Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-02-02

We see God in it all. If God is like
that we are satisfied. If the world is
governed by one who is like Jesus,
then, all is well. God is brought near
to us and made ineligible. The child
can understand Jesus. The language
Of love appeals to all.
Tine sight of this Man Christ Jesus ,
shows US what every man may be.
His fine, strong manhood is full of
inspiration and hope, it lifts our poor,
weak human nature un. AS man he
is a kin to us, he links US with God,
we may feel the same divine power
exalting our life. We never know the
possibility within man until we look
at the Man Christ Jesus, then we see
what our nature is, what God has
made us for. He was just as much
man as we are, His humanity was as
real as ours, he tOiled and struggled,
hungered, became weary aud slept as
we do, he had brain and heart like
ours, thought and felt, was tempted
and suffered. He passed through all
our human experiences. All that is
common to us was common to Him,
but He raised and glorified all these
common actions and experiences. He
subdued and conquered evil, he made
human nature master of it. he put
new strength into it, lifted it above
temptation, changed it until it shone
with supernatural glory.
That was our human nature, not
something different, exceptional We
lose the whole meaning and power of
Christ if his humanity was not like
our own, if he was an entirely unique
being, then he is not in touch with
US; if he belongs to some other plane of
being he is no example. Ii Christ is
to help us he must come into closest
contact with us. we must feel that he
is near to us, being one of US, power will
come to us, as We see that his moral
victories were won in, aud by a
humanity just like our own.
What he was and what he did is not
altogether beyond us, it is far off yet
attainable. BY the same divine help
| we can become ChTistlike.
1t is this that makes it worth while
to devote much time looking to this
| Man Christ Jesus.
The ordinary view of human nature
is anything but inspiring. There is
much in everyday life which gives us
dark and almost despairing view
of it. We see awful sin, selfshness,
| greed, impurity, brutality. All this
is dreadful to look at. We are
| ashamed Of this human nature, it
m tkes us shudder and iuclines us to
ask: Is it not foolish, empty dream,
to hope that good men and women
can ever be made out Of this poor.
weak, SHINING human nature? And
then we hear the voice Of this Man
Christ Jesus, he says, Do not despise
your nature, it was your nature which
ne took, the very same nature which
/ l.
it and you see what it has become
! THIS man is always saying to us: Do
not look down but look up. Do not
Keep your eyes fixed on the degradation
of man, see him struggling to rise,
] look at his success, at the higher
ascentS he has gained. Think Of
what he has become when the spirit
O God has taken possession OF him.
| Look then at this Man Christ Jesus,
] he was bone of your bone, flesh OF
/ your flesh. He shared your infirmities
he went through all your struggles,
! he climed the same steep ascent, he
!! thought with a mind like yours, ne
felt what you feel. He oyercame sip
in the way you may. This man has
made it possible Keep your eyes
fixed on him and you will never
despair.
| tho Of