Adoration: The Cross and the Throne
The Cross and the Throne
O Thou infinitely glorious Jehovah, to praise Thee is our delight. We never feel so blessed as when we are either at the foot of the Cross, or at the foot of the Throne, and we bless Thee that we know both places. We know not where of the two we can best adore. O Thou blessed One, that ever Thou should come from heaven to earth to bleed and die! What can our hearts say? What can our souls render? Our eyes are better than our lips in this adoration, for we can weep to the praise of the mercy which we see in the bleeding Son of God; but still at the foot of the Throne we would worship Him that liveth for ever. All glory be to our Creator, Preserver, Redeemer, Comforter. It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. We would worship and bow down; we would kneel before the Lord our Maker, in the reverence of our hearts. All honour and glory and power and dominion be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!
We would adore the Most High as we take a retrospect of all His dealings with us. Thou hast dealt well with Thy servants, according to Thy word. We have often provoked Thee, but Thou hast as often forgiven us; we have started aside like a deceitful bow, but Thou hast been faithful to Thine every word of promise. We have been feeble and weak, and are not worthy of Thy regard, but Thou hast shown Thyself strong on the behalf of them that serve Thee. The right hand of the Lord is exalted, the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. In our life and in our experience we have seen what great things the Lord doth for them that put their trust in Him, and we can say, "Happy is the man that hath the God of Jacob for His confidence." O Hope of Israel, Thou dost not deceive. Thou givest us no eggs that will not hatch, no mockery of blessing; but he whom Thou blessest is blessed. None can reverse the benediction. We bless Thee, O God, for our election or ever the earth was, for our calling by Thine effectual grace. We bless Thee for our pardon bought with blood. We bless Thee for the power of grace which has kept us until now. Who could hold us up but Thou? And as we set up our Ebenezer to-day, it is with songs of gratitude unto the Lord whose mercy endureth for ever. Amen.