Preaching from the Past - Robert Murray McCheyne (Mark 9 verse 5)

Preaching from the Past
Robert Murray McCheyne

(Mark chapter 9 verse 5)

My friend, you are no believer if Jesus hath never manifested Himself to your soul in your secret devotions in the house of prayer, or in the breaking of bread in so sweet and overpowering a manner that you have cried out: "Lord it is good for us to be here". But though it be good and very pleasant, like sunlight to the eyes, yet the Lord sees that it is not wisest and best always to be there.

Peter must come down again from the mount of glory, and fight the good fight of faith admid the shame and contumely of a cold and scornful world; and so must every child of God. We are not yet in heaven, the place of open vision and unbroken enjoyment. This is earth, the place of faith and patience, and heavenward-pointing hope. One great reason why close and intimate enjoyments of the Saviour may not be constantly realised in the believer's breast is to give room for hope. Even the most enlightened believers are walking here in a darksome night – or twilight at most – and the visits of Jesus to the soul do but serve to make the surrounding darkness more visible.

But the night is far spent, the day is at hand. The day of eternity is breaking in the east. The Sun of Righteousness is hasting to rise upon our world, and the shadows are preparing to flee away. Till then the heart of every true believer that knows the preciousness of a close communion with the Saviour breathes the earnest prayer that Jesus would often come again, thus sweetly and suddenly to lighten him in his dark pilgrimage.

Ah! Yes, my friends, let every one who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity join in the blessed prayer of the Bride: "Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether".

Robert Murray McCheyne

This Page Title – Preaching from the Past — Robert Murray McCheyne (Mark 9 verse 5)
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