December 10Them that honour me I will honour — 1 Sam. 2:30.
In whatever department of the Lord's service He is pleased to open the door of opportunity to us, we should enter it promptly and with energy—with zeal for Him and for the cause to which He has called us. This is one condition of our acceptableness to Him. If we are slothful, inattentive to opportunities, undoubtedly they will be removed from us, and given to others, for the Lord is abundantly able to raise up one or another to serve His cause without interfering with, or overruling our free moral agency. Let us more and more appreciate what a privilege we enjoy in being co-laborers together with God, and especially in connection with this great service which our Lord and Master Jesus is exercising, and to fellowship in which we have been called—Z '01, 318 (R2888). To honor God implies putting God first in our lives. On the one hand, this means that we set ourselves constantly and successfully against that against which God sets Himself, i.e., Satan, the world and the flesh, as they appear in sin, error, selfishness and worldliness within and without. On the other hand, it means to set ourselves constantly and successfully in favor of that in favor of which God sets Himself, i.e., meditation on and spread of God's Word, character development in harmony with God's Word, endurance of evil for loyalty to God's Word, and watchfulness and prayer in harmony with God's Word. Such God will truly honor. In this life He honors them with the holy Spirit, with the understanding of His Word, with the privilege of prayer, with privileges of service, with separateness from sin, error, selfishness and worldliness, with development of Christlikeness and with victory in their battles. In the next life He will honor them with great Kingdom blessings, in disposition, nature, sights, glorification, association, inheritance, office and work—P '36, 166. Parallel passages: Jer. 18:9, 10; Psa. 18:20; 91:14; 50:23; Prov. 3:9, 10; Isa. 29:13, 14; Dan. 4:34; Mal. 1:6; John 5:23, 44; 8:49; 12:26; 13:31, 32; 17:4, 5; 1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Pet. 1:7. Hymns: 235, 11, 45, 46, 89, 83, 219. Poems of Dawn, 278: "Amen!" Tower Reading: Z '15, 173 (R 5703). Questions: Has this text been this week fulfilled in me? How? Under what circumstances? With what effects? |
|
"AMEN!"
SO let it be! The prayer that Christ enjoins
Lives ever in our soul and on our tongue!
So let it be! The worship He assigns—
Our great Creator—with thanksgiving song,
From hearths, in temples, yea, the woods among,
Pour forth! So let it be! As drooping vines
Drink the reviving shower, so sink along
Our hearts His precepts! Lo, one word enshrines
Full attestation of our faith! "Amen"
Includes the sum of our assent, and bears
The seal of truth: it is the wing of prayers,
Speeding the voice of millions, not in vain,
To God's high throne, borne on seraphic airs,
To ratify in Heaven our glorious gain!
SO let it be! The prayer that Christ enjoins
Lives ever in our soul and on our tongue!
So let it be! The worship He assigns—
Our great Creator—with thanksgiving song,
From hearths, in temples, yea, the woods among,
Pour forth! So let it be! As drooping vines
Drink the reviving shower, so sink along
Our hearts His precepts! Lo, one word enshrines
Full attestation of our faith! "Amen"
Includes the sum of our assent, and bears
The seal of truth: it is the wing of prayers,
Speeding the voice of millions, not in vain,
To God's high throne, borne on seraphic airs,
To ratify in Heaven our glorious gain!
