104
The Adventist Home
and tens of thousands working upon the soil who are crowded into
the cities to watch for a chance to earn a trifle.... Those who will
take their families into the country place them where they have fewer
temptations. The children who are with parents that love and fear God
are in every way much better situated to learn of the Great Teacher,
who is the source and fountain of wisdom. They have a much more
favorable opportunity to gain a fitness for the kingdom of heaven
God’s Plan for Israel’s Land—Through disobedience to God
Adam and Eve had lost Eden, and because of sin the whole earth was
cursed. But if God’s people followed His instruction, their land would
be restored to fertility and beauty. God Himself gave them directions
in regard to the culture of the soil, and they were to co-operate with
Him in its restoration. Thus the whole land, under God’s control,
[144]
would become an object lesson of spiritual truth. As in obedience to
His natural laws the earth should produce its treasures, so in obedience
to His moral law the hearts of the people were to reflect the attributes
of His character
Find Spiritual Lessons in Daily Living—God has surrounded
us with nature’s beautiful scenery to attract and interest the mind. It
is His design that we should associate the glories of nature with His
character. If we faithfully study the book of nature, we shall find it a
fruitful source for contemplating the infinite love and power of God
Christ has linked His teaching, not only with the day of rest, but
with the week of toil.... In the plowing and sowing, the tilling and
reaping, He teaches us to see an illustration of His work of grace in
the heart. So in every line of useful labor and every association of
life, He desires us to find a lesson of divine truth. Then our daily toil
will no longer absorb our attention and lead us to forget God; it will
continually remind us of our Creator and Redeemer. The thought of
God will run like a thread of gold through all our homely cares and
occupations. For us the glory of His face will again rest upon the face
of nature. We shall ever be learning new lessons of heavenly truth and
growing into the image of His purity
8
Fundamentals of Christian Education, 326
.
9
Christ’s Object Lessons, 289
.
10
Messages to Young People, 365, 366
.
11
Christ’s Object Lessons, 26, 27
.