THE BOSOM AND BREAST OF JESUS
Norman J Henry
These two verses have been spoken about many times, they are well known to the brethren, but it struck me as sitting together and hearing what has come to us from the Lord, that there is an order here; the bosom is known first before the breast of Jesus. We say with holy reverence, they are both in the same area of that blessed body of the Lord; and I thought that some of our brethren need special support at the moment. It has been said in the ministry that support is greater than relief. We pray that our brethren are supported.
The Lord Jesus when proceeding with the mighty work of atonement could have called on twelve legions of angels (Matt 26: 53) to relieve Himself of what lay ahead, but in Luke 22: 43 one angel supported Him. How it sets before us the perfect Man in His obedience and dependence.
But it made me think that if we are in the Christian pathway at all, we all need support. As accepting the will of God the support is readily available. We do not need to go out of our home to feel the need of support; we need it all the time. The enemy has breached many believers' homes to nullify the sense of the need of divine support.
When we recognise God's standard of manhood in Christ we have no other to turn to but that blessed Man whose bosom and breast are available to us. I thought the bosom coming first shows the provision of the love of Christ. Before you get support for what is needed here the Lord gives you something of His love. I think John relished getting into the bosom of Christ.
The Lord Himself knew as coming into manhood what the bosom of the Father was. He came into the bosom of the Father.
Here John knew the place that we are all invited into. I believe we should just bask in the love of Christ. It is a portion offered to all, that all of us would experience it. And then comes the added touch, 'he leaned on His breast' and he got support and direction for what faced the disciples regarding the Lord. I think, beloved brethren, it is a moment just to come into the bosom of Jesus. Just prove it, that you get your own portion there and then you will get the support for whatever comes into our lives and what comes amongst God's people. Some are going through much in their bodies, in their families or in their occupations. Whatever it may be, the support will come from that same blessed Person that is presented to us in this passage of scripture.
These two things seemed to strike me. I trust they are in keeping with the truth and add to what has already been said. May it be so for His Name's sake.
Glasgow
20th October 2009