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Monitor and Friend, March 24
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations:
ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell
thee.
Deuteronomy 32:7
.
Life is like a voyage. We have storm and sunshine, but we bear in mind
that we are nearing the desired haven. We shall soon be beyond the storms
and tempests. Our present duty is to hearken to the voice that says, “Learn
of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (
Matthew 11:29
). We must accept
this invitation daily. The past is contained in the book where all things are
written down. We cannot blot out the record, but we can learn many things
if we choose. The past should teach us its lessons. As we make the past our
monitor, we may also make it our friend. As we call to mind that in the past
which has been disagreeable, let it teach us not to repeat it. In the future
let nothing be traced which will cause regret in the by-and-by. We may
now avoid a bad showing. Every day we live we are making our history.
Today is ours, yesterday is beyond our amendment or control. Then let us
not grieve the Spirit of God today, for tomorrow we shall not be able to
recall this day; it will be yesterday to us....
Jesus Christ has plentiful help and grace for all who will appreciate it.
The Lord is our helper; with Him is forgiveness. He alone can blot out the
sins of the past. He can strengthen the mind. If we regard the past as no
longer our enemy but as a friend to warn us off the ground we should not
approach, it will prove a true friend....
Will we grasp and appreciate the good, and refuse the evil? Will we
walk humbly with God? ... We must not fail nor be discouraged; then the
present work, now passing beyond our control, will be our paymaster.... We
have only a little period in which to work. We are not to educate ourselves
to worry. Keep the eye upward, fixed upon the mark of our high calling in
Christ Jesus. We have a work to do; let us do it as in the sight of the whole
universe of heaven. We are not to faint, to stumble on in unbelief. God
desires us to look to Him as our sufficiency and strive to be complete in
Him
[90]
31
Letter 66, 1898
.
89