the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Likewise there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:5-10. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. John 3:29.
St. John saw the sheep come to the Shepherd, the bride to the Bridegroom. Could he then, as the faithful friend of the Bridegroom, do otherwise than rejoice? Disciples gathered around Jesus. His forerunner and herald to the wedding feast rejoiced therein. When they who were invited, even the maimed, the halt and the blind, hasten from the highways and hedges to the feast; when they come so that the house of the Lord is filled, the true servants rejoice, and they are only sorry for those who remain behind and excuse themselves with their oxen, their wives and their fields. Ought not a teacher to rejoice when his hearers ask for Jesus and endeavor to find Him? The angels rejoice, therein. What does it concern them? They love Christ and therefore they cannot be cold and indifferent when He gets His reward, the reward for all the griefs by which He has sought His lost possession. You ask. What does it concern them? You yourself do not rejoice. Oh, let it concern you and be a matter of importance to you, that the Shepherd finds His sheep. Let your voice sound to all the ends and corners of the world, that the bride may hear the voice of the Bridegroom and hasten to Him! All the world, all human souls, are His bride. Many are still a runaway, vagrant and unfaithful bride! Nevertheless Jesus wants them all. We are to call them to Him. Oh, do not fall asleep before the Bridegroom has recovered possession of all that is His, that Satan may not retain as his prey that which belongs to your Bridegroom.
Shall we, whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high
Shall we, to men benighted
The lamp of life deny?
Salvation, oh, salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth’s remotest nation
Has learned Messiah’s name.
