stories in these times!
Thank you for sharing your blessing Rach… I’m happy for you ~ 🙂
Embrace it.
God Bless!
I’m very happy for you! What a great feeling it is to see His hand in your life.
Brilliant news. Now teach the rest of us so we can feed ourselves. And if you see them inserting mrna into our greens, give us a shout.
The Lord taught us, so Rach doesn’t need to. Remember the parable involving the birds in the sky who He provides for. You are much more valuable than the birds in the sky. Believe.
The Lord blessed me with 10 green thumbs. I try to show as many people who will listen what I have learned. The same goes with my Deliverance from alcohol and prescription hard dope. I try to share the gifts.
That’s wonderful. I had a father who was a gifted Gardner as well. Blessings to you for sharing the knowledge with others. I meant no I’ll towards you. And how great of you to overcome those trials. Great news, thanks for sharing.
Your post brought me to tears of happiness for you. Such a pleasure to read your comments!
And your happiness makes me happy.
Yeeeehaaaaww! 🤠
Congratulations on your new job, your new home, and the dance class, Rach! 😀
God is surely looking after you, blessing you, and giving you the desires of your heart as you follow Him!
The Lord provides, and miracles still happen!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen!
Glad to hear you have a fresh new bounce in your steps!
You’d be more than welcome on the daily Open Thread.
🙏✝️🙏
Thank you everyone for your kind words ♥️
What beautiful blessings. I hope it all goes well !
-You’ll never walk alone
——————————-
Thanks for the reminder, Menagerie❣️
Why did you’ll never walk alone become Liverpool anthem?
Around the time of Gerry and the Pacemaker’s release, a Liverpool player, Tommy Smith, showed the single to the team’s manager, Bill Shankly. Shankly was “in awe of what he heard,” according to Smith. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was adopted as the new club song not long after that first listen.Oct 13, 2022
Yes…. God is everywhere and in everything;
-and here for every one.
There isn’t a Moody Blues song that I don’t like.
Thanks for that song.
Nice. Thanks for that. I don’t have nearly enough Moody Blues on vinyl … you reminded me to get in that. I believe there is a spiritual component in this classic Moody Blues tune too. And I love the fuzzed lead guitar solo.
The spiritual message to me is that we need to beware the constructs of man that can turn to rust and dust … and remember that above all of these is … Love. We are meant to Love, as God Loves us.
In light of the massacre in Nashville, this post has much meaning, as well as a reference to the events of Holy Week. Many have fallen away from God, that fulfills Biblical prophecy. Be safe on Sunday…the day of Trans Vengeance and the start of Holy Week. The dichotomy is obvious.
Your last sentence is well put Linda. Good and evil, darkness and Light, Hope and fear, all much the same.
He is my (our) Saviour. Only in Him is vengeance and grace not a dichotomy.
I love your last sentence Bruce.
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Some churches and parishes are ramping up security, a good idea.
I never expected Western societies would change to the point when Christian people are gun down just for being Christian.
You may want to watch a movie called “For Greater Glory” about the Cristero War in Mexico in the 1920s. I do actually highly recommend the movie, it’s very inspiring. Viva Cristo Rey!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Hi Phoenix, there is also a nice movie about St. Maximillian Kolbe called Two Crowns on the infernal Amazon Prime. Also very inspiring.
The chosen day is no coincidence. There is something atavic and dark in the increasingly radicalized trans movement.
It’s no longer and perhaps it never was “to live and let live”, no amount of concessions will ever sufice. Because the whole think is a neurotic mess growing like a gigantic snow ball sliding downhill.
Or perhaps an ever growing river of filth cascading into hell.
Pure evil. Pure rebellion against The Most Holy One.
Sodom and Gomorrah were less sinful. 🤯
Thank you, Menagerie!
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.kn_pCQKsc_UGqpAPJcIZHAHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=e14ebd96a646d9f67c4e7f5150bd2c733b4bd612ba7740e110c92555546984c3&ipo=images
O blood and water , I trust in thee.
I know one thing. I’ve never been more broken.
Thank the Lord I’m saved.
Amen!
I’ve been there and I can assure you that he’s closer to you than He’s ever been. Blessings to you.
Amen!
As we gnash our teeth over the causes for the murders of innocence I notice the narratives are the same. One glaring omission by everyone, including the “church”- so called believers or Christians: the Godlessness of our country as a whole. As I look at the scripture above while walking through the last few days and frankly even days of the future, I see the world is cluttered with evil, strife, hate, destruction and death. No matter what the struggle is, I cannot walk through the day without God. The anger of the crime, the senseless murders, and the way we handle it, the excuses…all of it is a burden. The answer of course is for me to confess, repent, and turn my eyes back to the Cross. Holy Spirit brings the peace and understanding, calm when I carry the Cross of Jesus and what He did there. He has offered us the path to being able to walk upright in a world turned upside down. The Hope of the Kingdom of God made available to me by faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross makes the burdens easy and light. Praise His Holy Name.
Very well said! Turn to Him only.
Amen!
Amen!
Agreed 👍
I too have experienced the holy spirit. I was so anxious because of what this world has been going through, and for what? Jesus tells me not to be anxious. That is when I decided to chang my whole way of thinking and looking at the world. The Lord has saved me through his holy word the Bible and has saved me and continues to do so in all my failings as a human being and I thank God for all of it through Jesus my savior. In the silence of my life, I hear a whisper of comfort knowing my God has got this and continues to pull me along every single day from life’s struggles. No more anxiousness. Peace to all!
“When we assume his yoke, we are beside him, laboring side by side with his strength pulling us on.“
Thank you for posting this Menagerie. That sentence made my day.
Many years ago I had black woman who worked for me, she was also my friend. She would see me bouncing around our factory solving problems sometimes I’d be stressed out about something seemingly unsolvable, I’d pass her station and Eva would say “Stan…Give it to God!”
My faith was not as strong then and I’d just smile, but as time went on brothers & sisters she was exactly right. We never missed a deadline, it would always work out.
Our factory didn’t survive NAFTA, and she one who asked, “I like my job what are we supposed to do now?” But with a smile she said, well Stan “we’ll just give it to God”. She gave me a big hug and left in good cheer and “gave it to God”.
She has since passed on and I know she was an instant entry into heaven and when she was greeted at the Pearly Gates by the Father he said, “give to God” with a smile and gave her a hug “I’ll carry the load now my dear”!
I still and even more so when it all gets to much, I just “Give it to God”.
My husband, who was not much for outward expression of love of God, would say often to ME as I was grumbling about something, usually the weather, “This is the day…” and insist I complete the verse …”the Lord has made AND I WILL rejoice in it.” So true…sometimes I need to be reminded. He is with God now. The day before he unexpectedly passed, he bought a plague with that scripture on it for me. I can still his voice remind me. Thank you for your experience.
It’s the little things in reflection that stick with you.
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Oh, what a beautiful story! 🕊💕
I loved that woman. When I went to her funeral i was tears all around, but we all knew where she was. She had the Footprints in the Sand Poem in her hand.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
— Matthew 16:24-26
I’ve never considered the double yoke. What a great way to look at it because He is always caring so much for me.
I can look back on times in my life where he has protected, guided and carried me. I can’t deny those times and they’re the basis for my faith.
I’m blessed. Greatly blessed. He is good.
Blessings to all.
The yoke we’re all facing today is to call a male a man and a female a woman. Christ admonished us to let our yes mean yes and our no mean no … anything other than that is from The Evil One. I suggest Christ is calling us to be truthful and not to deceive. There’s nothing more TRUTHful than male and female XX and XY.
But the yoke we carry is that of every Christian who refuses to kneel before “the narrative”. Christians who refuse to agree with absurd statements such as … Love is Love. Sorry … not all definitions of things are equal. It’s a heavy yoke to speak Truth to Narrative construct.
We know the persecution is coming. The worst is that it will be on those who weren’t born when those of us “oldies” let our precious freedoms slip away because life was good & we didn’t listen to our prophets.
Sometimes Father God will flash an image in my mind as a way of communication. This posting reminded me of one that He gave me.
I have been in a drawn out trial and towards the beginning of this season He gave me the image of Him carrying me on His back – piggy back style – as we walked along.
It brought me comfort to be reminded that He is carrying me through this, but more deeply, the image conveyed to me that I wasn’t a burden.
It was no effort to Him, at all, to carry me.
The image broke me because I am afraid of being a burden to others.
“his strength pulling us on” is the reminder I needed today.
God Bless.
Your post makes me think of a song you might like, bara.ex.nihilo —
“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by the Hollies:
For those discussing the Holy Spirit down thread…
About 10+ years ago, I was in the Adoration Chapel at my church…it was over Thanksgiving…I volunteered for the 0200 hour since I had no plans and others were busy preparing for the holiday…or recovering…I forget if it was early Thursday or early Friday morning…
Cloudless sky outside, about 30 degrees, no wind. No Canadian geese anywhere…a silent quiet morning.
I was drowsy, attempting to stay awake….I was half way to a slight snooze….when a wind noise with in the chapel, brought me back to full alertness. When fully alert, I heard it…a gentle wind whooshing thru the chapel. Yet nothing moved. The wind sound lasted far longer than one generated by ‘weather’. Nor was it my imagination.
That was a very humbling experience. Prayerfully humbling.
Praise be to God!
Say what you want about Tucker Carlson … but he has fearlessly taken up the yoke of sharing the stark divide between Good and Evil, Right, and Wrong, God and Man on his show … on repeated occasions. Last night’s show was particularly good, as Tucker explained the difference between Christians and the Godless self appointed “gods” of their own lives.
https://www.youtube.com/live/2kV5KiBGgrI?feature=share&t=640
Bravo Tucker! I’ve never heard anything remotely so clear, truthful … and risky … by ANY News or Editorial Commentator anywhere at any time. You think the Satanic forces were coming after him for not joining forces with Ukraine … or showing J6 footage? Just wait till the LGBTQqueers come after him for citing Godless people as evil personified.
Kenji – Link doesn’t work – says video is “private”
Sinner saved by grace here. One of my favorite verses. Very comforting. Judeo-Christian foundations & institutions are being attacked by demonic forces. God often uses one man to bring about His will. Those that come to mind are Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and even Paul. My prayer is for a righteous man to be raised, even a warrior if you wheel that will turn things around for the great country of ours and the world for that matter. Our job is repentance, turn from the chains that bind us, in prayer and humility, then God will heal the land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
When he says “learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly of heart” This is showing us how to be and to become in order to walk with Him and to learn of His ways. Our psychological positioning for growth and transformation.
We in turn treat others the way the Lord has shown us.
As Holy Week and Easter approach, allow me to offer this great cantata by French composer Theodore Dubois: The Seven Last Statements of Christ, unfortunately better known by the mistranslation (Les Sept Paroles du Christ) “The Seven Last Words of Christ.”
The Latin text and various translations are available here:
https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Les_Sept_Paroles_du_Christ_(Th%C3%A9odore_Dubois)#Introduction:_O_vos_omnes
Beautiful!
divinewilluk.com/urrender-novena
O Jesus, I surrender myself toYou, take care of everything.
Thank you, Menagerie, for this beautiful posting and thank all of you who give such thought-provoking comments!
Link is wrong. /surrender
We are going to be judged by Our Lord Jesus, the Just Judge, by how much we have LOVED in this life.
I don’t know this person but I saw she needed help so I contributed a little
https://www.gofundme.com/f/6sevns-car-broke-down
apologies if this is not permitted.
she’s living in her car and apparently lost possession of her dogs, which is heartbreaking
profound thanks to the person who donated to achieve her goal amount
God is Love. (1 J. 4:8)
IS. 53:
3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
Alone Yet Not Alone:
If you watch this vid closely, you can see when Joni’s loving husband is pressing on her diaphragm so that she can exhale and sing certain notes. Beautiful!
Beautiful; truly.
The opening prayer,
the lyrics, music … and oh, -such a lovely voice.
Yes..I love Joni…she is such a testimony of God’s Grace.
Amen! ❤️✝️❤️
I have been saying to my wife that things are really good right now . You know with the kids and all that stuff. I.m writing this from the hospital. I had a serious heart attack 2 days ago. They put a stent in and removed a blood clot. Little to no damage to the heart muscle. In 2w to 3 weeks they will crack my chest and remove the blockage from what is termed The Widow Maker ateries. I have an unusual artery layout that gives blood flow dominance to where they stented me. I can feel God with me and never feared dying even as the paramedics were working on me. I went out for a bit and when i was coming to I said I needed to make a phone call to my customer where I am just about finished remodeling their bathroom. It’s crazy I will be able to finish it next week. GOD IS GREAT. I,m still working on my surrender to Jesus Christ but it looks like I will get there. God is patient. Anyway I don’t post much here but cant think of anywhere else I could share.
Prayers of healing for you, nerveman. Truly God was and is with you!
So encouraged by this testimony.
Praying for your good health and healing!
Glad you’re bouncing back. You inspire. Hang “tuff”.
🙌✝️🙌
No time like the present. Bookmarked this from something that used to be posted frequently in the open thread:
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/11/22/monday-november-22nd-open-thread/
Thinking of “today”, thinking of “now”:
2 Cor. 6:2 (cf. Isaiah 49:8)
“For He says: “In the acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Hebrews 3:15a (cf. Psalms 95:7-8)
“As it has been said: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts…”
Revelation 22:17 (cf. Isaiah 55:1)
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.”
—
Thinking of why:
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 5:24
“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.”
—
Thinking of how:
Luke 18:13
“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”
James 4:8a
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
John 6:28-29
“Therefore they said to Him, “What must we do, that we may be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you should believe in Him whom He has sent.””
Mark 9:24b
“‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.’”
Acts 16:30-31
“Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.””
Massive thanks Menagerie!
In these crazy times of open and apparent spiritual warfare, I would like to offer the prayer for the intercession of the powerful St. Michael:
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Love Father Mike’s Homilies. They are the best!!!💚
Oh God come to my assistance, Oh Lord make haste to help me.
Psalm 70
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O LORD! Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life; let them be turned back and confused who desire my hurt.
Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say, “Aha, aha!” Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!”
But I am poor and needy; make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.
I need Jesus. My husband died in sept and grieving is to much for me to bear. I pray for strength. I want to live as Christ so when my time comes i can be with my heart again. 36 yrs together and im only 57. Please. Lord be with me. I truly need You !!
May God be with you all ….
Prayers for comfort.
2 Cor. 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all comfort, the One comforting us in all our tribulation, for us to be able to comfort those in every tribulation through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God, because as the sufferings of the Christ abound toward us, so through Christ our comfort also abounds.”
Isaiah 41:10
“Be not afraid, for with thee I am, Look not around, for I am thy God, I have strengthened thee, Yea, I have helped thee, yea, I upheld thee, With the right hand of My righteousness.”
Psalm 94:17-19
“Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.“
Lamentations 3:22-25
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
Psalm 46:1b-3
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth/land/ground be removed/changed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and foam/be troubled, though the mountains shake with their swelling. Selah.
Psalm 28:6-9
“Blessed be the LORD, for He has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song. The LORD is the strength of His people, a stronghold of salvation for His anointed. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them and carry them forever.”
Psalm 34:17-19
“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”
My prayers are with you. I am so sorry for your loss.
A few minutes ago I was wondering how the Treepers were doing. With all the commotion in the world right now it seemed like a good place to go for something uplifting for a change. A couple of weeks ago we were having the discussion about yokes and the reason life is so much better with a little help. In my instance, a lot of help.
The little woman and I celebrated our 50th Anniversary together yesterday. And how we have done it I wouldn’t recommend. But our struggles seem to be lessened – even great lessons – because of our faith in our Savior.
I’ve read the comments below as I do almost daily. There’s no place I would rather be right now than right here, with my bride, while we await the coming of our Bridegroom to take His place at the table He has set for us.
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Help Thou my unbelief.
I got to spend time with my mom (she’s in hospice) and we had a wonderful talk. She’s got days left, but we had quality time.
Gold isn’t this precious.
If anyone is interested in some moral support for fasting, let me know. I had been fasting the first Sunday of the month for some years on my own. Just started up again and am experiencing how good it feels physically to get off the junk and reset for another month. Perhaps we could start a Signal chat or something.
Happy Palm Sunday to all:
“What is the significance of the triumphal entry?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/QOTW.htm
“And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.”
2 Samuel 21:10
If the love of a woman to her slain sons could make her prolong her mournful vigil for so long a period, shall we weary of considering the sufferings of our blessed Lord? She drove away the birds of prey, and shall not we chase from our meditations those worldly and sinful thoughts which defile both our minds and the sacred themes upon which we are occupied? Away, ye birds of evil wing! Leave ye the sacrifice alone!
She bore the heats of summer, the night dews and the rains, unsheltered and alone. Sleep was chased from her weeping eyes: her heart was too full for slumber. Behold how she loved her children! Shall Rizpah thus endure, and shall we start at the first little inconvenience or trial? Are we such cowards that we cannot bear to suffer with our Lord? She chased away even the wild beasts, with courage unusual in her sex, and will not we be ready to encounter every foe for Jesus’ sake? These her children were slain by other hands than hers, and yet she wept and watched: what ought we to do who have by our sins crucified our Lord?
Our obligations are boundless, our love should be fervent and our repentance thorough. To watch with Jesus should be our business, to protect his honour our occupation, to abide by his cross our solace. Those ghastly corpses might well have affrighted Rizpah, especially by night, but in our Lord, at whose cross-foot we are sitting, there is nothing revolting, but everything attractive. Never was living beauty so enchanting as a dying Saviour. Jesus, we will watch with thee yet awhile, and do thou graciously unveil thyself to us; then shall we not sit beneath sackcloth, but in a royal pavilion.
~Charles Spurgeon