and not your garments!" Joel 2:1
Garment-rending and other
external signs of religious emotion,
are easily manifested, and
are frequently hypocritical.
True repentance is far more difficult,
and consequently far less common.
Unsaved men will attend to the most
multiplied and minute religious
ceremonies and regulations--
for such things are pleasing to their
flesh. But true godliness is too humbling,
too heart-searching, too spiritual
for the tastes of carnal men!
They prefer something more
ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly.
External religious rituals are
temporarily comfortable;
eye and ear are pleased;
self-conceit is fed, and
self-righteousness is puffed up.
But they are ultimately delusive,
for at the day of judgment, the soul
needs something more substantial
than religious ceremonies and
rituals to lean upon.
Apart from vital godliness--
all religion is utterly vain!
When offered without a sincere
heart, every form of religious worship
is a solemn sham and an impudent
mockery of the majesty of GOD!
Heart-rending is divinely wrought--
and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief
which is personally experienced,
not in mere form--
but as a deep, soul-moving
work of the HOLY SPIRIT upon
the inmost heart of each believer.
It is not a matter to be merely talked of--
but keenly and sensitively felt in every
living child of the living GOD.
It is powerfully humiliating and sin-purging!
But also, it is sweetly preparative
for those gracious consolations
which proud unhumbled souls
are unable to receive!
This heart-rending distinctly
belongs to the elect of GOD-
and to them alone.
The text commands us
to rend our hearts--
but they are naturally as
hard as marble!
How then, can this be done?
We must take them to Calvary!
A dying SAVIOR'S voice
rent the rocks once--
and it is just as powerful now.
O blessed SPIRIT, let us effectually
hear the death-cries of JESUS--
and our hearts shall be rent!
temporarily comfortable;
eye and ear are pleased;
self-conceit is fed, and
self-righteousness is puffed up.
But they are ultimately delusive,
for at the day of judgment, the soul
needs something more substantial
than religious ceremonies and
rituals to lean upon.
Apart from vital godliness--
all religion is utterly vain!
When offered without a sincere
heart, every form of religious worship
is a solemn sham and an impudent
mockery of the majesty of GOD!
Heart-rending is divinely wrought--
and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief
which is personally experienced,
not in mere form--
but as a deep, soul-moving
work of the HOLY SPIRIT upon
the inmost heart of each believer.
It is not a matter to be merely talked of--
but keenly and sensitively felt in every
living child of the living GOD.
It is powerfully humiliating and sin-purging!
But also, it is sweetly preparative
for those gracious consolations
which proud unhumbled souls
are unable to receive!
This heart-rending distinctly
belongs to the elect of GOD-
and to them alone.
The text commands us
to rend our hearts--
but they are naturally as
hard as marble!
How then, can this be done?
We must take them to Calvary!
A dying SAVIOR'S voice
rent the rocks once--
and it is just as powerful now.
O blessed SPIRIT, let us effectually
hear the death-cries of JESUS--
and our hearts shall be rent!
~ ~ ~ ~
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