June 9

"Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee."—Luke 18:42.

THY faith hath made thee whole—why is that? Not assuredly because of any intrinsic virtue resident in my faith, but simply because it unites me in my bankruptcy with my strong Saviour and all-sufficient Lord.

For faith is the eye, which turns away from the scrutiny of self and sin to the examination of Christ's illimitable grace. And what a satisfying and transcendent sight that is! Yet the eye does not create it—it merely grasps a little of its surpassing splendours.

And faith is the ear, which refuses to be troubled longer by harassing questions and suspicious doubts, but listens in simplicity to what Jesus says. And what melody there is in His voice! Yet the ear does not evoke the chords and strains; it only drinks them in.

And faith is the hand, which leans on no lesser support than the Everlasting Arm of the King of kings, and so it does not tremble even when things look dark enough. What almighty strength is stored in Him! Yes—in Him; not by any means in the frail hand which is clinging to Him.

And faith is the foot, which flees to God—Father, Son, Spirit. It makes me at home in His fulness, His nearness, His friendliness. It takes me into what the mystic called "the Rose-garden of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ." But my foot itself has small credit for that inevitable flight to Paradise.

Surely I am not surprised that this is the armour which invests me with unassailable might, even my faith.

M