Riches of grace : $b A compilation of experiences in the Christian life; a narration of trials and victories along the wayByrum, E. E. (Enoch Edwin)
Religion
Riches of grace : $b A compilation of experiences in the Christian life; a narration of trials and victories along the way
Byrum, E. E. (Enoch Edwin)
Christian life
Yet if, like Elisha's servant, we could open our blind spiritual
eyes, how often we might discover myriads of angels waiting only for
a submissive spirit and a surrendered will to plant such feet upon
substantial ways of blessings and courage instead of the ways of the
wounds and thorns and crosses. If I had but the power to tell of some
such experiences of my own, I feel it might encourage some other soul
to surrender fully to God a life that otherwise has been a failure.
There is no doubt that God has ministering servants ever ready to wait
on the soul that surrenders to his will. The difficulty is always the
unsurrendered will.
When I was about fourteen years old, an evangelist came to our town to
preach a full salvation, one that saves from sin and sanctifies the
soul. The Holy Spirit was working in many hearts. One evening as I was
riding home facing the west at sunset, I beheld, in the shifting of
the clouds, a huge black cross. It stood there between me and the sun.
I thought of Jesus dying on the cross, and that seemed very fitting,
though of course very sad. As this cross remained there, it impressed me
more solemnly, until I began to realize that there might be a cross for
me also. But I said: "Life is what we make it. I do not want crosses; I
choose other things." At last a gorgeous crown of the sunset enveloped
the cross, and in my heart I knew that without the cross there would be
no crown. The difficulty had arisen between me and God. His ministering
servants were ready to spare me the "pains and losses," but my will was
not surrendered. I would not bear the cross.
Another warning came to me a few nights later, when I was invited to the
home of a friend to attend a dance. I thought of the meeting and its
solemn significance, and felt uneasy about going. I wanted to please
Jesus, who had borne the cross for me, but I justified myself in going
because the crowd was select. I went to my room thus battling with my
conscience. I knelt as in prayer and soon felt what seemed unmistakably
to be the presence of some one in my room. I looked up, and it seemed
that I could see the smiling face of Jesus. Sweetness filled my soul,
and the room was full of joy. All earthly pleasures faded away. I had
no desire for anything now but this captivating Jesus. My heart was
enraptured. Christ, I realized then, was sufficient.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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