large/10173/parablesofthecross_1511_librivox_64kb_mp3/parablesofthecross_1_trotter_64kb_175
large/10173/parablesofthecross_1511_librivox_64kb_mp3/parablesofthecross_1_trotter_64kb
English
10173
Or it may be on our inner life that the stripping falls, and we have to leave the sunny lands of spiritual enjoyment for one after another of temptation's battlefields, where every inch of our foothold has to be tested, where even, it may seem to give way  till no experience, no resting place remains to us in heaven or earth but God Himself  till we are "wrecked upon God." OR IT MAY BE ON OUR INNER LIFE THAT THE STRIPPING FALLS AND WE HAVE TO LEAVE THE SUNNY LANDS OF SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENT FOR ONE AFTER ANOTHER OF TEMPTATION'S BATTLEFIELDS WHERE EVERY INCH OF OUR FOOTHOLD HAS TO BE TESTED WHERE EVEN IT MAY SEEM TO GIVE WAY TILL NO EXPERIENCE NO RESTING PLACE REMAINS TO US IN HEAVEN OR EARTHTH BUT GOD HIMSELF TILL WE ARE WRECKED UPON GOD
tals, leaving the golden crown free to float away when God's time comes. Have we learned the buttercup's lesson yet? Are our hands off the very blossom of our life? Are all things--even the treasures that He has sanctified--held loosely, ready to be parted with, without a struggle, when He asks for them? It is not in the partial relaxing of grasp, with power to take back again, that this fresh victory of death is won: it is won when that very power of taking back is yielded; when our hands, like the little calyx hands of God's buttercups, are not only taken off, but folded behind our back in utter abandonment. Death means a loosened grasp--loosened beyond all power of grasping again. And it is no strange thing that happens to us, if God takes us at our word, and strips us for a while of all that made life beautiful. It may be outward things--bodily comfort, leisure, culture, reputation, friendships--that have to drift away as our hands refuse to clasp on anything but God's will for us. WER OF CLOSING AGAIN UPON THE PETALS LEAVING THE GOLDEN CROWN FREE TO FLOAT AWAY WHEN GOD'S TIME COMES HAVE WE LEARNED THE BUTTERCUP'S LESSON YET ARE OUR HANDS OFF THE VERY BLOSSOM OF OUR LIFE ARE ALL THINGS EVEN THE TREASURES THAT HE HAS SANCTIFIED HELD LOOSELY READY TO BE PARTED WITH WITHOUT A STRUGGLE WHEN HE ASKS FOR THEM IS IT NOT IN THE PARTIAL RELAXING OF GRASP WITH POWER TO TAKE BACK AGAIN THAT THIS FRESH VICTORY OF DEATH IS ONE IT IS ONE WHEN THAT VERY POWER OF TAKING BACK IS YIELDED WHEN OUR HANDS LIKE THE LITTLE CALYXANDS OF GOD'S BUTTERCUPS ARE NOT ONLY TAKEN OFF BUT FOLDED BEHIND OUR BACK IN UTTER ABANDONMENT DEATH MEANS A LOOSENED GRASP LOOSENED BEYOND ALL POWER OF GRASPING AGAIN AND IT IS NO STRANGE THING THAT HAPPENS TO US IF GOD TAKES US AT OUR WORD AND STRIPS US FOR A WHILE OF ALL THAT MADE LIFE BEAUTIFUL IT MAY BE OUTWARD THINGS BODILY COMFORT LEISURE CULTURE REPUTATION FRIENDSHIPS THAT HAVE TO DRIFT AWAY AS OUR HANDS REFUSE TO CLASP ON ANYTHING BUT GOD'S WILL FOR US
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