Rutherford -- Perspective

In a world of unrelenting materialism and constant bombardment with "stuff," we desperately need a perspective check on a regular basis. Our culture says, "Get this. You need this. This will make you happy." Whether it's new cars, relationships, clothing or just our "rights," we are thoroughly innundated with calls for a this-world outlook and mindset. While exiled in Aberdeen in 1637, Rutherford wrote to Thomas Corbet of his love for Christ and how his intimacy with the Savior makes all this world's vanities be revealed for what they truly are: vanities.

"Build not your nest here. This world is a hard, ill-made bed; no rest is in it for your soul. Awake, awake and make haste to seek that Pearl, Christ, that this world seeth not. Your night and your Master Christ will be upon you within a clap; your hand-breadth of time will not bide you. Take Christ, howbeit a storm follow him. Howbeit this day be not yours and Christ's, the morrow will be yours and his. I would not exchange the joy of my bonds and imprisonment for Christ with all the joy of this dirty and foul-skinned world. I am filled with Christ's love."

Only when we see the world as Samuel Rutherford saw it--through the eyes of eternal joys--can we really find true delight in what is infinitely delightful, namely, Christ himself. Oh, that our eyes were opened to behold wonderful things in the Person of our great Savior! And oh, that all our spiritual senses were awakened to taste and see that he is good! Then would we never wish to be entangled again with such broken and leaking cisterns as this world has to offer.