_, though in this
instance made so by another reason. It is the Bethany Chapter, the
Lazarus Chapter. The scene is just out of Bethany village. There is a
man lying dead in the cave yonder. Here stands Jesus. There are the
disciples, and Martha, and Mary, and the villagers, and a crowd from
Jerusalem. The Master is speaking. His voice rings out clear and
commanding--"Lazarus, come forth"--speaking to a dead man. And the
simple record runs, "He that _was_ dead"--life comes between those two
lines of the record--"came forth, bound hand and foot with
grave-clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin." Will you
please take a look at Lazarus as he steps from the tomb? Do you think
his eyes are dull, or his cheeks hollow and pale? I think not! When
Jesus, the Lord of life, gives life, either physical or spiritual, He
gives abundant life. That face may have been a bit spare. There had been
no food for at least four days and likely longer. But there is the
flash of health in his eye and the ruddy hue of good blood in his cheek.
He has life. But look closer. He is bound hand and foot and face. He can
neither walk nor work nor speak.

I have met some christian people who reminded me forcibly of that scene.
They are christians. The Master has spoken life, and they have responded
to His word. But they are so tied up with the grave-clothes of the old
life that there can be none of the power of free action in life or
service. May I ask you very kindly, but very plainly, are you like that?
Is that the reason you have so little power with God, and for God?
Perhaps some one would say, "Just what do you mean?" I mean this: that
there may be some personal habit of yours, or perhaps some society
custom which you practice, or it may be some business method, or
possibly an old friendship which you have carried over into the new life
from the old that is seriously hindering your christian life. It may be
something that goes into your mouth or comes out of it that prevents
those lips speaking for the Master. Perhaps it is some organization you
belong to. If there is lack of freedom and power for Christ you may be
sure there is _something_ that is blighting your life and dwarfing your
usefulness. It may possibly be that practically in your daily life you
are exerting no more power for God than a dead man! A christian, indeed,
but _without power because of compromise_ with something questionable
or outrightly wrong! Is that so with you?