‘Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf’ (Hebrews 6:20)

Whatever Jesus did was for His people. He has gone into heaven as our FORERUNNER; as the PIONEER goes before the army to remove obstacles, to clear the road, and enable them to march mo forward – so Jesus has gone before us.

As an interested and kind FRIEND, He shows the practicability of the way; as a GUIDE, He marks out the road for us; as our EXAMPLE, He is gone before, and says to us, “Follow Me!”

We now have an ADVOCATE with the Father, a HUSBAND preparing our mansions, a SAVIOUR waiting to receive us. We have one in heaven to whom we can say, “Lord, you know from Your own experience what I feel in my present situation, for You were once tried in all points as I am”.

We have One in heaven who will welcome us home and who, when He sees us enter, will be glad in His heart. We know Him below, and we shall know, and enjoy and love Him forever above. He is gone into heaven for us, and we shall not know how indebted we are to His intercession and pleading, until we arrive there ourselves. O my soul, look to Jesus as your Forerunner, and follow in His footsteps!

Before His heavenly Father’s face,
For every saint He intercedes
For mercy and abounding grace
There Jesus, our Forerunner pleads.

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘Another trial, my son Charles is taken from me after a long and very painful affliction; but it is not all trial, for the Lord hath revived my soul, and blessed the preaching of his word. The congregation is very large, indeed the place is literally crammed on Lord’s Day evenings, a spirit for the conversion of souls is kept up within me, and I believe that the good, kind and gracious Lord does, and will work by me.’