Let us turn every circumstance of the day into an occasion of communion with God. Things of small amount will then bring us great blessings. In small points of obedience are found the best test of the soul's state. What great grace it needs to find no excuses for our little faults! -- still greater to confess them! Fruit God sometimes sends us a wintry season that we may the better bring forth summer fruit. It is the way of the Lord to work for a season, as it were, under ground: and as the seed that dies in the earth, through dying, comes to life, so God will seem to cut off the hope of fruit of our labour; yet when we have humbled ourselves under His hand, and He has secured the glory to Himself, He will put forth His power and bring to life our buried hopes. There may be much communion with God when there is but little comfort in the soul, and much fruitfulness when there is but little joy and gladness. We bear fruit when we credit the Word of God against appearances, and when we submit our will to His. There is no security for our bringing forth fruit in time to come, if we are not bringing forth fruit in the present hour. How often we fail and miscarry toward the end of a trial of patience! Do not expect to make great strides at once in believing; or that deep sanctification is to be wrought in a day. We can never be said to have outlived our usefulness, unless we have outlived our spirituality. We must first come to the withering of the flesh, before we can become spiritually strong and fruitful. Christian Communion We need one another; are dependent on one another—not as _fountains_, but as _channels_ of blessing. When mutual intercession takes the place of mutual accusation, then will the differences and difficulties of brethren be overcome. (Job 42:8.10.) The infirmities of our brethren are fair occasions for our patience and long-suffering: let us have grace for each opportunity. The hearts of true believers crave a fellowship which will last -- a fellowship in the Spirit with each other, because of common fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division. If Christ be not the bond of friendship and of communion, and if His blood be not the life of love, how quickly may indifference take the place of warm affections, and how easily may close friends turn to stubborn adversaries, through the clashings of self-seeking and thwarted pride, or man's native fickleness! In John 17 and in Ephes. 1 we see what the Church is in the sight of God in Christ—what it ought to be in its ways; and would be, did we not grieve the Holy Ghost, which is given to us to lead us into all truth, and to glorify Christ in us. But the Church has not been true to her heavenly calling; she has forgotten her dignity; she has lost her strength; the grey hairs are here and there upon her, and she knoweth it not. (Hosea 7:9.)