Gems for the Week
December 25 - 26
". . . there came a woman (Mary of Bethany) having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box and poured it on His (Jesus) head. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." (Mark 14:3,9)
I admire much her (Mary of Bethany) isolated path, because her affection for Him carried her outside and apart from every one here, and, as far as I can see it, it is this connection she should be spoken of in the gospel. As the Lord says, "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole word, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." It is the memorial that our blessed Lord not only so loved a sinner, but could make a sinner love Him so much. (Footprints for Pilgrims)
N.J. Hiebert # 3198
"All my springs are in Thee." (Psalm 87:7)
It is the same for us; all the springs from which we drink are in Christ. He Himself is the spring of living water and can say: "If any one thirst, let him come to Me and drink." Our springs are the knowledge of Christ and fellowship with Him. This is what the world, the enemy of our souls, will ever seek to take away from us. The world knows only too well that a Christianity that does not drink at the fountain, that does not feed on Christ, will not sustain our life. The world's whole effort therefore consists in separating the Christian from Christ. It has a thousand means of occupying our hearts and our thoughts with anything but Him. Moreover, the world pretends to possess that which is exclusively the Christians. Let us not allow it to rob us of our springs, neither let us take the world's word that it possesses them. When we deal with the world, let us clearly prove to it the vanity of its pretensions. (R.L. Rossier - Meditations on 2 Chronicles)
N.J. Hiebert # 3199
