Help, O help us, thou blessed Redeemer, who didst speak these words to thy affrighted disciples, to gather some sweet consolation from them to our hearts; Thou didst pray for all who should believe on thee. John, 17:20; O speak in life and power these words to our troubled hearts, and forbid the rising thoughts of distress. Thine is the power; thine shall be the glory.
We here see that, though their dear Lord is present, his beloved disciples are troubled: yea, and though he had but that moment pronounced Peace unto you, yet fears again arose in their hearts: they were as we are, flesh as well as spirit: men of like passions with us. The dread, fear and trouble to which nature is subject reach the hearts even of disciples. But they do not alter our state, nor separate us from the love of Christ: this is a cordial under heart troubles, and the rising of all evil, blasphemous, or horrid thoughts.
Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities: he sympathizes with us in what is distressing: he asks, Why are ye troubled? Why do ye give way to unreasonable fears and terrors, which distract and distress your mind? He takes pains to remove them: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself;" no other than your dear and loving Saviour. O the condescending grace of Christ! He manifests himself to us. A sight of Christ by faith dispels trouble and fear from our hearts.
Whatever troubles, fears, or distress arise in our hearts, we are encouraged with all freedom of soul and boldness of hope, to go to him. Now, to the shame of our hearts and the sorrow of our souls, have not you and I acted contrary to this? Instead of simply going to Christ with our distresses, have we not questioned his love to us and care for us? Thus Satan gets an advantage over us; and the Saviour gets no glory from us. O, fools that we are, and slow of heart to believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose again for our justification, and that he is "able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25. Let faith then live, and fear be banished: away with all thoughts that trouble our hearts. Look from within: look up. Jesus is before the throne for us: "in the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul;" "though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me." Psalm 94:19, and 138:7.