April 3

When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father. - John 13:1.

THERE is something peculiar here. He knew the time of his departure, and had his eye upon it, and regulated his measures by it, from the beginning; but we know not the day of our death. We have our hour of departure appointed us. Infinite wisdom and goodness have placed us here, and we are not to undervalue a state in which, we enjoy so many comforts and are favoured with so many means of grace and blessed and dignified with opportunities of usefulness; but the voice cries, (and we are always to be in a state of readiness to listen to it,) “Arise ye and depart, for this is not your rest, because it is polluted.”

We are not to throw down our implements and run out of the field before the work of the day is done. But what will it then be but a departure out of this world, this vain world, this vexing world, this defiling, this tempting world,-this world which crucified the Lord of glory,-in which we walk by faith, and in which we so often exclaim, “Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar!” What will it be but a departure out of this world “unto the Father”? For those who are “the sons and daughters of the Lord almighty” are going to their Father too.

No disaster shall hinder the Christian from arriving at his Father’s house in peace. And that house is replenished with every attraction which can draw us forward. When the venerable Mede, whose gray hairs were a “crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness,” was asked how he was, resting upon his staff, he cheerfully answered, “Why, going home as fast as I can; as every honest man ought to do when his day’s work is done: and I bless God that I have a home to go to.” What is dying now but the coming of our hour to depart out of this world unto the Father?-

“There is my house and portion fair

My treasure and my heart is there,

And my abiding home;

For me my elder brethren stay,

And angels beckon me away,

And Jesus bids me come.”