“In the shop of Nazareth
    Pungent cedar haunts the breath. 
    ’Tis a low Eastern room,
    Windowless, touched with gloom. 
    Workman’s bench and simple tools
    Line the walls.  Chests and stools,
    Yoke of ox, and shaft of plow,
    Finished by the Carpenter
    Lie about the pavement now.

    “In the room the Craftsman stands,
    Stands and reaches out His hands.

    “Let the shadows veil His face
    If you must, and dimly trace
    His workman’s tunic, girt with bands
    At His waist.  But His hands—­
    Let the light play on them;
    Marks of toil lay on them. 
    Paint with passion and with care
    Every old scar showing there
    Where a tool slipped and hurt;
    Show each callous; be alert
    For each deep line of toil. 
                Show the soil
    Of the pitch; and the strength
    Grip of helve gives at length.

    “When night comes, and I turn
    From my shop where I earn
    Daily bread, let me see
    Those hard hands; know that He
    Shared my lot, every bit: 
    Was a man, every whit.

    “Could I fear such a hand
    Stretched toward me?  Misunderstand
    Or mistrust?  Doubt that He
    Meets me full in sympathy?

    “Carpenter’ hard like Thine
    Is this hand—­this of mine;
    I reach out, gripping Thee,
    Son of Man, close to me,
    Close and fast, fearlessly."[6]

To-day up yonder on the throne there’s a Man—­kin to us, bone of our bone, heart of our heart, toil of our toil. He—­knows.  If you’ll listen very quietly, you’ll hear His voice reaching clear down to you saying, with a softness that thrills, “Steady—­steady—­I know it all.  I’m watching and feeling and helping.  Up yonder is the hill top and the glory sun and the wondrous air.  Steady a bit.  Stay up with Me on the glory side of your cloud, though your feet scratch the clay.”  Surely there’s more of God since Jesus went back!

The Divine Jesus

Jehovah—­Jesus.

Of all the men who knew Jesus intimately John stands first and highest.  He misunderstood for a time.  He failed to understand, as did the others.  He did not approach the keen insight into Jesus’ being and purpose that Mary of Bethany did.  But, then, she was a woman.  He was a man.  Other things being equal (though they almost never are), woman has keener insight into the spirit and motives than has man.  But John stood closer to Jesus than any other.  Jesus drew him closer.  And that speaks volumes for John’s fineness of spirit.  He alone of the inner twelve did not forsake in the hardest hour that Thursday night, but went in “with Jesus.”  How grateful must Jesus have been for the presence of His sympathetic friend that black night, with its long intense shadows!