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The Desire of Ages
souls He had purchased with His own blood. He labored that man
should be true to himself, true to his higher and eternal interest. The
servants of Christ are called to the same work, and they should beware
lest, in seeking to prevent discord, they surrender the truth. They are
to “follow after the things which make for peace” (
Romans 14:19
); but
real peace can never be secured by compromising principle. And no
man can be true to principle without exciting opposition. A Christian-
ity that is spiritual will be opposed by the children of disobedience.
But Jesus bade His disciples, “Fear not them which kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soul.” Those who are true to God need not fear
the power of men nor the enmity of Satan. In Christ their eternal life
is secure. Their only fear should be lest they surrender the truth, and
thus betray the trust with which God has honored them.
It is Satan’s work to fill men’s hearts with doubt. He leads them
to look upon God as a stern judge. He tempts them to sin, and then
to regard themselves as too vile to approach their heavenly Father or
to excite His pity. The Lord understands all this. Jesus assures His
disciples of God’s sympathy for them in their needs and weaknesses.
Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but
the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.
The Bible shows us God in His high and holy place, not in a state of
inactivity, not in silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy intelligences, all
waiting to do His will. Through channels which we cannot discern He
is in active communication with every part of His dominion. But it is in
this speck of a world, in the souls that He gave His only-begotten Son
to save, that His interest and the interest of all heaven is centered. God
is bending from His throne to hear the cry of the oppressed. To every
sincere prayer He answers, “Here am I.” He uplifts the distressed and
downtrodden. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. In every temptation
and every trial the angel of His presence is near to deliver.
Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father’s no-
tice. Satan’s hatred against God leads him to hate every object of
the Saviour’s care. He seeks to mar the handiwork of God, and he
delights in destroying even the dumb creatures. It is only through
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God’s protecting care that the birds are preserved to gladden us with
their songs of joy. But He does not forget even the sparrows. “Fear ye
not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”