BODILY WEAKNESS AND THE SYMPATHY OF CHRIST

^[p. 190] BODILY WEAKNESS AND THE SYMPATHY OF CHRIST

As a rule the weaker a person is in himself the more he is occupied with himself; his weakness seems to claim it, but this is only a proof of his weakness. Strength is seen in the possessor of it by the way he governs himself naturally - does what he likes with himself. In weakness, a man naturally yields to himself in everything. Saints with weak bodies claiming attention, and receiving it, are in danger of being over-occupied with their infirmity. I do not say that you are, but I am musing as to the course of treatment which would tend to preserve you from being so; and which would, besides, make the weakness of the vessel an opportunity of setting forth the excellency of the treasure in it. It is a very interesting question how a saint who suffers from bodily weakness can turn it to good account, and escape self-occupation. The weakness is there, and felt to be there, and it is intended that it should be felt; but it is to be turned to good account. The moment the weakness is felt as trial because it hinders my progress, the door has been open for turning it to account. If I am looking at it as an excuse for stagnation, I am under it; but when I feel that it hinders me, and that I have a strength and purpose in me, which is checked and limited by my bodily weakness, then I am ready for the sympathy of Christ, and I get it. Now, when I get His sympathy I find and learn two things; one, that the all-powerful One understands my weakness, in a true sense weeps with me, has full consideration for me, puts Himself on a level with me; but in such a way that it is not my weakness that is now before me, but what He is who has come alongside of me. And now I find another thing; I am occupied with the Mighty One who has thus come beside me in my weakness and I am diverted from my weakness to consider and note Him. I become like the little blade ^[p. 191] just emerging from the earth, coming from the darkness of the death-chamber into the new and wide sphere of this horizon. The weakness is lost sight of, as the little bird loses sight of the narrow limits of the shell, when its eyes first rest on the careful mother which has nursed it into maturity, and she now becomes the object of attraction as well as the source of comfort. Weakness draws out the Lord’s sympathy and He meets one in it so effectually, that one is no longer occupied with the thing that He comes to sympathise about, but with Himself - an object as new, and as wide, and as beautiful as this upper sphere is to the young blade, or as the parent bird is to the little one just emancipated. Generally in bodily weakness, or in other weaknesses, we like the sympathy of our fellows and they harp on the one strain, actually augmenting the weakness and hindering progress. But when we know the Lord’s sympathy there is a sensible relief, not from the weakness, but because of the new kind of occupation which has arisen out of, or through the weakness, even occupation with Himself. And then His interests become your interests; the blade becomes first an ear, then the full corn in the ear. Although unable to go about, your heart is with His people, and so in company with His servants in their work that you are really above your infirmity. You are borne alone in the Spirit’s current, although you are in a weak helpless body, not able to endure one day’s fatigue.