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Growing Up into Christ, September 2
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall
not be moved.
Psalm 16:8
.
Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have
trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts
to live aright. But every such effort must fail. Jesus says, “Without me ye can
do nothing.” Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness—all depend upon our
union with Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly—by abiding in
Him—that we are to grow in grace....
You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you
took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change
your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake
did all this for you. By
faith
you became Christ’s and by faith you are to grow up
in Him—by giving and taking. You are to
give
all—your heart, your will, your
service—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must
take
all—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength,
your righteousness, your everlasting helper—to give you power to obey.
Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work.
Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at
Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be
wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to
God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as
His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into
the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life
of Christ.
A life in Christ is a life of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of feeling,
but there should be an abiding, peaceful trust. Your hope is not in yourself; it
is in Christ. Your weakness is united to His strength, your ignorance to His
wisdom, your frailty to His enduring might. So you are not to look to yourself,
not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ. Let the mind dwell upon
His love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of His character. Christ in His self-
denial, Christ in His humiliation, Christ in His purity and holiness, Christ in His
matchless love—this is the subject for the soul’s contemplation. It is by loving
Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him, that you are to be transformed
into His likeness.—
Steps to Christ, 69-71
.
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