Trusting Christ

The Saviour knows that in humanity we shall find no solace for our woe, and He pities us because we are so needy, and yet so unwilling to make Him our confidant, our burden-bearer. Of the poor, fainting soul, tired of looking to humanity only to be betrayed and forgotten, Christ says, «Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.»

Do not take your sorrows and difficulties to man. Present yourself to Him who is able to do «exceeding abundantly.» He knows just how to help you. Do not turn from the loving, compassionate Redeemer to human friends, who, tho they may give you the best they have, may lead you into wrong paths. Take all your troubles to Jesus. He will receive and strengthen and comfort you. He is the great Healer of all maladies. His great heart of infinite love yearns over you. He sends you the message that you may recover yourself from the snare of the enemy. You may regain your self-respect. You may stand where you regard yourself, not as a failure, but as a conqueror, in and through the uplifting influence of the Spirit of God.

There are many who live under such a pressure of worry that they taste but little of the sweetness of God’s love. They do not know the meaning of the words, «That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.» Let us do our best, and then leave everything in the hands of the Lord, saying, I believe Thy promises. Wilt Thou not give evidence of Thy working? He will hear and answer.

«All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.» These words are the pledge that all that an omnipotent Saviour can bestow will be given to those who trust in Him. As stewards of the grace of heaven, we are to ask in faith, and then wait trustingly for the salvation of God. We are not to step in before Him, trying in our own strength to bring about that which we desire. In His name we are to ask, and then we are to act as if we trusted His efficiency.

We lose many blessings

by failing to bring our needs and cares and sorrows to our Saviour. He is the wonderful Counsellor. He looks upon His church with intense interest, and with a heart full of tender sympathy. He enters into the depth of our necessities. But our ways are not always His ways. He sees the result of every action, and He asks us to trust patiently in His wisdom, not in the supposedly-wise plans of our own making.

Lay all your plans at the feet of the Redeemer. And do not cease to pray. If the answer tarry, wait for it. Let your importunate prayers continue to ascend to God. If it be for His name’s glory, the soothing words will be spoken, «Be it unto thee according to thy word.»

We do not depend on God as we should. Let us leave unsaid every word of complaint. Talk faith and courage. Be afraid to doubt, lest this become a habit that will destroy faith. The dealings of Providence may seem dark and mysterious and unexplainable; nevertheless we are to trust in Him, saying, «I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.» Whatever may be your circumstances, however dark and mysterious may seem the ways of Providence, tho your path may lead through deep waters, and trial and bereavement may afflict you again and again, the assurance is still yours, «All things work together for good to them that love God.»

Do not let Satan accomplish his purpose to keep you in the chamber of darkness and shadow, where the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness do not penetrate. Dwelling in the darkness, your beliefs will be tinged with gloom and your hopes buried in the night. The Lord bids you look up, saying, O God, here I am; do unto me as seemeth good to Thee. Use me in Thy service. I will no longer make my life an affliction to myself and to others. I will not shun the cross, or refuse to take up the work that Thou hast bidden me do. I am Thine. I will no longer sit in sackcloth and ashes. I will come out of the darkened chamber of death into the upper room, which is filled with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

«Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.» «Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God; it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations. Mrs. E. G. White.

Our last thought at night and our first thought in the morning should be of Him in whom are centered our hopes of eternal life. He died for us. He saw us in peril, exposed to destruction, and He poured out His life to save us. He is our Advocate. He has placed a treasure-house of blessing at our command. Men can not remove one stain of sin. Christ’s merits alone will avail, and they have been placed at our disposal in rich fulness. Every moment we may draw upon Christ for help. As we turn to Him, He answers, «Here am I.» Christ is our Intercessor. He places the incense of His righteousness in the golden censer, to offer up with the prayers of His disciples. The Father hears every prayer offered in contrition and sincerity. Our supplications blend with the supplications of our Intercessor, whose voice the Father always hears.

In His Name.

Let us, then, pray without ceasing, not in the name of any human being, but in the name of Him who is our substitute and surety. He has given us His name to use. «Ask in My name,» He says. Then let us pray in faith. Let us not falter, but go forward from strength to strength, from victory to victory.

Jesus receives and welcomes you as His friend. He loves you. He has pledged Himself to open before you all the treasures of His grace. He says, Make use of My name, and it will be your passport to the heart of My Father, and to all the riches of His grace. «Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.»

Unworthy as we are, God has granted to us His forgiving mercy; undeserving as we are of the least of His favors, He has poured rich blessings upon us. The more unworthy the receiver, the more glorious the mercy of God, and the more earnestly we should show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. To him who is content to receive without deserving, who feels that he can never recompense such love, who lays all doubt and unbelief aside, and comes as a little child to the feet of Jesus, all the treasures of eternal love are a free, everlasting gift.

Trust Begets Love.

The more you trust your Redeemer, the more you will love Him. He is your Friend in life or death. He is the Crown of your rejoicing. He is worthy of your fullest faith. All the sorrows and afflictions that we suffer here only constitute our discipline for the higher life. God designs that thus we shall be fitted for heaven. Wait upon God. Lean upon Him in entire dependence; for His everlasting arms will sustain you. He who says that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the notice of the heavenly Father will care for those who love and trust Him. Jesus knows every throb of pain, every throe of anguish and distress, and He will give His children grace to endure the afflictions that He permits to come upon them. His heart beats in sympathy with suffering humanity and those who suffer most have most of His pity and sympathy.

«Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.» «Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is Thy hand: and high is Thy right hand.» «Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.» If He is for you, who can be against you. «The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?» «Yea, tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.» Let us trust Him who sees the end from the beginning, and who will make all things work together for good to those that love the Lord. Mrs. E. G. White. —

The cry of the soul should be, Give me the bread of life. Lift up a full cup of the water of life to my parched lips, that I may be revived and refreshed. Let me see Thee as my helper, the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Thou wast wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for my iniquities. The chastisement of my peace was upon Thee, and with Thy stripes I am healed.

The Lord does not want His children to worry and fret over things that they can not help. He wants them to go on from strength to strength. Let us learn a lesson of trust from the miracle of feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes. There were five thousand men, besides women and children, to be fed, and five loaves and two fishes were all that Christ had. Yet, after all had been satisfied, there were gathered up twelve baskets full of fragments.

When Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, that which before seemed but a meager supply will prove to be a rich feast. You will be satisfied yourselves, and you will have something to give to others. Walk humbly with Christ, daily learning His meekness and lowliness. Thus your heart will become a temple for God’s presence.

Do not look on the dark side. When the Israelites were content with the portion of manna that God gave, they found it sweet and full of nourishment. When they became dissatisfied, it was loathsome to them. Content is a blessing; discontent, a curse.

God wants your mind to be clear, your temper sweet, your love abounding. Then the peace that passes all understanding will fill your heart. The atmosphere surrounding your soul will be refreshing. Your words will be fragrant. Christ came to this world to shed upon you His brightness and peace. Close the windows of your heart against the atmosphere of unbelief, and open them heavenward. It is your privilege to face the light, to talk hope and faith and courage.

Be kind and compassionate. Let your countenance reflect the joy of the Lord. Speak of His goodness and tell of His power. Then your light will shine more and more clearly. Above your trials and disappointments will be revealed the reflection of a pure, healthy, religious life. In the out-working of the inner life there will be a wonderful peace and joy. You may reflect the beauty of the character of your risen Lord, who, tho He was rich, yet for our sake became poor, that through His poverty we might be made rich.

It is possible for us to reveal the likeness of our divine Lord. We can know the science of the divine life. We can glorify God. Do we do it? O, what an illustrious example we have in the life that Christ lived while on this earth. He has shown us what we can accomplish through co-operation with Him. We are to seek for the union of which He speaks when He says, «Abide in Me, and I in you.» This union is deeper, stronger, truer, than any other union. The heart must be filled with the grace of Christ. His will must control us, moving us to weep with those who weep, and to rejoice with those who rejoice, to feel a deep tenderness for every one in weakness, sorrow, or distress.

Being partakers of the divine nature will make us willing always to reach forth a helping hand to those in need of relief. Christ’s heart was ever touched with pity at the sight of human woe. He died on the cross of Calvary to lift from man the penalty of transgression. He came to our world to make it possible for sinful human beings to obtain salvation. He wept over the sorrow and suffering that He saw on every hand. He groaned in spirit in behalf of the tried and tempted, but He would not fail or become discouraged. He must press forward in order to make it possible for them to gain eternal life.

Be strong and of good courage. In order to fight successfully, a soldier must have courage and strength. Of ourselves we are weak and feeble. But we have the promise, «They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.» Mrs. E. G. White. —