Even submission and sacrifice are acts of joy when it is a case of
love's surrender. The blessedness of service is great when love is the
inspiration of that service, and great is the enduring power of true
God-given love. The human will at best is weak; human supports are like
reeds which bend or break when most needed; intellectual capacity or
natural talents are valuable; but, after all, they only stand for so
much in one's life; but 'love never faileth'. I cannot sufficiently
commend to you this law of love in the heart; but, believe me, it
sweetens life's sorrow, lightens life's burdens, and strengthens our
powers of service and endurance.
How far does our experience harmonize with what has been said about the
nature and conditions of true religion? which is only another way of
presenting the blessing of Holiness. The new and living way of which
the Apostle speaks as opened through the Blood of Jesus, is the only
way to the cleansing fountain and the sanctifying grace. Let his words,
therefore, encourage you to 'enter with boldness', to 'draw near with a
true heart', a heart knowing its need, but believing the promises of
God, and He will meet you and make these inward laws of Holiness and
service your abiding experience.
XIX
Worry _versus_ Peace
'_Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus._' (Philippians iv. 6, 7.)
Before the full bearing and value of these verses can be realized, I
think they require to be read several times over. Even if the sentences
are read through slowly, just as they stand, a deep sense of blessing
and rest steals into the soul; but the more deeply they are considered,
the richer will the words be found. It would be almost correct for me
to call this a New Testament commentary on Isaiah's beautiful verse,
'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee,
because he trusteth in Thee', for the ideas and their relation are very
similar.
If we look at the various phases of this message, we shall see that
they are very important. They imply, first, a perfect surrender or
committal of oneself to God, based on a perfect trust; second, open
access to God; freedom of intercourse; telling Him all about things
which try and burden and distress us. We have also perfect peace; that
is, quietness of spirit, rest of soul, deliverance from inward
conflict, consequent upon God's keeping power through Jesus Christ.
Read carefully this Apostolic message, and observe not only the
different sections, but how they are connected, and how, in their
completeness, they express a most desirable spiritual experience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account