July 30Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines — Song of Solomon 2:15.
Many deal slackly with themselves in respect to little violations of their consecration vow, saying, "What's the use of such carefulness and so different a life from that of the world in general?" Ah! there is great use in it; for victories in little things prepare for greater things and make them possible; and on the contrary, surrender to the will of the flesh in the little things means sure defeat in the warfare as a whole. We who have become footstep followers of Jesus Christ know that we are to be tested (if our testing has not already commenced), and should realize that only as we practice self-denials in the little things of life, and mortify (deaden) the natural cravings of our flesh in respect to food, clothing, conduct, etc., shall we become strong spiritually and be able to "overcome"—Z '99, 172 (R 2494). Our faults, great and small, injure our spiritual fruitage. This thought should prompt us to wage unceasing warfare against them, not by beating the air, but by intelligent effort. We can overcome them by detaching our affections from, abhorring, avoiding and opposing them. In opposing them we are to attack them as well as to repel their attacks. We attack them by displacement with opposite graces, and by restraint through other than opposite graces. We repel them by diversion of attention from, and by presentation of impenetrable hearts and minds to them, and all this by the Lord's Spirit—P '36, 95. Parallel passages: 2 Chron. 12:14; Prov. 4:23; Eccles. 5:6; Isa. 1:18; 44:20; Jer. 17:9; Ezek. 20:16; Matt. 12:31, 33-35; 15:2-20; 1 Cor. 5:6; Eph. 2:1-5; Heb. 3:13; 12:5; Jas. 1:14, 15; 2:10, 11; 4:1-3, 17; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:4-15; 5:17. Hymns: 78, 272, 130, 136, 1, 145, 183. Poems of Dawn, 169: The Time is Short. Tower Reading: Z '16, 118 (R 5886). Questions: What have I done this week with my faults? How? Why? What helped or hindered therein? What were the results? |
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THE TIME IS SHORT
UP, up, my soul, the long-spent time redeeming;
Sow thou the seeds of better deed and thought;
Light other lamps, while yet the light is beaming;
The time, the time is short.
Think of the eyes that often weep in sadness,
Seeing not the truth that God to thee hath taught;
O bear to them this light and joy and gladness;
The time, the time is short.
Think of the feet that stray from misdirection,
And into snares of error's doctrine brought:
Bear then to them these tidings of salvation;
The time, the time is short.
The time is short. Then be thy heart a brother's
To every heart that needs thy help in aught.
How much they need the sympathy of others!
The time, the time is short.
UP, up, my soul, the long-spent time redeeming;
Sow thou the seeds of better deed and thought;
Light other lamps, while yet the light is beaming;
The time, the time is short.
Think of the eyes that often weep in sadness,
Seeing not the truth that God to thee hath taught;
O bear to them this light and joy and gladness;
The time, the time is short.
Think of the feet that stray from misdirection,
And into snares of error's doctrine brought:
Bear then to them these tidings of salvation;
The time, the time is short.
The time is short. Then be thy heart a brother's
To every heart that needs thy help in aught.
How much they need the sympathy of others!
The time, the time is short.