(On Luke 15:5; 10:39 and John 13:23.)

On His shoulders ; at His feet; on His breast.

All who are the Lord's know something of the blessedness of our Saviour's love. We were straying far away, but the Faithful Shepherd sought us till He found us, and placed us on His shoulders rejoicing. It is not the joy of the sheep however, that is mentioned in Luke 15, but of the Shepherd's, for how much greater is His joy than that of the rescued sheep ! He was reproached by the self-righteous, saying, "This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them" (ver. 2), and He answers them by telling them how great was His joy in the recovery of a "lost" sheep!-"He layeth it on His shoulders rejoicing" and bids His friends to rejoice with Him. He who puts the recovered sheep on His shoulders is the One of whom it was written of old, "The government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6). How safe is His poor sheep upon such shoulders!

And when we have learned a little of our Shepherd's love and care, it creates a desire to stay by Him. We learn then to "sit at His feet"-there to learn His mind, His heart and desires. Thus Mary learned what to do; learned of the coming day of trial and sorrow to her precious Lord, and before and in view of His burial poured upon Him the most precious ointment she had "kept"- "Against the day of my burying hath she kept this;" "She is come afore hand to anoint my body to the burying" (Jno. 12:7; Mk, 14:8).She had no need to purchase spices after her Lord was crucified, she had learned while sitting at His feet to do it before His death. And the Lord's acceptance of this precious work of faith is told out thus:"Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" (Mk. 14:9).

After learning the blessedness of sitting at His feet, we seek to be near Him, like the apostle in John 13:23-where we may lean upon His breast. There, John could ask, " Lord who is it ? "-asked to know a secret unknown to others not so near to the Lord. How often it is this lack of nearness to the Lord that hinders our understanding of this or that portion of Scripture ! And must this intimacy, this nearness to the Lord, be denied us because He has gone up to His Father? Listen:"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep my words:and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). Spiritually nearer to us now He may be, therefore, than He was to them then. And, blessed be His name, His desire, expressed to the Father in our hearing, is ere long to be accomplished:"Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which Thou hast given me :for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24).

"Lamb of God ! Thy faithful promise,
Says, 'Behold, I quickly come;'
And our hearts, to Thine responsive,
Cry, ' Come, Lord, and take us home.'

Oh the rapture that awaits us
When we meet Thee in the air,
And with Thee ascend in triumph

All Thy deepest joys to share!"

M. A.