"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light." Matthew 11:29, 30
HOW shall we array, in their strongest light, before you, the motives which
urge the cultivation of this poverty of spirit? Is it not enough that this is the
spiritual state on which Jehovah looks with an eye of exclusive, holy, and
ineffable delight? "To this man I will look." Splendid gifts, brilliant
attainments, costly sacrifices, are nothing to me. "To this man will I look, that
is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles at my word." To this would
we add, if you value your safe, happy, and holy walk—if you prize the
manifestations of God’s presence—the "kisses of His mouth, whose love is
better than wine"—the teaching, guiding, and comforting influence of the
Holy Spirit, seek it. If you would be a "savor of Christ in every place"—if you
would pray with more fervor, unction, and power—if you would labor with
more zeal, devotedness, and success, seek it. By all that is dear, and precious,
and holy, by your own happiness, by the honor of Christ, by the glory of God,
by the hope of heaven, seek to be found among those who are "poor and of a
contrite spirit," who, with filial, holy love, tremble at God’s word, whom Jesus
has pronounced blessed here, and meet for glory hereafter. And though in
approaching the Great High Priest, you have no splendid and costly
intellectual offerings to present, yet with the royal penitent you can say, "You
desire not sacrifice, else would I give it: you delight not in burned offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O
God, you will not despise." "This, Lord, is all that I have to bring You."
Avoid a spurious humility. True humility consists not in denying the work of
the Holy Spirit in our hearts, in under-rating the grace of God in our souls, in
standing afar off from our heavenly Father, and in walking at a distance from
Christ, always doubting the efficacy of His blood, the freeness of His salvation,
the willingness of His heart, and the greatness of His power to save. Oh no!
this is not the humility that God delights to look at, but is a false, a counterfeit
humility, obnoxious in His sight. But to "draw near with a true heart, in full
assurance of faith," in lowly dependence upon His blood and righteousness; to
accept of salvation as the gift of His grace; to believe the promise because He
has spoken it; gratefully and humbly to acknowledge our calling, our
adoption, and our acceptance, and to live in the holy, transforming influence
of this exalted state, giving to a Triune God all the praise and glory; this is the
humility which is most pleasing to God, and is the true product of the Holy Spirit.
