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Have we not leaned upon a thousand things?
(J. C. Philpot, "The
Laborer's Rest" 1845)
"Who is this that comes up from the wilderness,
leaning upon her Beloved?" Song 8:5
Have we not leaned upon a thousand things?
And what have they proved? Broken reeds that
have run into our hands, and pierced us!
Our own strength and resolutions; the world and
the church; sinners and saints; friends and enemies;
have they not all proved, more or less, broken reeds?
The more we have leaned upon them, like a man
leaning upon a sword, the more have they pierced
our souls!
The Lord Himself has to wean us . . .
from leaning on the world,
from leaning on friends,
from leaning on enemies,
from leaning on self,
in order to bring us to lean upon Himself.
And every prop He will remove, sooner or later,
that we may lean wholly and solely upon Him.
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