April 9, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him." — Luke 23:27 · KJV

Amid the rabble that hounded the Redeemer to His doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish sought vent in wailing and lamentation — fitting music to accompany that march of woe. When my soul can, in imagination, see the Savior bearing His cross to Calvary, she joins the godly women and weeps with them; for indeed there is true cause for grief — cause lying deeper than those mourning women knew. They bewailed innocence mistreated, goodness persecuted, love bleeding, meekness about to die; but my heart has a deeper and more bitter cause to mourn. My sins were the scourges that lacerated those blessed shoulders and crowned those bleeding brows with thorns; my sins cried, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" and laid the cross on His gracious shoulders. His being led forth to die is sorrow enough for one eternity; but that I should have been His murderer is more, infinitely more grief than one poor fountain of tears can express. Why those women loved and wept, it is not hard to guess; but they could not have had greater reasons for love and grief than my heart has. Nain's widow saw her son restored — but I myself have been raised to newness of life. Peter's wife's mother was cured of the fever — but I of the greater plague of sin. Out of Magdalene seven demons were cast — but a whole legion out of me. Mary and Martha were favored with visits — but He dwells with me. His mother bore His body — but He is formed in me the hope of glory. In debt no less than the holy women, let me not be behind them in gratitude or sorrow. With love and grief dividing my heart, I would lave His feet with my tears, abiding constantly in Him, and weeping for Him who died to save.