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The weak, the sick, the burdened,
the little ones of His flock.
(from Winslow's, "The Burden Cast upon God")
How shall we, how can we, describe the
tenderness of Christ towards His burdened
ones, and the gentleness with which He leads
them? "He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries
them close to his heart; he gently leads those
that are with young (the burdened)." Isaiah 40:11
You are wearied.
Your deep afflictions are a burden.
Your sinful heart is a burden.
Your lack of faith, and love, and fruitfulness is a burden.
You are, as it were, "with young," passing
through much sore and painful travail of soul,
a burden to yourself, cast down and discouraged
by reason of the hardness of the way.
But oh, blessed solace! Jesus leads you, and
leads you gently. All others would drive you.
Man would drive you,
the world would drive you,
Satan would drive you,
your own impulsive heart and blind judgment would drive you,
and even the saints would drive you.
But Jesus leads you, and leads you tenderly,
skillfully, and safely. He is the loving, careful
Shepherd who does not overdrive His sheep;
especially the weak, the sick, the burdened,
the little ones of His flock.
Jesus knows your burden. The marvellous
language of God is "I know their sorrows."
He knows how your friend that loved you is
gone like a shadow; how your gourd that
sheltered you is smitten in a night; how the
voice that was the sweetest music to you
is hushed in the stillness of death; how the
strong and beautiful staff that supported you
is broken and lies a ruin in the dust.
Jesus knows all, and He is leading you through all.
He is leading you by these very same dark
providences; these events that seem so dark,
these dealings that seem so mysterious, painful,
and crushing.
As Jesus thus gently leads, so let us meekly,
confidingly follow, believing that....
His hand is powerful,
His heart is loving,
His eye is unslumbering, and
that He is leading us by the right
way home to be with Him forever!
"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers
the lambs in his arms and carries them close to
his heart; he gently leads those that are with
young (the burdened)." Isaiah 40:11
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