March 24.
"And with Him they crucify two thieves; the one on His right
hand, and the other on His left. And the scripture was fulfilled
which saith, And He was numbered with the transgressors."
Mark 15:27-28.
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
'Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, 'tis He! 'tis He!
'Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David's Son, yet David's Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
'Tis the true and faithful Word.
Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress;
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See who bears the awful load;
'Tis the Word, the Lord's Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.
"0 my crucified Redeemer, art Thou now looking at me from
the altar of Thy blood-stained cross and saying to me with Thy
dying breath and paling lips : "Thou hast made Me to serve with
thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities. I, even I,
am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins" ? Even so ! With trembling,
contrite, stricken heart I must confess: "I many times trans-
gressing, In number far surpassing The sand upon the coast,
I thus the cause have given, That Thou with grief art riven,
And with afflictions' scourging host." 0 Thou atoning, loving,
dying Lord and Savior, draw me now. to Thee, according to Thy
promise: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw
all men to Me." (John 12:32.)
PRAYER
Give me to embrace Thee and Thy all-sufficient sacrifice with arms of contrite and enduring faith. Nail me with Thee to Thy cross, that I may ever crucify my sinful flesh and the lusts thereof, and live alone unto Thee who thus didst love me. AMEN
