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Unutterable Loneliness, August 13
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with
me.
Isaiah 63:3
.
Through childhood, youth, and manhood, Jesus walked alone. In His purity
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and His faithfulness, He trod the winepress alone, and of the people there was
none with Him. He carried the awful weight of responsibility for the salvation
of men. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the principles and
purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul,
and none could appreciate the weight that rested upon Him.
Throughout His life His mother and His brothers did not comprehend His
mission. Even His disciples did not understand Him. He had dwelt in eternal
light, as one with God, but His life on earth must be spent in solitude. As one with
us, He must bear the burden of our guilt and woe. The Sinless One must feel the
shame of sin. The peace lover must dwell with strife, the truth must abide with
falsehood, purity with vileness. Every sin, every discord, every defiling lust that
transgression had brought, was torture to His spirit.
Alone He must tread the path; alone He must bear the burden. Upon Him who
had laid off His glory and accepted the weakness of humanity the redemption of
the world must rest. He saw and felt it all, but His purpose remained steadfast.
Upon His arm depended the salvation of the fallen race, and He reached out His
hand to grasp the hand of Omnipotent love.
The loneliness of Christ, separated from the heavenly courts, living the life of
humanity, was never understood or appreciated by the disciples as it should have
been... When Jesus was no longer with them, ... they began to see how they might
have shown Him attentions that would have brought gladness to His heart....
The same want is evident in our world today. But few appreciate all that
Christ is to them. If they did, the great love of Mary [
Matthew 26:6-13
] would be
expressed, the anointing would be freely bestowed.... Nothing would be thought
too costly to give for Christ, no self-denial or self-sacrifice too great to be endured
for His sake.
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