April 3

He Could Not be Hid

It was noised that He was in the house. — Mark 2:1

It never can be kept quiet long when Jesus gets into any house. He cannot be hid. The neighbours will soon find out that He is there. The people cannot keep the secret. They will let it out in a great many ways. They will show it in their faces. Those who have Christ in their home do not look like other people. There is a radiance or sunniness about them when they come out that tells of an unworldly source of joy. There is something about their speech, too, that lets out the secret; they cannot help talking about their Guest. So, in spite of themselves, the family in whose house Jesus is will disclose the secret.

Fragrant flowers cannot be concealed, and there is a fragrance about Jesus that always reveals His presence. Light cannot be hidden, and there is so much light in Him that it shines out at every window and through every chink and crevice of the house where He abides. Love itself is invisible, but wherever it dwells it produces such effects that its presence soon becomes known. It makes people gentle, kindly, thoughtful, unselfish, and fills them with new desires to do good, and to serve and bless others. And wherever Christ is, love is, in all its pervasive, transforming influence.

Some people like to gather beautiful things into their homes: paintings, sculptures, rare things from foreign lands, objects of interest and attractiveness. Some pride themselves on the elegance of their furniture and the fineness of the decorations in their houses. But in no other way can the Christian bring into his home so much beauty, so much joy and comfort, so much true peace, as by making Christ his abiding guest.

No matter how quietly Jesus enters, the neighbours will soon know it, and they will also get the benefit and blessing of it; for from a home where Christ abides there always goes forth a fragrant influence and a loving, helpful ministry.