Encouragement in Christ for His weeping people

"And they called the name of that place Bochim." -Judges 2:5 [KJV] 

Surely it was enough to induce such an effect, when the preaching of an angel informed the people, that the Lord, for their sins, would not drive out their enemies before them. The place might well be called Bochim, and they themselves might hear the name Bochim, weepers. But, my soul, thou hast lately been to a place which is yet more calculated to make it memorable, by weeping, when thou didst attend Jesus at the ordinance of His supper. For there Jesus Himself was, and is, the everlasting Preacher, Who sheweth thee His hands and His side, pierced and streaming with blood, for thy sins. Didst thou not hear Him speak to thee Himself, in His own words, "They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born?" Zechariah 12:10. Didst thou not weep in beholding such a sight, in hearing such words, and in meditating on such things?  

Alas! Lord, my heart is harder than the adamant. But if the eye wept not; say, was not my heart broken? Did I not desire to feel, to mourn, and, with the prophet, to cry out: "Oh! that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night," in the recollection of my Redeemer's sufferings, and my sins, the dreadful cause of them? Did Jesus die for me! Did the Son of God offer up His precious soul and offering for me? Was His body broken, and His blood shed for me? For me! a poor, wretched, polluted, hell-deserving sinner?  

Oh! for grace to make every place a Bochim [weeping] in the recollection; and especially at the table of Jesus, may my soul always find these ordinance-seasons heart-melting seasons. Here would I frequently attend, to have my soul thoroughly awakened, and my stony heart made flesh. Here would I go, to gather a holy hatred to my sins, which brought Jesus to the cross. Here would I be found waiting, that when any new temptation may arise, I may cry out, with a vehement indignation, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" How can I "crucify the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame?" Precious Lord Jesus! do Thou help me to keep the eye of my soul stedfastly fixed on Thee, and all the affections of my soul to be going out in desires after Thee; to be "always bearing about in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of the Lord Jesus may be made manifest in my body!" 

-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)   


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