Morning  “He was numbered with the transgressors.” / Isaiah 53:12

Why did Jesus suffer himself to be enrolled amongst sinners? This wonderful  condescension was justified by many powerful reasons. In such a character he  could the better become their advocate. In some trials there is an  identification of the counsellor with the client, nor can they be looked upon  in the eye of the law as apart from one another. Now, when the sinner is  brought to the bar, Jesus appears there himself. He stands to answer the  accusation. He points to his side, his hands, his feet, and challenges Justice  to bring anything against the sinners whom he represents; he pleads his blood,  and pleads so triumphantly, being numbered with them and having a part with  them, that the Judge proclaims, “Let them go their way; deliver them from  going down into the pit, for he hath found a ransom.” Our Lord Jesus was  numbered with the transgressors in order that they might feel their hearts  drawn towards him. Who can be afraid of one who is written in the same list  with us? Surely we may come boldly to him, and confess our guilt. He who is  numbered with us cannot condemn us. Was he not put down in the transgressor’s  list that we might be written in the red roll of the saints? He was holy, and  written among the holy; we were guilty, and numbered among the guilty; he  transfers his name from yonder list to this black indictment, and our names  are taken from the indictment and written in the roll of acceptance, for there  is a complete transfer made between Jesus and his people. All our estate of  misery and sin Jesus has taken; and all that Jesus has comes to us. His  righteousness, his blood, and everything that he hath he gives us as our  dowry. Rejoice, believer, in your union to him who was numbered among the  transgressors; and prove that you are truly saved by being manifestly numbered  with those who are new creatures in him.

Evening  “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.” / Lamentations  3:40

The spouse who fondly loves her absent husband longs for his return; a long  protracted separation from her lord is a semi-death to her spirit: and so with  souls who love the Saviour much, they must see his face, they cannot bear that  he should be away upon the mountains of Bether, and no more hold communion  with them. A reproaching glance, an uplifted finger will be grievous to loving  children, who fear to offend their tender father, and are only happy in his  smile. Beloved, it was so once with you. A text of Scripture, a threatening, a  touch of the rod of affliction, and you went to your Father’s feet, crying,  “Show me wherefore thou contendest with me?” Is it so now? Are you content to  follow Jesus afar off? Can you contemplate suspended communion with Christ  without alarm? Can you bear to have your Beloved walking contrary to you,  because you walk contrary to him? Have your sins separated between you and  your God, and is your heart at rest? O let me affectionately warn you, for it  is a grievous thing when we can live contentedly without the present enjoyment  of the Saviour’s face. Let us labour to feel what an evil thing this  is–little love to our own dying Saviour, little joy in our precious Jesus,  little fellowship with the Beloved! Hold a true Lent in your souls, while you  sorrow over your hardness of heart. Do not stop at sorrow! Remember where you  first received salvation. Go at once to the cross. There, and there only, can  you get your spirit quickened. No matter how hard, how insensible, how dead we  may have become, let us go again in all the rags and poverty, and defilement  of our natural condition. Let us clasp that cross, let us look into those  languid eyes, let us bathe in that fountain filled with blood–this will bring  back to us our first love; this will restore the simplicity of our faith, and  the tenderness of our heart.