With the eye of tenderest love!

It was my plan to post much sooner on my blog; however the Chemo treatments have kept me from doing so. I have spent much of my time in bed the last 5 days with bad headaches, vomiting, muscle pain and a host of other side effects. I hope and pray that these side effects will lighten up a little because I am just over the halfway mark and have another 11 days to go. Thank you for remembering us in your prayers.

I hope to write again soon if my body and brains allow it. For now I want to share a devotion I read yesterday, for me a great comfort and if you find yourself in difficult circumstances I hope you will also find comfort in it.

God be with you, John


(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)

"He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them." Mark 6:48
Jesus always sees our toils and distresses in this world. We do not see Him--and sometimes we think that He has forgotten us; but that is never true. He never forgets us, nor is He indifferent for a moment.

On the heights, while the battle was in progress, stood a group of men watching the struggling armies on the plain below. In this group was the American general Sheridan, who watched the mighty strife with the keen eye of a soldier. King William was also there; but his interest was different from Sheridan's. His son was in the thick of the fight--and he watched the battle with the eye of a father, as well as of a king.

Just so, Christ looks down upon our struggles in this world. He sees us straining and toiling; He beholds all our battles and strives. He sees us in the waves and in the storm. He sees us, not merely with the eye of the calm spectator--but with the eye of tenderest love!

This is a great thought! If we can only get it into our hearts--it will give us wondrous courage in the hour of toil, sorrow, or struggle. Jesus knows . . .
when the battle is hard,
when the night is dark,
when the temptation is more than we can bear.

The winds were against His disciples--even though Christ sent them out to sea. We learn here, that even when we are doing the things God which has bidden us do--we may encounter great opposition and difficulty. We may even be beaten back, and find the trial too great for our strength. Many of the Lord's disciples have to make their voyage over very stormy seas--on their way to glory. For some, duty is often very hard. Indeed, a true, noble, courageous, holy life--must always exist in the face of opposition and contrary winds.