Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 2.pdf/256

 advances made in scientific and rational truth; and there is a consequent want of wine. Still, if the affection for truth—the mother of Jesus, be within, that affection will plead for us. "When they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said, They have no wine." How many of us are in this state! Our natural inclinations and desires are still in the ascendant; we have come to the marriage feast, rather as masters than as guests; and without attempting to subdue our natural desires, the truth in our understandings does not seem to have called forth an inward and affectionate love of it, and we find that the love of evil in our wills is too strong for the love of truth in our understandings. There is no hope for us but in the Lord; and it almost seems as if there were no hope for us from him, for He answers the words of His mother in language of apparent severity, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." But there is really no severity. Man forgets that, when his requests are made, his duty is to wait, to stand still and see the salvation of God. The impatience and eagerness of the natural mind is so often at variance with the laws of divine providence and order, that restraint is necessary to teach him that the ways of the Lord are not as our ways. The affection for truth, however, does not see either abruptness or severity in the Lord's words, for the mother says to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." So should it be with us. What are the mental servants on whose obedience we can rely? Whatever they are, they must be instructed and directed by Him who is the truth itself, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us, then, elevate Him to the highest place in our affections and thoughts.