1.03.08. Book 3: 8. The Two Crowns
8 THE TWO CROWNS
WE have come to the last thought. God’s true missionary is an anointed Priest. He is crowned. "For the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him." He does not want to win the crown of earthly glory, or of worldly popularity, or of literary fame. The crown of his God is enough for him. He may not leave the Presence-chamber. He does not want to leave it. "Am I not enough for thee, Mine own?" He has heard the voice and answered, "Thou for ever and alone art enough for me." And the end of it all? Does not our heart burn as we look "beyond unto the reward"? "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing; are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye-these whom we love better than life, very soul of our soul-ye are our glory and joy." Even as one writes the words, borne along by the great wave of the glorious gladness of them, a thought comes about the two crowns: the crown of the anointing, the crown of the rejoicing-they are made, as it were, of the same piece of gold. For if we, even we, less than the least though we be, do by this grace receive the anointing of our God, and if constrained by that solemn anointing, we stay with Him, and do "not go out," then by His wonderful, infinite love we shall be crowned with that other crown, the crown of converts won for Him, when we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, to go out no more for ever.
Crowned with crowns to lay at His feet, who was crowned with thorns for us-is not the joy of the thought of it enough to set us singing as God’s birds sing, for very bliss of being? Think of the joy that is set before us-joy after joy in endless perspective-joy after joy.
.Here, then, is the way through the fog, straight and clear and all lit up:- Christ the Son of God hath sent me Through the midnight lands;
Mine the mighty ordination Of the pierced Hands.
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We stop and read what we have written, and we feel, more than even its critics can, how very inadequate it is, how crudely expressed, how unconvincing where we most want to convince. We can only let it go, trusting to our Lord to use it, if it speaks His truth; trusting it may steady some waverer somewhere to stand, or win someone who has been drifting downstream to fight up against the current again. Or-God grant it-help ever so little to save even one from shipwreck on the rock of compromise.
Comrades, let us be resolute. Let us, by whatever name we are called, be Soldiers, Nazarites, Priests. Some will praise us, some will blame us; let us not care too much about either praise or blame. Let us live looking up, looking on-true by His grace, who has called us. Shall we go away somewhere alone with our Lord, and ask Him about it? We may be perplexed. He will explain. Things may be badly put. He will put them perfectly. We may be distressed about what will happen if we act upon the thoughts that are growing strong within us. He will make that all right if only we follow and obey. Have we not proved this true before? Shall we not prove it true again?
Some years ago a young girl, while absent from her mission-station, waited upon God for guidance about this matter. She settled it on the less usual side, and wrote at once to explain her position to her senior missionary. She dreaded returning to her station, and prayed much for courage and humility to take her stand and hold to it bravely and yet in the evident meekness of Jesus. But upon her return she found that God had been working for her, and she wrote joyfully- Better hath He been for years Than my fears.
But, however it may be, surely there is nothing to fear. It is inconceivable that our Master would leave us to stand alone when we are standing for Him.
How could He, for He hath said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"? And the word "forsake" conveys the idea of "leaving comrades exposed to peril in the conflict, or forsaking them some crisis of danger." He could never do that. Even if He had not told us so, we should have known it. It would not be like our Lord. Do not let us fear to follow the inward leading of Jesus. "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me, and where I am there shall also My servant be."