“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
573
The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate
upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves
according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them,
else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to
redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they
make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His
name. They may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.
But to pray in Christ’s name means much. It means that we are
to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works. The
Saviour’s promise is given on condition. “If ye love Me,” He says,
“keep My commandments.” He saves men, not in sin, but from sin;
and those who love Him will show their love by obedience.
All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with
Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our
thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to
His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own
impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight
in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to
know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an
appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God,
sin will become hateful to us.
As Christ lived the law in humanity, so we may do if we will
take hold of the Strong for strength. But we are not to place the
responsibility of our duty upon others, and wait for them to tell us
what to do. We cannot depend for counsel upon humanity. The Lord
will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody
else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us
personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh
to commune with us as He did with Enoch. Those who decide to do
nothing in any line that will displease God, will know, after presenting
their case before Him, just what course to pursue. And they will receive
not only wisdom, but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will
be imparted to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was given to
Christ—the “all things” to supply the need of fallen men—was given
to Him as the head and representative of humanity. And “whatsoever
we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and
do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
1 John 3:22
.