Take the cross with joy, walk the narrow way

The simple, hearty joy of this song is refreshing. Sometimes the Lord seems to bid me pull myself together and walk forward, rejoicing. Brethren, the Cross is a hill of frankincense! It is thank to God if, as our Lord did while on earth, we push forward FOR THE JOY that is set before us. It is alright to despise the shame.

Liquid myrrh is always extracted through an incision in a tree; consequently, it is the purest myrrh. (Cora Harris MacIlravy, 1916, Christ and His Bride, p. 324. ) It seems to me that wood is often significant of man throughout the Bible. Jesus was a carpenter. In Mark 8, he allows a blind man to see men first as trees, and then as they are. This concept of incision in our hearts, then, has a kind of holy rightness about it. It is only natural that myrrh and other fragrant spices for our Beloved should flow through affliction. It is meet that we should suffer with Him if we would also reign with Him.