Ezekiel 15:8

REFLECTIONS

PRECIOUS Lord Jesus! who can read this chapter, and call to mind Thy wonderful condescension in calling Thyself the vine, without connecting with it Thy people's everlasting safety in Thee. Thou, dearest Lord, wert the true vine of the Lord's right hand planting. Thou wert the branch of growth. And though, from the unequalled humbleness of Thy person, Thou didst appear nothing more than as a root out of a dry ground, as unpromising as the stalk of the vine, yet Thy branches have run over the wall. And though the archers sorely grieved Thee, and shot at Thee, yet Thy bow abode in strength, and the arms of Thine hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.

Thy Jerusalem, Thy holy city, O Lord, hath found redemption from being united to Thee. As branches in Thee Thy people flourish and bring forth fruit. Without Thee they are nothing. Oh! for grace to live wholly in Thee and upon Thee, and forever to be tasting of the precious fruit of Thy soul-strengthening grapes; yea, Lord, to drink of the fruit of the vine which Thou didst yield for Thy people, when trodden in the wine-press of the wrath of Almighty God. Lord Jesus! I would take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. I would sit under Thy shadow with great delight, for Thy fruit is sweet to my taste.