April 11

"If Christ be not raised."—1 Col. xv. 17.

IF Jesus be not risen, the lessons of my mind will never be learned—the blessed lessons of heavenly truth and wisdom which He has commenced to teach me by His gospel and by His enlightening Spirit. My discipleship will fail to have its proper ending and its due reward. It will have awakened hopes which it does not fulfil.

If Jesus be not risen, the progress of my life will never be finished—the happy progress in love and purity which began when He renewed me first. The snow-white mountains of holiness, to whose gleaming summits I had steadfastly set my face, will not be scaled by my feet.

If Jesus be not risen, the work of my hands will never be completed—the free and joyful service I have been seeking in His strength to render Him. It will have no adequate harvest. It will reach no fitting goal. It will be broken off midway, and He and I and those for whom I labour will be cheated of its fruits.

If Jesus be not risen, the friendships of my heart will be shattered—friendships with those who trusted Him and who have gone from my side; friendship with Himself, my Dearest and my Best. In the grave these kith and kin of my soul will be buried, and the sceptical poet will be right—my love for them and theirs for me will have withered, "as the rose-red seaweed that mocks the rose."

If Jesus be not risen, the God of my trust will have played me false. But there let me stop. I cannot bear to go further with the cheerless supposition. And there is no need. For Jesus is risen, and all is well with me, His little one, now and through the everlasting years.

H