The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-09-30
rhe IIncoveted Honor.


ITO you It hath been granted; In the
behalf Of Christ, not only to believe on
Him, but also to suffer In His behalf.
Phil. 1923.
Paul, in writing to the church at
Philippi, gives utterance to this re-
markable sentiment. Mark the word
ing, ITO you it hath been granted
to suffer in His behalf" The
thought is that these ancient Asian
Christians have been unusually and
remarkably honored in being permit
ted to endure pain and suffering on
the behalf Of, or with, Christ. This,
for them, is new view of their suf-
fering. Suffering is commonly sup
posed to be AN evil to be avoided, II
possible. Here 1t is spoken of as II
it were perquisite which one would
covet
Yet this Is not a new idea to Paul,
but rather it is one he well under
Stood and which he would have the
Philippians, and all others faithful in
Christ, understand, both for their
comfort and for their strengthening
against the inevitable hour Of trial.
Note also the expression. "In the be-
half of Christ" We are here re.
minded of that kindred expression
used in his Epistle to the Romans,
"If we suffer, we shall also reign with
Him" Such expressions enhance to
us our conceptions of Che value Of the
honor of permitted suffering by adding
to them the thought that we are shar-
ing with Christ His own suffering
caused by the sin of the world. Have
you never thought what an unspeak.
ably precious opportunity Peter,
James and John squandered when
they slept in Gethsemane? They
might have been with Him in that
awful midnight hour and have shared
with Him His agony over the worlds
sin, mitigating it by their presence
and sympathy in His Unreasonable
loneliness of soul. Instead, they slept,
while He, unattended by any who had
been His friends "wrestled alone with
fears" in agony and blood. No man
being found worthy the honor, the
angels received it, and comforted Him
with their heavenly ministrations.
These meditations suggest two
things: First, how many of us have
learned to regard suffering as God
given honor? How many of us bear
ing about in our bodies the marks Of
the dying of the Lord Jesus, have
| learned to regard these marks as the
| insignia of the highest rank in the
Kingdom of Heaven? Brother, Paul
would say to you that that fostering
thorn in your flesh, or in your spirit,
which has caused you such exquisite
pain. and from which you have prayer
fully sought deliyerance, is a special
mark of divine favor to attest your
high standing at the Kings Court.
The second thing suggested is that
every hour of suffering for Christs
sake is a Gethsemane hour, for Geth-
semane stands for an age-long expe-
rience. We are accustomed to com
fort ourselves by saying that in our
suffering Christ suffers with us. This
is true; but there is another form for
this thought which is even yet more
true, and also incalculably more nelp
full. That other form is this: When
we suffer we are suffering with Him
When we learn to think of our pain as
our suffering with Him. rather than
His suffering with US. we more near
ly realize what Gethsemane meant
and the sense of the honor conferred
by permitting us to enter into that
hallowed place is more keen, and con
sequently more for our profit and ouI
comfort.
Then, after it ALL coming back tc
Paul, with new meaning we are en-
abled to repeat with him his wonder
full words, q reckon that the suffer
ings Of this present life are moi
worthy to be compared with the glory
that shall be revealed in us!"-Rev
Newman H. Burdick.