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Dyed in the purple stream of His own
heart's blood!
(Octavius Winslow "Watching for the Morning")
"Born of a woman, and made under the law,"
our Divine Lord, the moment His infant feet
pressed our earth, came under the curse,
began His work of obedience, and wove the
first thread of that seamless, stainless Robe
of Righteousness for the full and free justification
of His believing people; which, when completed,
He dyed in the purple stream of His own heart's
blood upon the cross. "He was a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief."
Beloved, you are, perhaps, now in a measure
assimilated to your suffering Lord. It is with
you a night of grief and solitude, of weeping
and watching.
God has smitten you.
The hand of the Almighty is upon you.
What is the cup your Father has given you to drink?
Have riches fled?
Has health faded?
Have friends changed?
Has death bereaved?
Are earthly hopes blighted?
Are worldly expectations disappointed?
Are human plans frustrated?
Is your path shaded?
Is your life lonely?
Are your actions misunderstood?
Are your motives misconstrued?
Is your work unrewarded?
Are your sensibilities wounded?
Is your spirit crushed?
Be it so. Jesus passed through all this
before you, and you are but treading the
lonely, tearful path He trod.
You are looking for...
some ray of hope,
some means of deliverance,
some source of supply,
some drop of comfort,
some avenue of escape
from a present and a crushing trial.
In the heat of the conflict with suffering and
trial, with temptations and tears, you exclaim,
"O that my Savior would appear!"
And so it will be! The Lord will not leave you
comfortless. It shall not be all night, all sorrow,
all tears. Joy will succeed your sorrow, laughter
your tears, and your long and dreary night will
dissolve into the splendor of perfect and endless day!
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