"Without Me ye can do nothing" (John xv. 5).
How much can I do for Christ? We are accustomed to say.-As much as I can.
Have we ever thought we can do more than we can?
This thought was lately suggested by the remarks of a Christian friend, who told how G.o.d had laid it upon her heart to do something for His cause which was beyond her power, and when she dared to obey Him, He gave her the a.s.surance of His power and resources, and so marvelously met her faith that she was enabled to do more than she could otherwise, and accomplish her heart"s desire, and see a work fulfilled to which her resources were unequal.
The apostle says, "I can do all things through Christ, who is my strength," and yet He says we are not able to think anything, as of ourselves.
Oh, blessed insufficiency! Oh, blessed All-Sufficiency! Oh, blessed nothingness, which brings us all things! Oh, blessed faith, whose rich dowry is, "All things are possible to him that believeth"!
O to be found of Him in peace, Spotless and free from blame.
NOVEMBER 29.
"Could ye not watch with Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.)
A young lady whose parents had died while she was an infant, had been kindly cared for by a dear friend of the family. Before she was old enough to know him, he went to Europe. Regularly he wrote to her through all his years of absence, and never failed to send her money for all her wants.
Finally word came that during a certain week he would return and visit her. He did not fix the day or the hour. She received several invitations to take pleasant trips with her friends during that week. One of these was of so pleasant a nature that she could not resist accepting it. During her trip, he came, inquired as to her absence, and left. Returning she found this note: "My life has been a struggle for you, might you not have waited one week for me?" More she never heard, and her life of plenty became one of want. Jesus has not fixed the day or hour of His return, but He has said, "Watch," and should He come to-day, would He find us absorbed in thoughtless dissipation? May we be found each day, in the expectant att.i.tude of those watching for a loved one.
NOVEMBER 30.
"In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves" (Phil.
ii. 3).
When the apostle speaks of "the deep things of G.o.d," he means more than deep spiritual truth. There must be something before this. There must be a deep soil and a thorough foundation.
Very much of our spiritual teaching fails, because the people to whom we give it are so shallow. Their deeper nature has never been stirred.
The beat.i.tudes begin at the bottom of things, the poor in spirit, the mourners, and the hungry hearts. Suffering is essential to profound spiritual life. We need not go to a monastery or a leper hospital to find it. The first real opportunity for unselfishness will bring into your life the anguish of crucifixion, unless you are born of some different race from Adam"s.
It is because men and women have not faced this that they know so little of suffering and death. We must have deep convictions. Truth must be to us a necessity, and principle a part of our very being. Lord, make me poor in spirit. Lord help me to be even as Thou wert when on earth, always the lowest, and therefore "highly exalted."
DECEMBER 1.
"As He is, so are we in this world" (I. John iv. 17).
Jesus will come into the surrendered heart and unite Himself with it, impart to it His own life and being and become anew from day to day, the supply of its spiritual needs and the subst.i.tute for its helplessness.
Our part is simply to yield ourselves fully recognizing our own worthlessness and then take Jesus Himself to live in us and be, moment by moment, our strength, purity and victory.
One in His death on the tree, One as He rose from the dead; I from the curse am as free E"en as my glorious Head.
One in His merits I stand, One as I Pray in His name, All that His worth can demand I may with confidence claim.
One on the Throne by His side, One in His Sonship divine, One as the Bridegroom and Bride, One as the Branch and the Vine.
All that He has shall be mine, All that He is I shall be; Robed in His glory divine, I shall be even as He.
DECEMBER 2.
"Looking diligently lest any man fail" (Heb. xii. 15).
It is not losing all, but coming short we are to fear. We may not lose our souls, but we may lose something more precious than life-His full approval, His highest choice, and our incorruptible and star-gemmed crown.
It is the one degree more that counts, and makes all the difference between hot water-powerless in the boiler-and steam-all alive with power, and bearing its precious freight across the continent.
I want, in this short life of mine, As much as can be pressed Of service true for G.o.d and man, Help me to be my best.
I want to stand when Christ appears And hear my name confessed Numbered among the hidden ones, His holiest and best.
I want, among the victor throng, To have my name confessed; And hear my Master say at last, Well done, you did your best.
Give me, O Lord, Thy highest choice; Let others take the rest: Their good things have no charm for me, For I have got Thy best.
DECEMBER 3.
Thy thoughts are very deep (Ps. xcii. 5).
When a Roman soldier was told by his guide that if he insisted on taking a certain journey it would probably be fatal he answered, "It is necessary for me to go, it is not necessary for me to live." That was depth. When we are convicted like that we shall come to something.
The shallow nature lives in its impulses, its impressions, its intuitions, its instincts, and very largely in its surroundings. The profound character looks beyond all these and moves steadily on, sailing past all the storms and clouds into the clear sunshine which is always on the other side, and waiting for the afterwards which always brings the reversion of sorrow and seeming defeat and failure.
When G.o.d has deepened us, then He can give us His deeper truths, His profoundest secrets, and His mightier trusts.
Lord, lead me into the depths of Thy life and save me from a shallow experience.