Project Description

2014/05

Leaning on Christ

The soul in Christ is on the way heavenward. Desiring “a better country, that is, an heavenly” (Hebrews 11:16) and looking “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10), there is a disdain for the wilderness of this world. So just like the spouse in the Song, a ‘coming up’ from the wilderness is both desirable and discernible. There is no sitting still in it, or going further into it, as if it were home. Treading such a path indicates a pilgrim spirit. The company of saints “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38) confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. David was of similar mind when he said “I am a stranger in the earth” (Psalm 119:19). It is the undoubted duty and commendable practice of believers not to be conformed to this world, viewing the world’s offers as nothing but “vanity and vexation of spirit” (Ecclesiastes 2:11). Our heart’s cry is surely: “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity” (Psalm119:37).

But how shall we be separate from this wilderness-world, while on our way to the heavenly realm? A coming up from the wilderness implies an upward way, an ascending way, and progress being made in the ascent. We read of the spouse’s posture as she comes up from the wilderness – she is leaning. This Hebrew word is not used anywhere else in Scripture. It plainly suggests her weakness and her dependence upon another. Her spirit will flag and her strength will fail unless she receives continuous supplies. The one on whom she leans is her beloved.

This is a wonderful picture of the union, by faith, between a believing soul and Christ. He is the One whose love and loveliness has ravished the heart and drawn out the assent and consent of mind and heart to Him as the Bridegroom of the soul. He is our Beloved, the very one who is the Beloved of His Father. How intimate is this union! He is heir of all things and we are heirs of God through Him. His righteousness is ours to justify us, His grace is ours to sanctify us, His Spirit is ours to comfort us. His covenant is ours, for it was made with Him and with us through Him.

By faith in Him our souls are set on the way to Immanuel’s land and faith enables us to walk in it. Faith lives and leans on Christ. To lean on Him is to live by faith in Him. There isn’t one part of the pilgrimage where we dare adopt another posture. We come up from the wilderness leaning and we will leave the wilderness still leaning – leaning upon His glorious Person. He calls us to lean upon Him and counsels us to depend upon Him saying, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee” (Psalm 55:22); “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1Peter 5:7)’; “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him” (Psalm 62:8)

Rev Leslie Curran.