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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/31647-8.txt b/31647-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c18e6cb --- /dev/null +++ b/31647-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4666 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Kept for the Master's Use, by Frances Ridley Havergal + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Kept for the Master's Use + +Author: Frances Ridley Havergal + +Release Date: March 15, 2010 [EBook #31647] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE *** + + + + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Hutcheson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + Kept for + the Master's + Use + + + By + Frances Ridley + Havergal + + Philadelphia + Henry Altemus Company + + Copyrighted 1895, by Henry Altemus. + + HENRY ALTEMUS, MANUFACTURER, + PHILADELPHIA. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + + + I. Our Lives kept for Jesus, 9 + II. Our Moments kept for Jesus, 26 + III. Our Hands kept for Jesus, 34 + IV. Our Feet kept for Jesus, 46 + V. Our Voices kept for Jesus, 51 + VI. Our Lips kept for Jesus, 66 + VII. Our Silver and Gold kept for Jesus, 79 + VIII. Our Intellects kept for Jesus, 91 + IX. Our Wills kept for Jesus, 96 + X. Our Hearts kept for Jesus, 104 + XI. Our Love kept for Jesus, 109 + XII. Our Selves kept for Jesus, 115 + XIII. Christ for us, 122 + + + + + PREFATORY NOTE. + + +My beloved sister Frances finished revising the proofs of this book +shortly before her death on Whit Tuesday, June 3, 1879, but its +publication was to be deferred till the Autumn. + +In appreciation of the deep and general sympathy flowing in to her +relatives, they wish that its publication should not be withheld. Knowing +her intense desire that Christ should be magnified, whether by her life +or in her death, may it be to His glory that in these pages she, being +dead, + + 'Yet speaketh!' + + MARIA V. G. HAVERGAL. + +Oakhampton, Worchestershire. + + + + + KEPT + FOR + The Master's Use. + + + Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. + + Take my moments and my days; + Let them flow in ceaseless praise. + + Take my hands, and let them move + At the impulse of Thy love. + + Take my feet, and let them be + Swift and 'beautiful' for Thee. + + Take my voice, and let me sing + Always, only, for my King. + + Take my lips and let them be + Filled with messages from Thee. + + Take my silver and my gold; + Not a mite would I withhold. + + Take my intellect, and use + Every power as Thou shalt choose. + + Take my will and make it Thine; + It shall be no longer mine. + + Take my heart; it _is_ Thine own; + It shall be Thy royal throne. + + Take my love; my Lord, I pour + At Thy feet its treasure-store. + + Take myself, and I will be + Ever, _only_, ALL for Thee. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + Our Lives kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my life, that it may be_ + _Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.'_ + +Many a heart has echoed the little song: + + 'Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!' + +And yet those echoes have not been, in every case and at all times, so +clear, and full, and firm, so continuously glad as we would wish, and +perhaps expected. Some of us have said: + + 'I launch me forth upon a sea + Of boundless love and tenderness;' + +and after a little we have found, or fancied, that there is a hidden leak +in our barque, and though we are doubtless still afloat, yet we are not +sailing with the same free, exultant confidence as at first. What is it +that has dulled and weakened the echo of our consecration song? what is +the little leak that hinders the swift and buoyant course of our +consecrated life? Holy Father, let Thy loving spirit guide the hand that +writes, and strengthen the heart of every one who reads what shall be +written, for Jesus' sake. + +While many a sorrowfully varied answer to these questions may, and +probably will, arise from touched and sensitive consciences, each being +shown by God's faithful Spirit the special sin, the special yielding to +temptation which has hindered and spoiled the blessed life which they +sought to enter and enjoy, it seems to me that one or other of two things +has lain at the outset of the failure and disappointment. + + +First, it may have arisen from want of the simplest belief in the +simplest fact, as well as want of trust in one of the simplest and +plainest words our gracious Master ever uttered! The unbelieved fact +being simply that He hears us; the untrusted word being one of those +plain, broad foundation-stones on which we rested our whole weight, it +may be many years ago, and which we had no idea we ever doubted, or were +in any danger of doubting now,--'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise +cast out.' + +'Take my life!' We have said it or sung it before the Lord, it may be +many times; but if it were only once whispered in His ear with full +purpose of heart, should we not believe that He heard it? And if we know +that He heard it, should we not believe that He has answered it, and +fulfilled this, our heart's desire? For with Him hearing means heeding. +Then why should we doubt that He did verily take our lives when we +offered them--our bodies when we presented them? Have we not been +wronging His faithfulness all this time by practically, even if +unconsciously, doubting whether the prayer ever really reached Him? And +if so, is it any wonder that we have not realized all the power and joy +of full consecration? By some means or other He has to teach us to trust +implicitly at every step of the way. And so, if we did not really trust +in this matter, He has had to let us find out our want of trust by +withholding the sensible part of the blessing, and thus stirring us up to +find out why it is withheld. + +An offered gift must be either accepted or refused. Can He have refused +it when He has said, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out'? +If not, then it must have been accepted. It is just the same process as +when we came to Him first of all, with the intolerable burden of our +sins. There was no help for it but to come with them to Him, and take His +word for it that He would not and did not cast us out. And so coming, so +believing, we found rest to our souls; we found that His word was true, +and that His taking away our sins was a reality. + +Some give their lives to Him then and there, and go forth to live +thenceforth not at all unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them. +This is as it should be, for conversion and consecration ought to be +simultaneous. But practically it is not very often so, except with those +in whom the bringing out of darkness into marvellous light has been +sudden and dazzling, and full of deepest contrasts. More frequently the +work resembles the case of the Hebrew servant described in Exodus xxi., +who, after six years' experience of a good master's service, dedicates +himself voluntarily, unreservedly, and irrevocably to it, saying, 'I love +my master; I will not go out free;' the master then accepting and sealing +him to a life-long service, free in law, yet bound in love. This seems to +be a figure of later consecration founded on experience and love. + +And yet, as at our first coming, it is less than nothing, worse than +nothing that we have to bring; for our lives, even our redeemed and +pardoned lives, are not only weak and worthless, but defiled and sinful. +But thanks be to God for the Altar that sanctifieth the gift, even our +Lord Jesus Christ Himself! By Him we draw nigh unto God; to Him, as one +with the Father, we offer our living sacrifice; in Him, as the Beloved of +the Father, we know it is accepted. So, dear friends, when once He has +wrought in us the desire to be altogether His own, and put into our +hearts the prayer, 'Take my life,' let us go on our way rejoicing, +believing that He _has_ taken our lives, our hands, our feet, our voices, +our intellects, our wills, our whole selves, to be ever, only, all for +Him. Let us consider that a blessedly settled thing; not because of +anything we have felt, or said, or done, but because we know that He +heareth us, and because we know that He is true to His word. + + +But suppose our hearts do not condemn us in this matter, our +disappointment may arise from another cause. It may be that we have not +received, because we have not asked a fuller and further blessing. +Suppose that we did believe, thankfully and surely, that the Lord heard +our prayer, and that He did indeed answer and accept us, and set us apart +for Himself; and yet we find that our consecration was not merely +miserably incomplete, but that we have drifted back again almost to where +we were before. Or suppose things are not quite so bad as that, still we +have not quite all we expected; and even if we think we can truly say, 'O +God, my heart is fixed,' we find that, to our daily sorrow, somehow or +other the details of our conduct do not seem to be fixed, something or +other is perpetually slipping through, till we get perplexed and +distressed. Then we are tempted to wonder whether after all there was not +some mistake about it, and the Lord did not really take us at our word, +although we took Him at His word. And then the struggle with one doubt, +and entanglement, and temptation only seems to land us in another. What +is to be done then? + +First, I think, very humbly and utterly honestly to search and try our +ways before our God, or rather, as we shall soon realize our helplessness +to make such a search, ask Him to do it for us, praying for His promised +Spirit to show us unmistakably if there is any secret thing with us that +is hindering both the inflow and outflow of His grace to us and through +us. Do not let us shrink from some unexpected flash into a dark corner; +do not let us wince at the sudden touching of a hidden plague-spot. The +Lord always does His own work thoroughly if we will only let Him do it; +if we put our case into His hands, He will search and probe fully and +firmly, though very tenderly. Very painfully, it may be, but only that He +may do the very thing we want,--cleanse us and heal us thoroughly, so +that we may set off to walk in real newness of life. But if we do not put +it unreservedly into His hands, it will be no use thinking or talking +about our lives being consecrated to Him. The heart that is not entrusted +to Him for searching, will not be undertaken by Him for cleansing; the +life that fears to come to the light lest any deed should be reproved, +can never know the blessedness and the privileges of walking in the +light. + +But what then? When He has graciously again put a new song in our mouth, +and we are singing, + + 'Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, + Who like me His praise should sing?' + +and again with fresh earnestness we are saying, + + 'Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!' + +are we only to look forward to the same disappointing experience over +again? are we always to stand at the threshold? Consecration is not so +much a step as a course; not so much an act, as a position to which a +course of action inseparably belongs. In so far as it is a course and a +position, there must naturally be a definite entrance upon it, and a +time, it may be a moment, when that entrance is made. That is when we +say, 'Take'; but we do not want to go on taking a first step over and +over again. What we want now is to be maintained in that position, and to +fulfil that course. So let us go on to another prayer. Having already +said, 'Take my life, for I cannot give it to Thee,' let us now say, with +deepened conviction, that without Christ we really can do nothing,--'Keep +my life, for I cannot keep it for Thee.' + +Let us ask this with the same simple trust to which, in so many other +things, He has so liberally and graciously responded. For this is the +confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His +will, He heareth us; and if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, +we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. There can be +no doubt that this petition is according to His will, because it is based +upon many a promise. May I give it to you just as it floats through my +own mind again and again, knowing whom I have believed, and being +persuaded that He is _able to keep_ that which I have committed unto Him? + + Keep my life, that it may be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. + + Keep my moments and my days; + Let them flow in ceaseless praise. + + Keep my hands, that they may move + At the impulse of Thy love. + + Keep my feet, that they may be + Swift and 'beautiful' for Thee. + + Keep my voice, that I may sing + Always, only, for my King. + + Keep my lips, that they may be + Filled with messages from Thee. + + Keep my silver and my gold; + Not a mite would I withhold. + + Keep my intellect, and use + Every power as Thou shalt choose. + + Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine! + For it is no longer mine. + + Keep my heart; it _is_ Thine own; + It is now Thy royal throne. + + Keep my love; my Lord, I pour + At Thy feet its treasure-store. + + Keep myself, that I may be + Ever, _only_, ALL for Thee. + +Yes! He who is able and willing to take unto Himself, is no less able and +willing to keep for Himself. Our willing offering has been made by His +enabling grace, and this our King has 'seen with joy.' And now we pray, +'Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of +Thy people' (1 Chron. xxix. 17, 18). + +This blessed 'taking,' once for all, which we may quietly believe as an +accomplished fact, followed by the continual 'keeping,' for which He will +be continually inquired of by us, seems analogous to the great washing by +which we have part in Christ, and the repeated washing of the feet for +which we need to be continually coming to Him. For with the deepest and +sweetest consciousness that He has indeed taken our lives to be His very +own, the need of His active and actual keeping of them in every detail +and at every moment is most fully realized. But then we have the promise +of our faithful God, 'I the Lord _do_ keep it, I will keep it night and +day.' The only question is, will we trust this promise, or will we not? +If we do, we shall find it come true. If not, of course it will not be +realized. For unclaimed promises are like uncashed cheques; they will +keep us from bankruptcy, but not from want. But if not, _why_ not? What +right have we to pick out one of His faithful sayings, and say we don't +expect Him to fulfil that? What defence can we bring, what excuse can we +invent, for so doing? + +If you appeal to experience against His faithfulness to His word, I will +appeal to experience too, and ask you, did you ever _really trust_ Jesus +to fulfil any word of His to you, and find your trust deceived? As to the +past experience of the details of your life not being kept for Jesus, +look a little more closely at it, and you will find that though you may +have asked, you did not trust. Whatever you did really trust Him to keep, +He has kept, and the unkept things were never really entrusted. +Scrutinize this past experience as you will, and it will only bear +witness against your unfaithfulness, never against His absolute +faithfulness. + +Yet this witness must not be unheeded. We must not forget the things that +are behind till they are confessed and forgiven. Let us now bring all +this unsatisfactory past experience, and, most of all, the want of trust +which has been the poison-spring of its course, to the precious blood of +Christ, which cleanseth us, even us, from all sin, even this sin. Perhaps +we never saw that we were not trusting Jesus as He deserves to be +trusted; if so, let us wonderingly hate ourselves the more that we could +be so trustless to such a Saviour, and so sinfully dark and stupid that +we did not even see it. And oh, let us wonderingly love Him the more that +He has been so patient and gentle with us, upbraiding not, though in our +slow-hearted foolishness we have been grieving Him by this subtle +unbelief, and then, by His grace, may we enter upon a new era of +experience, our lives kept for Him more fully than ever before, because +we trust Him more simply and unreservedly to keep them! + + +Here we must face a question, and perhaps a difficulty. Does it not +almost seem as if we were at this point led to trusting to our trust, +making everything hinge upon it, and thereby only removing a subtle +dependence upon ourselves one step farther back, disguising instead of +renouncing it? If Christ's keeping depends upon our trusting, and our +continuing to trust depends upon ourselves, we are in no better or safer +position than before, and shall only be landed in a fresh series of +disappointments. The old story, something for the sinner to _do_, crops +up again here, only with the ground shifted from 'works' to trust. Said a +friend to me, 'I see now! I did trust Jesus to do everything else for me, +but I thought that this trusting was something that _I_ had got to do.' +And so, of course, what she 'had got to do' had been a perpetual effort +and frequent failure. We can no more trust and keep on trusting than we +can do anything else of ourselves. Even in this it must be 'Jesus only'; +we are not to look to Him only to be the Author and Finisher of our +faith, but we are to look to Him for all the intermediate fulfilment of +the work of faith (2 Thess. i. 11); we must ask Him to go on fulfilling +it in us, committing even this to His power. + + For we both may and must + Commit our very faith to Him, + Entrust to him our trust. + +What a long time it takes us to come down to the conviction, and still +more to the realization of the fact that without Him we can do _nothing_, +but that He must work _all_ our works in us! This is the work of God, +that ye believe in Him whom He has sent. And no less must it be the work +of God that we go on believing, and that we go on trusting. Then, dear +friends, who are longing to trust Him with unbroken and unwavering trust, +cease the effort and drop the burden, and _now_ entrust your trust to +Him! He is just as well able to keep that as any other part of the +complex lives which we want Him to take and keep for Himself. And oh, do +not pass on content with the thought, 'Yes, that is a good idea; perhaps +I should find that a great help!' But, 'Now, then, _do it_.' It is no +help to the sailor to see a flash of light across a dark sea, if he does +not instantly steer accordingly. + + +Consecration is not a religiously selfish thing. If it sinks into that, +it ceases to be consecration. We want our lives kept, not that we may +feel happy, and be saved the distress consequent on wandering, and get +the power with God and man, and all the other privileges linked with it. +We shall have all this, because the lower is included in the higher; but +our true aim, if the love of Christ constraineth us, will be far beyond +this. Not for 'me' at all but 'for Jesus'; not for my safety, but for His +glory; not for my comfort, but for His joy; not that I may find rest, but +that He may see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied! Yes, for _Him_ +I want to be kept. Kept for His sake; kept for His use; kept to be His +witness; kept for His joy! Kept for Him, that in me He may show forth +some tiny sparkle of His light and beauty; kept to do His will and His +work in His own way; kept, it may be, to suffer for His sake; kept for +Him, that He may do just what seemeth Him good with me; kept, so that no +other lord shall have any more dominion over me, but that Jesus shall +have all there is to have;--little enough, indeed, but not divided or +diminished by any other claim. Is not this, O you who love the Lord--is +not this worth living for, worth asking for, worth trusting for? + +This is consecration, and I cannot tell you the blessedness of it. It is +not the least use arguing with one who has had but a taste of its +blessedness, and saying to him, 'How can these things be?' It is not the +least use starting all sorts of difficulties and theoretical suppositions +about it with such a one, any more than it was when the Jews argued with +the man who said, 'One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I +see.' The Lord Jesus does take the life that is offered to Him, and He +does keep the life for Himself that is entrusted to Him; but until the +life is offered we cannot know the taking, and until the life is +entrusted we cannot know or understand the keeping. All we can do is to +say, 'O taste and see!' and bear witness to the reality of Jesus Christ, +and set to our seal that we have found Him true to His every word, and +that we have proved Him able even to do exceeding abundantly above all we +asked or thought. Why should we hesitate to bear this testimony? We have +done nothing at all; we have, in all our efforts, only proved to +ourselves, and perhaps to others, that we had no power either to give or +keep our lives. Why should we not, then, glorify His grace by +acknowledging that we have found Him so wonderfully and tenderly gracious +and faithful in both taking and keeping as we never supposed or imagined? +I shall never forget the smile and emphasis with which a poor working man +bore this witness to his Lord. I said to him, 'Well, H., we have a good +Master, have we not?' 'Ah,' said he, 'a deal better than ever _I_ +thought!' That summed up his experience, and so it will sum up the +experience of every one who will but yield their lives wholly to the same +good Master. + + +I cannot close this chapter without a word with those, especially my +younger friends, who, although they have named the name of Christ, are +saying, 'Yes, this is all very well for some people, or for older people, +but I am not ready for it; I can't say I see my way to this sort of +thing.' I am going to take the lowest ground for a minute, and appeal to +_your_ 'past experience.' Are you satisfied with your experience of the +other 'sort of thing'? Your pleasant pursuits, your harmless recreations, +your nice occupations, even your improving ones, what fruit are you +having from them? Your social intercourse, your daily talks and walks, +your investments of all the time that remains to you over and above the +absolute duties God may have given you, what fruit that shall remain have +you from all this? Day after day passes on, and year after year, and what +shall the harvest be? What is even the present return? Are you getting +any real and lasting satisfaction out of it all? Are you not finding that +things lose their flavour, and that you are spending your strength day +after day for nought? that you are no more satisfied than you were a year +ago--rather less so, if anything? Does not a sense of hollowness and +weariness come over you as you go on in the same round, perpetually +getting through things only to begin again? It cannot be otherwise. Over +even the freshest and purest earthly fountains the Hand that never makes +a mistake has written, 'He that drinketh of this water shall thirst +again.' Look into your own heart and you will find a copy of that +inscription already traced, '_Shall thirst again_.' And the characters +are being deepened with every attempt to quench the inevitable thirst and +weariness in life, which can only be satisfied and rested in full +consecration to God. For 'Thou hast made us _for Thyself_, and the heart +never resteth till it findeth rest in Thee.' To-day I tell you of a +brighter and happier life, whose inscription is, '_Shall never +thirst_,'--a life that is no dull round-and-round in a circle of +unsatisfactorinesses, but a life that has found its true and entirely +satisfactory centre, and set itself towards a shining and entirely +satisfactory goal, whose brightness is cast over every step of the way. +Will you not seek it? + +Do not shrink, and suspect, and hang back from what it may involve, with +selfish and unconfiding and ungenerous half-heartedness. Take the word of +any who have willingly offered themselves unto the Lord, that the life of +consecration is 'a deal better than they thought!' Choose this day whom +you will serve with real, thorough-going, whole-hearted service, and He +will receive you; and you will find, as we have found, that He is such a +good Master that you are satisfied with His goodness, and that you will +never want to go out free. Nay, rather take His own word for it; see what +He says: 'If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in +prosperity, and their years in pleasures.' You cannot possibly understand +that till you are really _in_ His service! For He does not give, nor even +show, His wages before you enter it. And He says, 'My servants shall sing +for joy of heart.' But you cannot try over that song to see what it is +like, you cannot even read one bar of it, till your nominal or even +promised service is exchanged for real and undivided consecration. But +when He can call you 'My servant,' then you will find yourself singing +for joy of heart, because He says you shall. + +'And who, then, is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the +Lord?' + +'Do not startle at the term, or think, because you do not understand all +it may include, you are therefore not qualified for it. I dare say it +comprehends a great deal more than either you or I understand, but we can +both enter into the spirit of it, and the detail will unfold itself as +long as our probation shall last. Christ demands a hearty consecration in +_will_, and He will teach us what that involves in _act_.' + +This explains the paradox that 'full consecration' may be in one sense +the act of a moment, and in another the work of a lifetime. It must be +complete to be real, and yet if real, it is always incomplete; a point of +rest, and yet a perpetual progression. + +Suppose you make over a piece of ground to another person. You give it +up, then and there, entirely to that other; it is no longer in your own +possession; you no longer dig and sow, plant and reap, at your discretion +or for your own profit. His occupation of it is total; no other has any +right to an inch of it; it is his affair thenceforth what crops to +arrange for and how to make the most of it. But his practical occupation +of it may not appear all at once. There may be waste land which he will +take into full cultivation only by degrees, space wasted for want of +draining or by over fencing, and odd corners lost for want of enclosing; +fields yielding smaller returns than they might because of hedgerows too +wide and shady, and trees too many and spreading, and strips of good soil +trampled into uselessness for want of defined pathways. + +Just so is it with our lives. The transaction of, so to speak, making +them over to God is definite and complete. But then begins the practical +development of consecration. And here He leads on 'softly, according as +the children be able to endure.' I do not suppose any one sees anything +like all that it involves at the outset. We have not a notion what an +amount of waste of power there has been in our lives; we never measured +out the odd corners and the undrained bits, and it never occurred to us +what good fruit might be grown in our straggling hedgerows, nor how the +shade of our trees has been keeping the sun from the scanty crops. And +so, season by season, we shall be sometimes not a little startled, yet +always very glad, as we find that bit by bit the Master shows how much +more may be made of our ground, how much more He is able to make of it +than we did; and we shall be willing to work under Him and do exactly +what He points out, even if it comes to cutting down a shady tree, or +clearing out a ditch full of pretty weeds and wild-flowers. + +As the seasons pass on, it will seem as if there was always more and more +to be done; the very fact that He is constantly showing us something more +to be done in it, proving that it is really His ground. Only let Him +_have_ the ground, no matter how poor or overgrown the soil may be, and +then 'He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the +garden of the Lord.' Yes, even _our_ 'desert'! And then we shall sing, +'My beloved has gone down into _His_ garden, to the beds of spices, to +feed in the gardens and to gather lilies.' + + Made for Thyself, O God! + Made for Thy love, Thy service, Thy delight; + Made to show forth Thy wisdom, grace, and might; + Made for Thy praise, whom veiled archangels laud: + Oh, strange and glorious thought, that we may be + A joy to Thee! + + Yet the heart turns away + From this grand destiny of bliss, and deems + 'Twas made for its poor self, for passing dreams, + Chasing illusions melting day by day, + Till for ourselves we read on this world's best, + 'This is not rest!' + + + + + CHAPTER II. + Our Moments kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my moments and my days;_ + _Let them flow in ceaseless praise.'_ + +It may be a little help to writer and reader if we consider some of the +practical details of the life which we desire to have 'kept for Jesus' in +the order of the little hymn at the beginning of this book, with the one +word 'take' changed to 'keep.' So we will take a couplet for each +chapter. + +The first point that naturally comes up is that which is almost +synonymous with life--our time. And this brings us at once face to face +with one of our past difficulties, and its probable cause. + +When we take a wide sweep, we are so apt to be vague. When we are aiming +at generalities we do not hit the practicalities. We forget that +faithfulness to principle is only proved by faithfulness in detail. Has +not this vagueness had something to do with the constant ineffectiveness +of our feeble desire that our time should be devoted to God? + +In things spiritual, the greater does not always include the less, but, +paradoxically, the less more often includes the greater. So in this case, +time is entrusted to us to be traded with for our Lord. But we cannot +grasp it as a whole. We instinctively break it up ere we can deal with it +for any purpose. So when a new year comes round, we commit it with +special earnestness to the Lord. But as we do so, are we not conscious of +a feeling that even a year is too much for us to deal with? And does not +this feeling, that we are dealing with a larger thing than we can grasp, +take away from the sense of reality? Thus we are brought to a more +manageable measure; and as the Sunday mornings or the Monday mornings +come round, we thankfully commit the opening week to Him, and the sense +of help and rest is renewed and strengthened. But not even the six or +seven days are close enough to our hand; even to-morrow exceeds our tiny +grasp, and even to-morrow's grace is therefore not given to us. So we +find the need of considering our lives as a matter of day by day, and +that any more general committal and consecration of our time does not +meet the case so truly. Here we have found much comfort and help, and if +results have not been entirely satisfactory, they have, at least, been +more so than before we reached this point of subdivision. + +But if we have found help and blessing by going a certain distance in one +direction, is it not probable we shall find more if we go farther in the +same? And so, if we may commit the days to our Lord, why not the hours, +and why not the moments? And may we not expect a fresh and special +blessing in so doing? + +We do not realize the importance of moments. Only let us consider those +two sayings of God about them, 'In a moment shall they die,' and, 'We +shall all be changed in a moment,' and we shall think less lightly of +them. Eternal issues may hang upon any one of them, but it has come and +gone before we can even think about it. Nothing seems less within the +possibility of our own keeping, yet nothing is more inclusive of all +other keeping. Therefore let us ask Him to keep them for us. + +Are they not the tiny joints in the harness through which the darts of +temptation pierce us? Only give us time, we think, and we should not be +overcome. Only give us time, and we could pray and resist, and the devil +would flee from us! But he comes all in a moment; and in a moment--an +unguarded, unkept one--we utter the hasty or exaggerated word, or think +the un-Christ-like thought, or feel the un-Christ-like impatience or +resentment. + +But even if we have gone so far as to say, 'Take my moments,' have we +gone the step farther, and really _let_ Him take them--really entrusted +them to Him? It is no good saying 'take,' when we do not let go. How can +another keep that which we are keeping hold of? So let us, with full +trust in His power, first commit these slippery moments to Him,--put them +right into His hand,--and then we may trustfully and happily say, 'Lord, +keep them for me! Keep every one of the quick series as it arises. I +cannot keep them for Thee; do Thou keep them for Thyself!' + + +But the sanctified and Christ-loving heart cannot be satisfied with only +negative keeping. We do not want only to be kept from displeasing Him, +but to be kept always pleasing Him. Every 'kept _from_' should have its +corresponding and still more blessed 'kept _for_.' We do not want our +moments to be simply kept from Satan's use, but kept for His use; we want +them to be not only kept from sin, but kept for His praise. + +Do you ask, 'But what use can he make of mere moments?' I will not stay +to prove or illustrate the obvious truth that, as are the moments so will +be the hours and the days which they build. You understand that well +enough. I will answer your question as it stands. + +Look back through the history of the Church in all ages, and mark how +often a great work and mighty influence grew out of a mere moment in the +life of one of God's servants; a mere moment, but overshadowed and filled +with the fruitful power of the Spirit of God. The moment may have been +spent in uttering five words, but they have fed five thousand, or even +five hundred thousand. Or it may have been lit by the flash of a thought +that has shone into hearts and homes throughout the land, and kindled +torches that have been borne into earth's darkest corners. The rapid +speaker or the lonely thinker little guessed what use his Lord was making +of that single moment. There was no room in it for even a thought of +that. If that moment had not been, though perhaps unconsciously, 'kept +for Jesus,' but had been otherwise occupied, what a harvest to His praise +would have been missed! + +The same thing is going on every day. It is generally a moment--either an +opening or a culminating one--that really does the work. It is not so +often a whole sermon as a single short sentence in it that wings God's +arrow to a heart. It is seldom a whole conversation that is the means of +bringing about the desired result, but some sudden turn of thought or +word, which comes with the electric touch of God's power. Sometimes it is +less than that; only a look (and what is more momentary?) has been used +by Him for the pulling down of strongholds. Again, in our own quiet +waiting upon God, as moment after moment glides past in the silence at +His feet, the eye resting upon a page of His Word, or only looking up to +Him through the darkness, have we not found that He can so irradiate one +passing moment with His light that its rays never die away, but shine on +and on through days and years? Are not such moments proved to have been +kept for Him? And if some, why not all? + +This view of moments seems to make it clearer that it is impossible to +serve two masters, for it is evident that the service of a moment cannot +be divided. If it is occupied in the service of self, or any other +master, it is not at the Lord's disposal; He cannot make use of what is +already occupied. + +Oh, how much we have missed by not placing them at his disposal! What +might He not have done with the moments freighted with self or loaded +with emptiness, which we have carelessly let drift by! Oh, what might +have been if they had all been kept for Jesus! How He might have filled +them with His light and life, enriching our own lives that have been +impoverished by the waste, and using them in far-spreading blessing and +power! + + +While we have been undervaluing these fractions of eternity, what has our +gracious God been doing in them? How strangely touching are the words, +'What is man, that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him, and that Thou +shouldest visit him every morning, and _try him every moment?_' Terribly +solemn and awful would be the thought that He has been trying us every +moment, were it not for the yearning gentleness and love of the Father +revealed in that wonderful expression of wonder, 'What is man, that Thou +shouldest set Thine heart upon him?' Think of that ceaseless setting of +His heart upon us, careless and forgetful children as we have been! And +then think of those other words, none the less literally true because +given under a figure: 'I, the Lord, do keep it; _I will water it every +moment._' + +We see something of God's infinite greatness and wisdom when we try to +fix our dazzled gaze on infinite space. But when we turn to the marvels +of the microscope, we gain a clearer view and more definite grasp of +these attributes by gazing on the perfection of His infinitesimal +handiworks. Just so, while we cannot realize the infinite love which +fills eternity, and the infinite vistas of the great future are 'dark +with excess of light' even to the strongest telescopes of faith, we see +that love magnified in the microscope of the moments, brought very close +to us, and revealing its unspeakable perfection of detail to our +wondering sight. + +But we do not see this as long as the moments are kept in our own hands. +We are like little children closing our fingers over diamonds. How can +they receive and reflect the rays of light, analyzing them into all the +splendour of their prismatic beauty, while they are kept shut up tight in +the dirty little hands? Give them up; let our Father hold them for us, +and throw His own great light upon them, and then we shall see them full +of fair colours of His manifold loving-kindnesses; and let Him always +keep them for us, and then we shall always see His light and His love +reflected in them. + +And then, surely, they shall be filled with praise. Not that we are to be +always singing hymns, and using the expressions of other people's praise, +any more than the saints in glory are always literally singing a new +song. But praise will be the tone, the colour, the atmosphere in which +they flow; none of them away from it or out of it. + +Is it a little too much for them all to 'flow in ceaseless praise'? Well, +where will you stop? What proportion of your moments do you think enough +for Jesus? How many for the spirit of praise, and how many for the spirit +of heaviness? Be explicit about it, and come to an understanding. If He +is not to have all, then _how much?_ Calculate, balance, and apportion. +You will not be able to do this in heaven--you know it will be all praise +there; but you are free to halve your service of praise here, or to make +the proportion what you will. + +Yet,--He made you for His glory. + +Yet,--He chose you that you should be to the praise of His glory. + +Yet,--He loves you every moment, waters you every moment, watches you +unslumberingly, cares for you unceasingly. + +Yet,--He died for you! + +Dear friends, one can hardly write it without tears. Shall you or I +remember all this love, and hesitate to give all our moments up to Him? +Let us entrust Him with them, and ask Him to keep them all, every single +one, for His own beloved self, and fill them _all_ with His praise, and +let them _all_ be to His praise! + + + + + Chapter III. + Our Hands Kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my hands, that they may move_ + _At the impulse of Thy love.'_ + +When the Lord has said to us, 'Is thine heart right, as My heart is with +thy heart?' the next word seems to be, 'If it be, give Me thine hand.' + +What a call to confidence, and love, and free, loyal, happy service is +this! and how different will the result of its acceptance be from the old +lamentation: 'We labour and have no rest; we have given the hand to the +Egyptians and to the Assyrians.' In the service of these 'other lords,' +under whatever shape they have presented themselves, we shall have known +something of the meaning of having 'both the hands full with travail and +vexation of spirit.' How many a thing have we 'taken in hand,' as we say, +which we expected to find an agreeable task, an interest in life, a +something towards filling up that unconfessed 'aching void' which is +often most real when least acknowledged; and after a while we have found +it change under our hands into irksome travail, involving perpetual +vexation of spirit! The thing may have been of the earth and for the +world, and then no wonder it failed to satisfy even the instinct of work, +which comes natural to many of us. Or it may have been right enough in +itself, something for the good of others so far as we understood their +good, and unselfish in all but unravelled motive, and yet we found it +full of tangled vexations, because the hands that held it were not simply +consecrated to God. Well, if so, let us bring these soiled and +tangle-making hands to the Lord, 'Let us lift up our heart with our +hands' to Him, asking Him to clear and cleanse them. + +If He says, 'What is that in thine hand?' let us examine honestly whether +it is something which He can use for His glory or not. If not, do not let +us hesitate an instant about dropping it. It may be something we do not +like to part with; but the Lord is able to give thee much more than this, +and the first glimpse of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus +your Lord will enable us to count those things loss which were gain to +us. + +But if it is something which He can use, He will make us do ever so much +more with it than before. Moses little thought what the Lord was going to +make him do with that 'rod in his hand'! The first thing he had to do +with it was to 'cast it on the ground,' and see it pass through a +startling change. After this he was commanded to take it up again, hard +and terrifying as it was to do so. But when it became again a rod in his +hand, it was no longer what it was before, the simple rod of a wandering +desert shepherd. Henceforth it was 'the rod of God in his hand' (Ex. iv. +20), wherewith he should do signs, and by which God Himself would do +'marvellous things' (Ps. lxxviii. 12). + + +If we look at any Old Testament text about consecration, we shall see +that the marginal reading of the word is, 'fill the hand' (_e. g._ Ex. +xxviii. 41; 1 Chron. xxix. 5). Now, if our hands are full of 'other +things,' they cannot be filled with 'the things that are Jesus Christ's'; +there must be emptying before there can be any true filling. So if we are +sorrowfully seeing that our hands have not been kept for Jesus, let us +humbly begin at the beginning, and ask Him to empty them thoroughly, that +He may fill them completely. + +For they _must_ be emptied. Either we come to our Lord willingly about +it, letting Him unclasp their hold, and gladly dropping the glittering +weights they have been carrying, or, in very love, He will have to force +them open, and wrench from the reluctant grasp the 'earthly things' which +are so occupying them that He cannot have His rightful use of them. There +is only one other alternative, a terrible one,--to be let alone till the +day comes when not a gentle Master, but the relentless king of terrors +shall empty the trembling hands as our feet follow him out of the busy +world into the dark valley, for 'it is certain we can carry nothing out.' + + +Yet the emptying and the filling are not all that has to be considered. +Before the hands of the priests could be filled with the emblems of +consecration, they had to be laid upon the emblem of atonement (Lev. +viii. 14, etc.). That came first. 'Aaron and his sons laid their hands +upon the head of the bullock for the sin-offering.' So the transference +of guilt to our Substitute, typified by that act, must precede the +dedication of ourselves to God. + + 'My faith would lay her hand + On that dear head of Thine, + While like a penitent I stand, + And there confess my sin.' + +The blood of that Holy Substitute was shed 'to make reconciliation upon +the altar.' Without that reconciliation we cannot offer and present +ourselves to God; but this being made, Christ Himself presents us. And +you, that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked +works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, +to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight. + +Then Moses 'brought the ram for the burnt-offering; and Aaron and his +sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram, and Moses burnt the whole +ram upon the altar; it was a burnt-offering for a sweet savour, and an +offering made by fire unto the Lord.' Thus Christ's offering was indeed a +whole one, body, soul, and spirit, each and all suffering even unto +death. These atoning sufferings, accepted by God for us, are, by our own +free act, accepted by us as the ground of our acceptance. + +Then, reconciled and accepted, we are ready for consecration; for then +'he brought the other ram; the ram of consecration; and Aaron and his +sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.' Here we see Christ, 'who +is consecrated for evermore.' We enter by faith into union with Him who +said, 'For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be +sanctified through the truth.' + +After all this, their hands were filled with 'consecrations for a sweet +savour,' so, after laying the hand of our faith upon Christ, suffering +and dying for us, we are to lay that very same hand of faith, and in the +very same way, upon Him as consecrated for us, to be the source and life +and power of our consecration. And then our hands shall be filled with +'consecrations,' filled with Christ, and filled with all that is a sweet +savour to God in Him. + +'And who then is willing to fill his hand this day unto the Lord?' Do you +want an added motive? Listen again: 'Fill your hands to-day to the Lord, +that He may bestow upon you a blessing this day.' Not a long time hence, +not even to-morrow, but 'this day.' Do you not want a blessing? Is not +your answer to your Father's 'What wilt thou?' the same as Achsah's, +'Give me a blessing!' Here is His promise of just what you so want; will +you not gladly fulfil His condition? A blessing shall immediately follow. +He does not specify what it shall be; He waits to reveal it. You will +find it such a blessing as you had not supposed could be for you--a +blessing that shall verily make you rich, with no sorrow added--a +blessing _this day_. + + +All that has been said about consecration applies to our literal members. +Stay a minute, and look at your hand, the hand that holds this little +book as you read it. See how wonderfully it is made; how perfectly fitted +for what it has to do; how ingeniously connected with the brain, so as to +yield that instantaneous and instinctive obedience without which its +beautiful mechanism would be very little good to us! _Your_ hand, do you +say? Whether it is soft and fair with an easy life, or rough and strong +with a working one, or white and weak with illness, it is the Lord Jesus +Christ's. It is not your own at all; it belongs to Him. He made it, for +without Him was not anything made that was made, not even your hand. And +He has the added right of purchase--He has bought it that it might be one +of His own instruments. We know this very well, but have we realized it? +Have we really let Him have the use of these hands of ours? and have we +ever simply and sincerely asked Him to keep them for His own use? + +Does this mean that we are always to be doing some definitely 'religious' +work, as it is called? No, but that _all that we do_ is to be always +definitely done _for Him_. There is a great difference. If the hands are +indeed moving 'at the impulse of His love,' the simplest little duties +and acts are transfigured into holy service to the Lord. + + 'A servant with this clause + Makes drudgery divine; + Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws, + Makes that and the action fine.' + + George Herbert. + +A Christian school-girl loves Jesus; she wants to please Him all day +long, and so she practices her scales carefully and conscientiously. It +is at the impulse of His love that her fingers move so steadily through +the otherwise tiresome exercises. Some day her Master will find a use for +her music; but meanwhile it may be just as really done unto Him as if it +were Mr. Sankey at his organ, swaying the hearts of thousands. The hand +of a Christian lad traces his Latin verses, or his figures, or his +copying. He is doing his best, because a banner has been given him that +it may be displayed, not so much by talk as by continuance in well-doing. +And so, for Jesus' sake, his hand moves accurately and perseveringly. + +A busy wife, or daughter, or servant has a number of little manual duties +to perform. If these are done slowly and leisurely, they may be got +through, but there will not be time left for some little service to the +poor, or some little kindness to a suffering or troubled neighbour, or +for a little quiet time alone with God and His word. And so the hands +move quickly, impelled by the loving desire for service or communion, +kept in busy motion for Jesus' sake. Or it may be that the special aim is +to give no occasion of reproach to some who are watching, but so to adorn +the doctrine that those may be won by the life who will not be won by the +word. Then the hands will have their share to do; they will move +carefully, neatly, perhaps even elegantly, making every thing around as +nice as possible, letting their intelligent touch be seen in the details +of the home, and even of the dress, doing or arranging all the little +things decently and in order for Jesus' sake. And so on with every duty +in every position. + +It may seem an odd idea, but a simple glance at one's hand, with the +recollection, 'This hand is not mine; it has been given to Jesus, and it +must be kept for Jesus,' may sometimes turn the scale in a doubtful +matter, and be a safeguard from certain temptations. With that thought +fresh in your mind as you look at your hand, can you let it take up +things which, to say the very least, are not 'for Jesus'? things which +evidently cannot be used, as they most certainly are not used, either for +Him or by Him? Cards, for instance! Can you deliberately hold in it books +of a kind which you know perfectly well, by sadly repeated experience, +lead you farther from instead of nearer to Him? books which must and do +fill your mind with those 'other things' which, entering in, choke the +word? books which you would not care to read at all, if your heart were +burning within you at the coming of His feet to bless you? Next time any +temptation of this sort approaches, just _look at your hand!_ + +It was of a literal hand that our Lord Jesus spoke when He said, 'Behold, +the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table;' and, 'He that +dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me.' A hand +so near to Jesus, with Him on the table, touching His own hand in the +dish at that hour of sweetest, and closest, and most solemn intercourse, +and yet betraying Him! That same hand taking the thirty pieces of silver! +What a tremendous lesson of the need of keeping for our hands! Oh that +every hand that is with Him at His sacramental table, and that takes the +memorial bread, may be kept from any faithless and loveless motion! And +again, it was by literal 'wicked hands' that our Lord Jesus was crucified +and slain. Does not the thought that human hands have been so treacherous +and cruel to our beloved Lord make us wish the more fervently that our +hands may be totally faithful and devoted to Him? + + +Danger and temptation to let the hands move at other impulses is every +bit as great to those who have nothing else to do but to render direct +service, and who think they are doing nothing else. Take one practical +instance--our letter-writing. Have we not been tempted (and fallen before +the temptation), according to our various dispositions, to let the hand +that holds the pen move at the impulse to write an unkind thought of +another; or to say a clever and sarcastic thing, or a slightly coloured +and exaggerated thing, which will make our point more telling; or to let +out a grumble or a suspicion; or to let the pen run away with us into +flippant and trifling words, unworthy of our high and holy calling? Have +we not drifted away from the golden reminder, 'Should he reason with +unprofitable talk, and with speeches wherewith he can do no good?' Why +has this been, perhaps again and again? Is it not for want of putting our +hands into our dear Master's hand, and asking and trusting Him to keep +them? He _could_ have kept; He _would_ have kept! + +Whatever our work or our special temptations may be, the principle +remains the same, only let us apply it for ourselves. + +Perhaps one hardly needs to say that the kept hands will be very gentle +hands. Quick, angry motions of the heart will sometimes force themselves +into expression by the hand, though the tongue may be restrained. The +very way in which we close a door or lay down a book may be a victory or +a defeat, a witness to Christ's keeping or a witness that we are not +truly being kept. How can we expect that God will use this member as an +instrument of righteousness unto Him, if we yield it thus as an +instrument of unrighteousness unto sin? Therefore let us see to it, that +it is at once yielded to Him whose right it is; and let our sorrow that +it should have been even for an instant desecrated to Satan's use, lead +us to entrust it henceforth to our Lord, to be kept by the power of God +through faith 'for the Master's use.' + +For when the gentleness of Christ dwells in us, He can use the merest +touch of a finger. Have we not heard of one gentle touch on a wayward +shoulder being the turning-point of a life? I have known a case in which +the Master made use of less than that--only the quiver of a little finger +being made the means of touching a wayward heart. + +What must the touch of the Master's own hand have been! One imagines it +very gentle, though so full of power. Can He not communicate both the +power and the gentleness? When He touched the hand of Peter's wife's +mother, she arose and ministered unto them. Do you not think the hand +which Jesus had just touched must have ministered very excellently? As we +ask Him to 'touch our lips with living fire,' so that they may speak +effectively for Him, may we not ask Him to touch our hands, that they may +minister effectively, and excel in all that they find to do for Him? Then +our hands shall be made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob. + + +It is very pleasant to feel that if our hands are indeed our Lord's, we +may ask Him to guide them, and strengthen them, and teach them. I do not +mean figuratively, but quite literally. In everything they do for Him +(and that should be _everything we ever undertake_) we want to do it +well--better and better. 'Seek that ye may excel.' We are too apt to +think that He has given us certain natural gifts, but has nothing +practically to do with the improvement of them, and leaves us to +ourselves for that. Why not ask him to make these hands of ours more +handy for His service, more skilful in what is indicated as the 'next +thynge' they are to do? The 'kept' hands need not be clumsy hands. If the +Lord taught David's hands to war and his fingers to fight, will He not +teach our hands, and fingers too, to do what He would have them do? + +The Spirit of God must have taught Bezaleel's hands as well as his head, +for he was filled with it not only that he might devise cunning works, +but also in cutting of stones and carving of timber. And when all the +women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, the hands must +have been made skilful as well as the hearts made wise to prepare the +beautiful garments and curtains. + +There is a very remarkable instance of the hand of the Lord, which I +suppose signifies in that case the power of His Spirit, being upon the +hand of a man. In 1 Chron. xxviii. 19, we read: 'All this, said David, +the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the +works of this pattern.' This cannot well mean that the Lord gave David a +miraculously written scroll, because, a few verses before, it says that +he had it all by the Spirit. So what else can it mean but that as David +wrote, the hand of the Lord was upon his hand, impelling him to trace, +letter by letter, the right words of description for all the details of +the temple that Solomon should build, with its courts and chambers, its +treasuries and vessels? Have we not sometimes sat down to write, feeling +perplexed and ignorant, and wishing some one were there to tell us what +to say? At such a moment, whether it were a mere note for post, or a +sheet for press, it is a great comfort to recollect this mighty laying of +a Divine hand upon a human one, and ask for the same help from the same +Lord. It is sure to be given! + + +And now, dear friend, what about your own hands? Are they consecrated to +the Lord who loves you? And if they are, are you trusting Him to keep +them, and enjoying all that is involved in that keeping? Do let this be +settled with your Master before you go on to the next chapter. + +After all, this question will hinge on another, Do you love Him? If you +really do, there can surely be neither hesitation about yielding them to +Him, nor about entrusting them to Him to be kept. _Does He love you?_ +That is the truer way of putting it; for it is not our love to Christ, +but the love of Christ to us which constraineth us. And this is the +impulse of the motion and the mode of the keeping. The steam-engine does +not move when the fire is not kindled, nor when it is gone out; no matter +how complete the machinery and abundant the fuel, cold coals will neither +set it going nor keep it working. Let us ask Him so to shed abroad His +love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, that it may +be the perpetual and only impulse of every action of our daily life. + + + + + Chapter IV. + Our Feet kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my feet, that they may be_ + _Swift and beautiful for Thee.'_ + +The figurative keeping of the feet of His saints, with the promise that +when they run they shall not stumble, is a most beautiful and helpful +subject. But it is quite distinct from the literal keeping for Jesus of +our literal feet. + +There is a certain homeliness about the idea which helps to make it very +real. These very feet of ours are purchased for Christ's service by the +precious drops which fell from His own torn and pierced feet upon the +cross. They are to be His errand-runners. How can we let the world, the +flesh, and the devil have the use of what has been purchased with such +payment? + +Shall 'the world' have the use of them? Shall they carry us where the +world is paramount, and the Master cannot be even named, because the +mention of His Name would be so obviously out of place? I know the +apparent difficulties of a subject which will at once occur in connection +with this, but they all vanish when our bright banner is loyally +unfurled, with its motto, '_All_ for Jesus!' Do you honestly want your +very feet to be 'kept for Jesus'? Let these simple words, '_Kept for +Jesus_,' ring out next time the dancing difficulty or any other +difficulty of the same kind comes up, and I know what the result will be! + +Shall 'the flesh' have the use of them? Shall they carry us hither and +thither merely because we like to go, merely because it pleases ourselves +to take this walk or pay this visit? And after all, what a failure it is! +If people only _would_ believe it, self-pleasing is always a failure in +the end. Our good Master gives us a reality and fulness of _pleasure_ in +pleasing Him which we never get out of pleasing ourselves. + +Shall 'the devil' have the use of them? Oh no, of course not! We start +back at this, as a highly unnecessary question. Yet if Jesus has not, +Satan has. For as all are serving either the Prince of Life or the prince +of this world, and as no man can serve two masters, it follows that if we +are not serving the one, we are serving the other. And Satan is only too +glad to disguise this service under the less startling form of the world, +or the still less startling one of self. All that is not 'kept for +Jesus,' is left for self or the world, and therefore for Satan. + + +There is no fear but that our Lord will have many uses for what is kept +by Him for Himself. 'How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad +tidings of good things!' That is the best use of all; and I expect the +angels think those feet beautiful, even if they are cased in muddy boots +or goloshes. + +Once the question was asked, 'Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing +that thou hast no tidings ready?' So if we want to have these beautiful +feet, we must have the tidings ready which they are to bear. Let us ask +Him to keep our hearts so freshly full of His good news of salvation, +that our mouths may speak out of their abundance. 'If the clouds be full +of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.' The 'two olive branches +empty the golden oil out of themselves.' May we be so filled with the +Spirit that we may thus have much to pour out for others! + +Besides the great privilege of carrying water from the wells of +salvation, there are plenty of cups of cold water to be carried in all +directions; not to the poor only,--ministries of love are often as much +needed by a rich friend. But the feet must be kept for these; they will +be too tired for them if they are tired out for self-pleasing. In such +services we are treading in the blessed steps of His most holy life, who +'went about doing good.' + +Then there is literal errand-going,--just to fetch something that is +needed for the household, or something that a tired relative wants, +whether asked or unasked. Such things should come first instead of last, +because these are clearly indicated as our Lord's will for us to do, by +the position in which He has placed us; while what _seems_ more direct +service, may be after all not so directly apportioned by Him. 'I have to +go and buy some soap,' said one with a little sigh. The sigh was waste of +breath, for her feet were going to do her Lord's will for that next +half-hour much more truly than if they had carried her to her well-worked +district, and left the soap to take its chance. + +A member of the Young Women's Christian Association wrote a few words on +this subject, which, I think, will be welcome to many more than she +expected them to reach:-- + +'May it not be a comfort to those of us who feel we have not the mental +or spiritual power that others have, to notice that the living sacrifice +mentioned in Rom. xii. 1 is our "bodies"? Of course, that includes the +mental power, but does it not also include the loving, sympathizing +glance, the kind, encouraging word, _the ready errand for another_, the +work of our hands, opportunities for all of which come oftener in the day +than for the mental power we are often tempted to envy? May we be enabled +to offer willingly that which we have. For if there be first a willing +mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to +that he hath not.' + +If our feet are to be kept at His disposal, our eyes must be ever toward +the Lord for guidance. We must look to Him for our orders where to go. +Then He will be sure to give them. 'The steps of a good man are ordered +by the Lord.' Very often we find that they have been so very literally +ordered for us that we are quite astonished,--just as if He had not +promised! + +Do not smile at a _very_ homely thought! If our feet are not our own, +ought we not to take care of them for Him whose they are? Is it quite +right to be reckless about 'getting wet feet,' which might be guarded +against either by forethought or afterthought, when there is, at least, a +risk of hindering our service thereby? Does it please the Master when +even in our zeal for His work we annoy anxious friends by carelessness in +little things of this kind? + +May every step of our feet be more and more like those of our beloved +Master. Let us continually consider Him in this, and go where He would +have gone, on the errands which He would have done, 'following hard' +after Him. And let us look on to the time when our feet shall stand in +the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, when holy feet shall tread the +streets of the holy city; no longer pacing any lonely path, for He hath +said, 'They shall walk with Me in white.' + + 'And He hath said, "How beautiful the feet!" + The "feet" so weary, travel-stained, and worn-- + The "feet" that humbly, patiently have borne + The toilsome way, the pressure, and the heat. + + 'The "feet," not hasting on with wingèd might, + Nor strong to trample down the opposing foe; + So lowly, and so human, they must go + By painful steps to scale the mountain height. + + 'Not unto all the tuneful lips are given, + The ready tongue, the words so strong and sweet; + Yet all may turn, with humble, willing "feet," + And bear to darkened souls the light from heaven. + + 'And fall they while the goal far distant lies, + With scarce a word yet spoken for their Lord-- + His sweet approval He doth yet accord; + Their "feet" are beauteous in the Master's eyes. + + 'With weary human "feet" He, day by day, + Once trod this earth to work His acts of love; + And every step is chronicled above + His servants take to follow in His way.' + + Sarah Geraldina Stock. + + + + + Chapter V. + Our Voices kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my voice, and let me sing_ + _Always, only, for my King.'_ + +I have wondered a little at being told by an experienced worker, that in +many cases the voice seems the last and hardest thing to yield entirely +to the King; and that many who think and say they have consecrated all to +the Lord and His service, 'revolt' when it comes to be a question of +whether they shall sing 'always, only,' for their King. They do not mind +singing a few general sacred songs, but they do not see their way to +really singing always and only unto and for Him. They want to bargain and +balance a little. They question and argue about what proportion they may +keep for self-pleasing and company-pleasing, and how much they must 'give +up'; and who will and who won't like it; and what they 'really _must_ +sing,' and what they 'really must _not_ sing' at certain times and +places; and what 'won't do,' and what they 'can't very well help,' and so +on. And so when the question, 'How much owest thou unto my Lord?' is +applied to this particularly pleasant gift, it is not met with the loyal, +free-hearted, happy response, 'All! yes, _all_ for Jesus!' + +I know there are special temptations around this matter. Vain and selfish +ones--whispering how much better a certain song suits your voice, and how +much more likely to be admired. Faithless ones--suggesting doubts whether +you can make the holy song 'go.' Specious ones--asking whether you ought +not to please your neighbours, and hushing up the rest of the precept, +'Let every one of you please his neighbour _for his good to edification_' +(Rom. xv. 2). Cowardly ones--telling you that it is just a little too +much to expect of you, and that you are not called upon to wave your +banner in people's very faces, and provoke surprise and remark, as this +might do. And so the banner is kept furled, the witness for Jesus is not +borne, and you sing for others and not for your King. + +The words had passed your lips, 'Take my voice!' And yet you will not let +Him have it; you will not let Him have that which costs you something, +just _because_ it costs you something! And yet He lent you that pleasant +voice that you might use it for Him. And yet He, in the sureness of His +perpetual presence, was beside you all the while, and heard every note as +you sang the songs which were, as your inmost heart knew, _not_ for Him. + +Where is your faith? Where is the consecration you have talked about? The +voice has not been kept for Him, because it has not been truly and +unreservedly given to Him. Will you not now say, 'Take my voice, for I +had not given it to Thee; keep my voice, for I cannot keep it for Thee'? + +And He will keep it! You cannot tell, till you have tried, how surely all +the temptations flee when it is no longer your battle but the Lord's; nor +how completely and _curiously_ all the difficulties vanish, when you +simply and trustfully go forward in the path of full consecration in this +matter. You will find that the keeping is most wonderfully real. Do not +expect to lay down rules and provide for every sort of contingency. If +you could, you would miss the sweetness of the continual guidance in the +'kept' course. Have only one rule about it--just to look up to your +Master about every single song you are asked or feel inclined to sing. If +you are 'willing and obedient,' you will always meet His guiding eye. He +will always keep the voice that is wholly at His disposal. Soon you will +have such experience of His immediate guidance that you will be utterly +satisfied with it, and only sorrowfully wonder you did not sooner thus +simply lean on it. + +I have just received a letter from one who has laid her special gift at +the feet of the Giver, yielding her voice to Him with hearty desire that +it might be kept for His use. She writes: 'I had two lessons on singing +while in Germany from our Master. One was very sweet. A young girl wrote +to me, that when she had heard me sing, "O come, every one that +thirsteth," she went away and prayed that she might come, and she _did_ +come, too. Is not He good? The other was: I had been tempted to join the +_Gesang Verein_ in N----. I prayed to be shown whether I was right in so +doing or not. I did not see my way clear, so I went. The singing was all +secular. The very first night I went I caught a bad cold on my chest, +which prevented me from singing again at all till Christmas. Those were +better than any lessons from a singing master!' Does not this illustrate +both the keeping _from_ and the keeping _for?_ In the latter case I +believe she honestly wished to know her Lord's will,--whether the +training and practice were needed for His better service with her music, +and that, therefore, she might take them for His sake; or whether the +concomitants and influence would be such as to hinder the close communion +with Him which she had found so precious, and that, therefore, she was to +trust Him to give her 'much more than this.' And so, at once, He showed +her unmistakeably what He would have her _not_ do, and gave her the sweet +consciousness that He Himself was teaching her and taking her at her +word. I know what her passionate love for music is, and how very real and +great the compensation from Him must have been which could thus make her +right down _glad_ about what would otherwise have been an immense +disappointment. And then, as to the former of these two 'lessons,' the +song she names was one substituted when she said, 'Take my voice,' for +some which were far more effective for her voice. But having freely +chosen to sing what might glorify the Master rather than the singer, see +how, almost immediately, He gave her a reward infinitely outweighing all +the drawing-room compliments or concert-room applause! That one +consecrated song found echoes in heaven, bringing, by its blessed result, +joy to the angels and glory to God. And the memory of that song is +immortal; it will live through ages to come, never lost, never dying +away, when the vocal triumphs of the world's greatest singers are past +and forgotten for ever. Now you who have been taking a half-and-half +course, do _you_ get such rewards as this? You may well envy them! But +why not take the same decided course, and share the same blessed keeping +and its fulness of hidden reward? + +If you only knew, dear hesitating friends, what strength and gladness the +Master gives when we loyally 'sing forth the honour of His Name,' you +would not forego it! Oh, if you only knew the difficulties it saves! For +when you sing 'always and only for your King,' you will not get much +entangled by the King's enemies, Singing an out-and-out sacred song often +clears one's path at a stroke as to many other things. If you only knew +the rewards He gives--very often then and there; the recognition that you +are one of the King's friends by some lonely and timid one; the openings +which you quite naturally gain of speaking a word for Jesus to hearts +which, without the song, would never have given you the chance of the +word! If you only knew the joy of believing that His sure promise, 'My +Word shall not return unto Me void,' will be fulfilled as you _sing_ that +word for Him! If you only tasted the solemn happiness of knowing that you +have indeed a royal audience, that the King Himself is listening as you +sing! If you only knew--and why should you not know? Shall not the time +past of your life suffice you for the miserable, double-hearted, +calculating service? Let Him have the _whole_ use of your voice at any +cost, and see if He does not put many a totally unexpected new song into +your mouth! + +I am not writing all this to great and finished singers, but to everybody +who can sing at all. Those who think they have only a very small talent, +are often most tempted not to trade with it for their Lord. Whether you +have much or little natural voice, there is reason for its cultivation +and room for its use. Place it at your Lord's disposal, and He will show +you how to make the most of it for Him; for not seldom His multiplying +power is brought to bear on a consecrated voice. A puzzled singing +master, very famous in his profession, said to one who tried to sing for +Jesus, 'Well, you have not much voice; but, mark my words, you will +always beat anybody with four times your voice!' He was right, though he +did not in the least know why. + + +A great many so-called 'sacred songs' are so plaintive and pathetic that +they help to give a gloomy idea of religion. Now _don't_ sing these; come +out boldly, and sing definitely and unmistakeably for your King, and of +your King, and to your King. You will soon find, and even outsiders will +have to own, that it is a _good_ thing thus to show forth His +loving-kindness and His faithfulness (see Ps. xcii. 1-3). + +Here I am usually met by the query, 'But what would you advise me to +sing?' I can only say that I never got any practical help from asking any +one but the Master Himself, and so I would advise you to do the same! He +knows exactly what will best suit your voice and enable you to sing best +for Him; for He made it, and gave it just the pitch and tone He pleased, +so, of course, He is the best counsellor about it. Refer your question in +simplest faith to Him, and I am perfectly sure you will find it answered. +He will direct you, and in some way or other the Lord will provide the +right songs for you to sing. That is the very best advice I can possibly +give you on the subject, and you will prove it to be so if you will act +upon it. + +Only one thing I would add: I believe there is nothing like singing His +own words. The preacher claims the promise, 'My word shall not return +unto Me void,' and why should not the singer equally claim it? Why should +we use His own inspired words, with faith in their power, when speaking +or writing, and content ourselves with human words put into rhyme (and +sometimes very feeble rhyme) for our singing? + +What a vista of happy work opens out here! What is there to prevent our +using this mightiest of all agencies committed to human agents, the Word, +which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, +whenever we are asked to sing? By this means, even a young girl may be +privileged to make that Word sound in the ears of many who would not +listen to it otherwise. By this, the incorruptible seed may be sown in +otherwise unreachable ground. + +It is a remarkable fact that it is actually the easiest way thus to take +the very highest ground. You will find that singing Bible words does not +excite the prejudice or contempt that any other words, sufficiently +decided to be worth singing, are almost sure to do. For very decency's +sake, a Bible song will be listened to respectfully; and for very shame's +sake, no adverse whisper will be ventured against the words in ordinary +English homes. The singer is placed on a vantage-ground, certain that at +least the words of the song will be outwardly respected, and the possible +ground of unfriendly criticism thus narrowed to begin with. + +But there is much more than this. One feels the power of His words for +oneself as one sings. One loves them and rejoices in them, and what can +be greater help to any singer than that? And one knows they are true, and +that they cannot really return void, and what can give greater confidence +than that? God _may_ bless the singing of any words, but He _must_ bless +the singing of His own Word, if that promise means what it says! + +The only real difficulty in the matter is that Scripture songs, as a +rule, require a little more practice than others. Then practise them a +little more! You think nothing of the trouble of learning, for instance, +a sonata, which takes you many a good hour's practice before you can +render it perfectly and expressively. But you shrink from a song, the +accompaniment of which you cannot read off without any trouble at all. +And you never think of such a thing as taking one-tenth the pains to +learn that accompaniment that you took to learn that sonata! Very likely, +too, you take the additional pains to learn the sonata off by heart, so +that you may play it more effectively. But you do not take pains to learn +your accompaniment by heart, so that you may throw all your power into +the expression of the words, undistracted by reading the notes and +turning over the leaves. It is far more useful to have half a dozen +Scripture songs thoroughly learnt and made your own, than to have in your +portfolios several dozen easy settings of sacred poetry which you get +through with your eyes fixed on the notes. And every one thus thoroughly +mastered makes it easier to master others. + +You will say that all this refers only to drawing-room singing. So it +does, primarily, but then it is the drawing-room singing which has been +so little for Jesus and so much for self and society; and so much less +has been said about it, and so much less _done_. There would not be half +the complaints of the difficulty of witnessing for Christ in even +professedly Christian homes and circles, if every converted singer were +also a consecrated one. For nothing raises or lowers the tone of a whole +evening so much as the character of the music. There are few things which +show more clearly that, as a rule, a very definite step in advance is +needed beyond being a believer or even a worker for Christ. Over how many +grand or cottage pianos could the Irish Society's motto, 'For Jesus' sake +_only_,' be hung, without being either a frequent reproach, or altogether +inappropriate? + +But what is learnt will, naturally, be sung. And oh! how many Christian +parents give their daughters the advantage of singing lessons without +troubling themselves in the least about what songs are learnt, provided +they are not exceptionally foolish! Still more pressingly I would say, +how many Christian principals, to whom young lives are entrusted at the +most important time of all for training, do not give themselves the least +concern about this matter! As I write, I turn aside to refer to a list of +songs learnt last term by a fresh young voice which would willingly be +trained for higher work. There is just one 'sacred' song in the whole +long list, and even that hardly such a one as the writer of the letter +above quoted would care to sing in her fervent-spirited service of +Christ. All the rest are harmless and pleasing, but only suggestive of +the things of earth, the things of the world that is passing away; not +one that might lead upward and onward, not one that might touch a +careless heart to seek first the kingdom of God, not one that might show +forth the glory and praise of our King, not one that tells out His grace +and love, not one that carries His comfort to His weary ones or His joy +to His loving ones. She is left to find and learn _such_ songs as best +she may; those which she will sing with all the ease and force gained by +good teaching of them are no help at all, but rather hindrance in +anything like wish or attempt to 'sing _for Jesus_.' + +There is not the excuse that the songs of God's kingdom, songs which waft +His own words to the souls around, would not have answered the teacher's +purpose as well. God has taken care of that. He has not left Himself +without witness in this direction. He has given the most perfect melodies +and the richest harmonies to be linked with His own words, and no singer +can be trained beyond His wonderful provision in this way. I pray that +even these poor words of mine may reach the consciences of some of those +who have this responsibility, and lead them to be no longer unfaithful in +this important matter, no longer giving this strangely divided +service--training, as they profess to desire, the souls for God, and yet +allowing the voices to be trained only for the world. + + +But we must not run away with the idea that singing sacred songs and +singing for Jesus are convertible terms. I know by sorrowful personal +experience that it is very possible to sing a sacred song and _not_ sing +it for Jesus. It is easier to have one's portfolio all right than one's +heart, and the repertory is more easily arranged than the motives. When +we have taken our side, and the difficulties of indecision are +consequently swept away, we have a new set of more subtle temptations to +encounter. And although the Master will keep, the servant must watch and +pray; and it is through the watching and the praying that the keeping +will be effectual. We have, however, rather less excuse here than even +elsewhere. For we never have to sing so very suddenly that we need be +taken unawares. We have to think what to sing, and perhaps find the +music, and the prelude has to be played, and all this gives quite enough +time for us to recollect whose we are and whom we serve, and to arouse to +the watch. Quite enough, too, for quick, trustful prayer that our singing +may be kept free from that wretched self-seeking or even +self-consciousness, and kept entirely for Jesus. Our best and happiest +singing will flow when there is a sweet, silent undercurrent of prayerful +or praiseful communion with our Master all through the song. As for +nervousness, I am quite sure this is the best antidote to that. + +On the other hand, it is quite possible to sing for Jesus without singing +a sacred song. Do not take an ell for the inch this seems to give, and +run off with the idea that it does not matter after all what you sing, so +that you sing in a good frame of mind! No such thing! And the admission +needs very careful guarding, and must not be wrested into an excuse for +looking back to the world's songs. But cases may and do arise in which it +may be right to gratify a weary father, or win a wayward brother, by +trying to please them with music to which they will listen when they +would not listen to the songs you would rather sing. There are cases in +which this may be done most truly for the Lord's sake, and clearly under +His guidance. + +Sometimes cases arise in which we can only say, 'Neither know we what to +do, but our eyes are upon Thee.' And when we honestly say that, depend +upon it we shall find the promise true, 'I will guide thee with Mine +eye.' For God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above +that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way (Gr. +_the_ way) to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. + +I do not know why it should be so, but it certainly is a much rarer thing +to find a young gentleman singing for Jesus than a young lady,--a _very_ +rare thing to find one with a cultivated voice consecrating it to the +Master's use. I have met some who were not ashamed to speak for Him, to +whom it never seemed even to occur to sing for Him. They would go and +teach a Bible class one day, and the next they would be practising or +performing just the same songs as those who care nothing for Christ and +His blood-bought salvation. They had left some things behind, but they +had not left any of their old songs behind. They do not seem to think +that being made new creatures in Christ Jesus had anything to do with +this department of their lives. Nobody could gather whether they were on +the Lord's side or not, as they stood and sang their neutral songs. The +banner that was displayed in the class-room was furled in the +drawing-room. Now, my friends, you who have or may have far greater +opportunities of displaying that banner than we womenkind, why should you +be less brave and loyal than your sisters? We are weak and you are strong +naturally, but recollect that want of decision always involves want of +power, and compromising Christians are always weak Christians. You will +never be mighty to the pulling down of strongholds while you have one +foot in the enemy's camp, or on the supposed neutral ground, if such can +exist (which I doubt), between the camps. You will never be a terror to +the devil till you have enlisted every gift and faculty on the Lord's +side. Here is a thing in which you may practically carry out the splendid +motto, 'All for Jesus.' You cannot be all for Him as long as your voice +is not for Him. Which shall it be? _All_ for Him, or _partly_ for Him? +Answer that to Him whom you call Master and Lord. + +When once this drawing-room question is settled, there is not much need +to expatiate about other forms of singing for Jesus. As we have +opportunity we shall be willing to do good with our pleasant gift in any +way or place, and it is wonderful what nice opportunities He makes for +us. Whether to one little sick child or to a thousand listeners, +according to the powers and openings granted, we shall take our happy +position among those who minister with singing (1 Chron. vi. 32). And in +so far as we really do this unto the Lord, I am quite sure He gives the +hundred-fold now in this present time more than all the showy songs or +self-gratifying performances we may have left for His sake. As we +steadily tread this part of the path of consecration, we shall find the +difficulties left behind, and the real pleasantness of the way reached, +and it will be a delight to say to oneself, 'I _cannot_ sing the old +songs;' and though you have thought it quite enough to say, 'With my song +will I please my friends,' especially if they happen to be pleased with a +mildly sacred song or two, you will strike a higher and happier, a richer +and purer note, and say with David, 'With my song will I praise _Him_.' +David said also, 'My lips shall greatly rejoice _when_ I sing unto Thee, +and my soul, which Thou hast redeemed.' And you will find that this comes +true. + + Singing for Jesus, our Saviour and King; + Singing for Jesus, the Lord whom we love! + All adoration we joyously bring, + Longing to praise as they praise Him above. + + Singing for Jesus, our Master and Friend, + Telling His love and His marvellous grace,-- + Love from eternity, love to the end, + Love for the loveless, the sinful, and base. + + Singing for Jesus, and trying to win + Many to love Him, and join in the song; + Calling the weary and wandering in, + Rolling the chorus of gladness along. + + Singing for Jesus, our Life and our Light; + Singing for Him as we press to the mark; + Singing for Him when the morning is bright; + Singing, still singing, for Him in the dark! + + Singing for Jesus, our Shepherd and Guide; + Singing for gladness of heart that He gives; + Singing for wonder and praise that He died; + Singing for blessing and joy that He lives! + + Singing for Jesus, oh, singing with joy; + Thus will we praise Him, and tell out His love, + Till He shall call us to brighter employ, + Singing for Jesus for ever above. + + + + + Chapter VI. + Our Lips kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my lips, that they may be_ + _Filled with messages from Thee.'_ + +The days are past for ever when we said, 'Our lips are our own.' Now we +know that they are not our own. + +And yet how many of my readers often have the miserable consciousness +that they have 'spoken unadvisedly with their lips'! How many pray, 'Keep +the door of my lips,' when the very last thing they think of expecting is +that they _will_ be kept! They deliberately make up their minds that +hasty words, or foolish words, or exaggerated words, according to their +respective temptations, must and will slip out of that door, and that it +can't be helped. The extent of the real meaning of their prayer was +merely that not quite so many might slip out. As their faith went no +farther, the answer went no farther, and so the door was not kept. + +Do let us look the matter straight in the face. Either we have committed +our lips to our Lord, or we have not. This question must be settled +first. If not, oh, do not let another hour pass! Take them to Jesus, and +ask Him to take them. + +But when you _have_ committed them to Him, it comes to this,--is He able +or is He not able to keep that which you have committed to Him? If He is +not able, of course you may as well give up at once, for your own +experience has abundantly proved that _you_ are not able, so there is no +help for you. But if He is able--nay, thank God there is no '_if_' on +this side!--say, rather, _as_ He is able, where was this inevitable +necessity of perpetual failure? You have been fancying yourself virtually +doomed and fated to it, and therefore you have gone on in it, while all +the time His arm was not shortened that it could not save, but you have +been limiting the Holy One of Israel. Honestly, now, have you trusted Him +to keep your lips _this day?_ Trust necessarily implies expectation that +what we have entrusted will be kept. If you have not expected Him to +keep, you have not trusted. You may have tried, and tried very hard, but +you have not _trusted_, and therefore you have not been kept, and your +lips have been the snare of your soul (Prov. xviii. 7). + +Once I heard a beautiful prayer which I can never forget; it was this: +'Lord, take my lips, and speak through them; take my mind, and think +through it; take my heart, and set it on fire.' And this is the way the +Master keeps the lips of His servants, by so filling their hearts with +His love that the outflow cannot be unloving, by so filling their +thoughts that the utterance cannot be un-Christ-like. There must be +filling before there _can_ be pouring out; and if there is filling, there +_must_ be pouring out, for He hath said, 'Out of the abundance of the +heart the mouth speaketh.' + +But I think we should look for something more direct and definite than +this. We are not all called to be the King's ambassadors, but _all_ who +have heard the messages of salvation for themselves are called to be 'the +Lord's messengers,' and day by day, as He gives us opportunity, we are to +deliver 'the Lord's message unto the people.' That message, as committed +to Haggai, was, 'I am with you, saith the Lord.' Is there not work enough +for any lifetime in unfolding and distributing that one message to His +own people? Then, for those who are still far off, we have that equally +full message from our Lord to give out, which He has condensed for us +into the one word, 'Come!' + +It is a specially sweet part of His dealings with His messengers that He +always gives us the message for ourselves first. It is what He has first +told us in darkness--that is, in the secrecy of our own rooms, or at +least of our own hearts--that He bids us speak in light. And so the more +we sit at His feet and watch to see what He has to say to ourselves, the +more we shall have to tell to others. He does not send us out with sealed +despatches, which we know nothing about, and with which we have no +concern. + +There seems a seven-fold sequence in His filling the lips of His +messengers. First, they must be purified. The live coal from off the +altar must be laid upon them, and He must say, 'Lo, this hath touched thy +lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.' Then He +will create the fruit of them, and this seems to be the great message of +peace, 'Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the +Lord; and I will heal him' (see Isa. lvii. 19). Then comes the prayer, 'O +Lord, open Thou my lips,' and its sure fulfilment. For then come in the +promises, 'Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth,' and, 'They shall +withal be fitted in thy lips.' Then, of course, 'the lips of the +righteous feed many,' for the food is the Lord's own giving. Everything +leads up to praise, and so we come next to 'My mouth shall praise Thee +with joyful lips, when I remember Thee.' And lest we should fancy that +'_when_' rather implies that it is not, or cannot be, exactly _always_, +we find that the meditation of Jesus throws this added light upon it, 'By +_Him_, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God +_continually_, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to' (margin, +confessing) 'His name.' + +Does it seem a coming down from the mount to glance at one of our King's +commandments, which is specially needful and applicable to this matter of +our lips being kept for Him? 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into +temptation.' None of His commands clash with or supersede one another. +Trusting does not supersede watching; it does but complete and effectuate +it. Unwatchful trust is a delusion, and untrustful watching is in vain. +Therefore let us not either wilfully or carelessly _enter_ into +temptation, whether of place, or person, or topic, which has any tendency +to endanger the keeping of our lips for Jesus. Let us pray that grace may +be more and more poured into our lips as it was into His, so that our +speech may be _alway_ with grace. May they be pure, and sweet, and +lovely, even as 'His lips, like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh.' + + +We can hardly consider the keeping of our lips without recollecting that +upon them, more than all else (though not exclusively of all else), +depends that greatest of our responsibilities, our influence. We have no +choice in the matter; we cannot evade or avoid it; and there is no more +possibility of our limiting it, or even tracing its limits, than there is +of setting a bound to the far-vibrating sound-waves, or watching their +flow through the invisible air. Not one sentence that passes these lips +of ours but must be an invisibly prolonged influence, not dying away into +silence, but living away into the words and deeds of others. The thought +would not be quite so oppressive if we could know what we have done and +shall be continuing to do by what we have said. But we _never_ can, as a +matter of fact. We may trace it a little way, and get a glimpse of some +results for good or evil; but we never can see any more of it than we can +see of a shooting star flashing through the night with a momentary +revelation of one step of its strange path. Even if the next instant +plunges it into apparent annihilation as it strikes the atmosphere of the +earth, we know that it is not really so, but that its mysterious material +and force must be added to the complicated materials and forces with +which it has come in contact, with a modifying power none the less real +because it is beyond our ken. And this is not comparing a great thing +with a small, but a small thing with a great. For what is material force +compared with moral force? what are gases, and vapours, and elements, +compared with souls and the eternity for which they are preparing? + +We all know that there is influence exerted by a person's mere presence, +without the utterance of a single word. We are conscious of this every +day. People seem to carry an atmosphere with them, which _must_ be +breathed by those whom they approach. Some carry an atmosphere in which +all unkind thoughts shrivel up and cannot grow into expression. Others +carry one in which 'thoughts of Christ and things divine' never seem able +to flourish. Have you not felt how a happy conversation about the things +we love best is checked, or even strangled, by the entrance of one who is +not in sympathy? Outsiders have not a chance of ever really knowing what +delightful intercourse we have one with another about these things, +because their very presence chills and changes it. On the other hand, how +another person's incoming freshens and develops it and warms us all up, +and seems to give us, without the least conscious effort, a sort of +_lift!_ + +If even unconscious and involuntary influence is such a power, how much +greater must it be when the recognised power of words is added! + +It has often struck me as a matter of observation, that open profession +adds force to this influence, on whichever side it weighs; and also that +it has the effect of making many a word and act, which might in other +hands have been as nearly neutral as anything can be, tell with by no +means neutral tendency on the wrong side. The question of Eliphaz comes +with great force when applied to one who desires or professes to be +consecrated altogether, life _and_ lips: 'Should _he_ reason with +unprofitable talk, and with speeches _wherewith one can do no good?_' +There is our standard! Idle words, which might have fallen comparatively +harmlessly from one who had never named the Name of Christ, may be a +stumbling-block to inquirers, a sanction to thoughtless juniors, and a +grief to thoughtful seniors, when they come from lips which are +professing to feed many. Even intelligent talk on general subjects by +such a one may be a chilling disappointment to some craving heart, which +had indulged the hope of getting help, comfort, or instruction in the +things of God by listening to the conversation. It may be a lost +opportunity of giving and gaining no one knows _how_ much! + +How well I recollect this disappointment to myself, again and again, when +a mere child! In those early seeking days I never could understand why, +sometimes, a good man whom I heard preach or speak as if he loved Christ +very much, talked about all sorts of other things when he came back from +church or missionary meeting. I did so wish he would have talked about +the Saviour, whom I wanted, but had not found. It would have been so much +more interesting even to the apparently thoughtless and merry little +girl. How could he help it, I wondered, if he cared for that Pearl of +Great Price as I was sure I should care for it if I could only find it! +And oh, why didn't they ever talk to me about it, instead of about my +lessons or their little girls at home? They did not know how their +conversation was observed and compared with their sermon or speech, and +how a hungry little soul went empty away from the supper table. + +The lips of younger Christians may cause, in their turn, no less +disappointment. One sorrowful lesson I can never forget; and I will tell +the story in hope that it may save others from causes of similar regret. +During a summer visit just after I had left school, a class of girls +about my own age came to me a few times for an hour's singing. It was +very pleasant indeed, and the girls were delighted with the hymns. They +listened to all I had to say about time and expression, and not with less +attention to the more shyly-ventured remarks about the words. Sometimes I +accompanied them afterwards down the avenue; and whenever I met any of +them I had smiles and plenty of kindly words for each, which they seemed +to appreciate immensely. A few years afterwards I sat by the bedside of +one of these girls--the most gifted of them all with both heart and head. +She had been led by a wonderful way, and through long and deep suffering, +into far clearer light than I enjoyed, and had witnessed for Christ in +more ways than one, and far more brightly than I had ever done. She told +me how sorrowfully and eagerly she was seeking Jesus at the time of those +singing classes. And I never knew it, because I never asked, and she was +too shy to speak first! But she told me more, and every word was a pang +to me,--how she used to linger in the avenue on those summer evenings, +longing that I would speak to her about the Saviour; how she hoped, week +after week, that I would just stretch out a hand to help her, just say +one little word that might be God's message of peace to her, instead of +the pleasant, general remarks about the nice hymns and tunes. And I never +did! And she went on for months, I think for years, after, without the +light and gladness which it might have been my privilege to bring to her +life. God chose other means, for the souls that He has given to Christ +cannot be lost because of the unfaithfulness of a human instrument. But +she said, and the words often ring in my ears when I am tempted to let an +opportunity slip, 'Ah, Miss F., I ought to have been _yours!_' + +Yes, it is true enough that we should show forth His praise not only with +our lips, but in our lives; but with very many Christians the other side +of the prayer wants praying--they want rousing up even to _wish_ to show +it forth not only in their lives but with their lips. I wonder how many, +even of those who read this, really pray, 'O Lord, open Thou _my_ lips, +and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.' + +And when opened, oh, how much one _does_ want to have them so kept for +Jesus that He may be free to make the most of them, not letting them +render second-rate and indirect service when they might be doing direct +and first-rate service to His cause and kingdom! It is terrible how much +less is done for Him than _might_ be done, in consequence of the specious +notion that if what we are doing or saying is not bad, we are doing good +in a certain way, and therefore may be quite easy about it. We should +think a man rather foolish if he went on doing work which earned five +shillings a week, when he might just as well do work in the same +establishment and under the same master which would bring him in five +pounds a week. But we should pronounce him shamefully dishonest and +dishonourable if he accepted such handsome wages as the five pounds, and +yet chose to do work worth only five shillings, excusing himself by +saying that it was work all the same, and somebody had better do it. Do +we not act something like this when we take the lower standard, and spend +our strength in just making ourselves agreeable and pleasant, creating a +general good impression in favour of religion, showing that we can be all +things to all men, and that one who is supposed to be a citizen of the +other world can be very well up in all that concerns this world? This may +be good, but is there nothing better? What does it profit if we do make +this favourable impression on an outsider, if we go no farther and do not +use the influence gained to bring him right inside the fold, inside the +only ark of safety? People are not converted by this sort of work; at any +rate, _I_ never met or heard of any one. 'He thinks it better for his +quiet influence to tell!' said an affectionately excusing relative of one +who had plenty of special opportunities of soul-winning, if he had only +used his lips as well as his life for his Master. 'And how many souls +have been converted to God by his "quiet influence" all these years?' was +my reply. And to that there was no answer! For the silent shining was all +very beautiful in theory, but not one of the many souls placed specially +under his influence had been known to be brought out of darkness into +marvellous light. If they had, they must have been known, for such light +can't help being seen. + +When one has even a glimmer of the tremendous difference between having +Christ and being without Christ; when one gets but one shuddering glimpse +of what eternity is, and of what it must mean, as well as what it may +mean, without Christ; when one gets but a flash of realization of the +tremendous fact that all these neighbours of ours, rich and poor alike, +will _have_ to spend that eternity either with Him or without Him,--it is +hard, very hard indeed, to understand how a man or woman can believe +these things at all, and make no effort for anything beyond the temporal +elevation of those around, sometimes not even beyond their amusements! +'People must have entertainment,' they urge. I do not find that _must_ in +the Bible, but I do find, 'We _must_ all stand before the judgment-seat +of Christ.' And if you have any sort of belief in that, how can you care +to use those lips of yours, which might be a fountain of life to the +dying souls before you, merely to 'entertain' them at your penny reading +or other entertainment? As you sow, so you reap. The amusing paper is +read, or the lively ballad recited, or the popular song sung, and you +reap your harvest of laughter or applause, and of complacence at your +success in 'entertaining' the people. And there it ends, when you might +have sown words from which you and they should reap fruit unto life +eternal. Is this worthy work for one who has been bought with such a +price that he must say, + + 'Love so amazing, so divine, + Demands my soul, my life, my all'? + +So far from yielding 'all' to that rightful demand of amazing love, he +does not even yield the fruit of his lips to it, much less the lips +themselves. I cannot refrain from adding, that even this lower aim of +'entertaining' is by no means so appreciated as is supposed. As a +cottager of no more than average sense and intelligence remarked, 'It was +all so _trifling_ at the reading; I wish gentlefolks would believe that +poor people like something better than what's just to make them laugh.' +After all, nothing really pays like direct, straightforward, +uncompromising words about God and His works and word. Nothing else ever +made a man say, as a poor Irishman did when he heard the Good News for +the first time, 'Thank ye, sir; you've taken the hunger off us to-day!' + + +Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord; what about ours? Well, +they _are_ all uttered before the Lord in one sense, whether we will or +no; for there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, Thou, O Lord, knowest +it altogether! How solemn is this thought, but how sweet does it become +when our words are uttered consciously before the Lord as we walk in the +light of His perpetual presence! Oh that we may so walk, that we may so +speak, with kept feet and kept lips, trustfully praying, 'Let the +meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be alway acceptable in +Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer!' + + +Bearing in mind that it is not only the words which pass their +lightly-hinged portal, but our literal lips which are to be kept for +Jesus, it cannot be out of place, before closing this chapter, to suggest +that they open both ways. What passes in should surely be considered as +well as what passes out. And very many of us are beginning to see that +the command, 'Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the +glory of God,' is not fully obeyed when we drink, merely because we like +it, what is the very greatest obstacle to that glory in this realm of +England. What matter that we prefer taking it in a more refined form, if +the thing itself is daily and actively and mightily working misery, and +crime, and death, and destruction to thousands, till the cry thereof +seems as if it must pierce the very heavens! And so it does--sooner, a +great deal, than it pierces the walls of our comfortable dining-room! I +only say here, you who have said, 'Take my lips,' stop and repeat that +prayer next time you put that to your lips which is binding men and women +hand and foot, and delivering them over, helpless, to Satan! Let those +words pass once more from your heart _out_ through your lips, and I do +not think you will feel comfortable in letting the means of such infernal +work pass _in_ through them. + + + + + Chapter VII. + Our Silver and Gold Kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my silver and my gold;_ + _Not a mite would I withhold.'_ + +'The silver and the gold is Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.' Yes, every +coin we have is literally our 'Lord's money.' Simple belief of this fact +is the stepping-stone to full consecration of what He has given us, +whether much or little. + +'Then you mean to say we are never to spend anything on ourselves?' Not +so. Another fact must be considered,--the fact that our Lord has given us +our bodies as a special personal charge, and that we are responsible for +keeping these bodies, according to the means given and the work required, +in working order for Him. This is part of our 'own work.' A master +entrusts a workman with a delicate machine, with which his appointed work +is to be done. He also provides him with a sum of money with which he is +to procure all that may be necessary for keeping the machine in thorough +repair. Is it not obvious that it is the man's distinct duty to see to +this faithfully? Would he not be failing in duty if he chose to spend it +all on something for somebody else's work, or on a present for his +master, fancying that would please him better, while the machine is +creaking and wearing for want of a little oil, or working badly for want +of a new band or screw? Just so, we are to spend what is really needful +_on_ ourselves, because it is our charge to do so; but not _for_ +ourselves, because we are not our own, but our Master's. He who knoweth +our frame, knows its needs of rest and medicine, food and clothing; and +the procuring of these for our own entrusted bodies should be done just +as much 'for Jesus' as the greater pleasure of procuring them for some +one else. Therefore there need be no quibbling over the assertion that +consecration is not real and complete while we are looking upon a single +shilling as our own to do what we like with. Also the principle is +exactly the same, whether we are spending pence or pounds; it is our +Lord's money, and must not be spent without reference to Him. + +When we have asked Him to take, and continually trust Him to keep our +money, 'shopping' becomes a different thing. We look up to our Lord for +guidance to lay out His money prudently and rightly, and as He would have +us lay it out. The gift or garment is selected consciously under His eye, +and with conscious reference to Him as our own dear Master, for whose +sake we shall give it, or in whose service we shall wear it, and whose +own silver or gold we shall pay for it, and then it is all right. + +But have you found out that it is one of the secrets of the Lord, that +when any of His dear children turn aside a little bit after having once +entered the blessed path of true and conscious consecration, He is sure +to send them some little punishment? He will not let us go back without a +sharp, even if quite secret, reminder. Go and spend ever such a little +without reference to Him after you have once pledged the silver and gold +entirely to Him, and see if you are not in some way rebuked for it! Very +often by being permitted to find that you have made a mistake in your +purchase, or that in some way it does not prosper. If you 'observe these +things,' you will find that the more closely we are walking with our +Lord, the more immediate and unmistakeable will be His gracious rebukes +when we swerve in any detail of the full consecration to which He has +called us. And if you have already experienced and recognised this part +of His personal dealing with us, you will know also how we love and bless +Him for it. + + +There is always a danger that just because we say 'all,' we may +practically fall shorter than if we had only said 'some,' but said it +very definitely. God recognises this, and provides against it in many +departments. For instance, though our time is to be 'all' for Him, yet He +solemnly sets apart the one day in seven which is to be specially for +Him. Those who think they know better than God, and profess that every +day is a Sabbath, little know what floodgates of temptation they are +opening by being so very wise above what is written. God knows best, and +that should be quite enough for every loyal heart. So, as to money, +though we place it all at our Lord's disposal, and rejoice to spend it +all for Him directly or indirectly, yet I am quite certain it is a great +help and safeguard, and, what is more, a matter of simple obedience to +the spirit of His commands, to set aside a definite and regular +proportion of our income or receipts for His direct service. It is a +great mistake to suppose that the law of giving the tenth to God is +merely Levitical. 'Search and look' for yourselves, and you will find +that it is, like the Sabbath, a far older rule, running all through the +Bible,[footnote: See Gen. xiv. 20, xxviii. 22; Lev. xxvii. 30, 32; Num. +xviii. 21; Deut. xiv. 22; 2 Chron. xxxi. 5, 6, 12; Neh. x. 37, xii. 44, +xiii. 12; Mal. iii. 8, 10; Matt. xxiii. 23; Luke xi. 42; 1 Cor xvi. 2; +Heb. vii. 8.] and endorsed, not abrogated, by Christ Himself. For, +speaking of tithes, He said, 'These _ought_ ye to have done, and not to +leave the other undone.' To dedicate the tenth of whatever we have is +mere duty; charity begins beyond it; free-will offerings and +thank-offerings beyond that again. + +First-fruits, also, should be thus specially set apart. This, too, we +find running all through the Bible. There is a tacit appeal to our +gratitude in the suggestion of them,--the very word implies bounty +received and bounty in prospect. Bringing 'the first of the first-fruits +into the house of the Lord thy God,' was like 'saying grace' for all the +plenty He was going to bestow on the faithful Israelite. Something of +gladness, too, seems always implied. 'The day of the first-fruits' was to +be a day of rejoicing (compare Num. xxviii. 26 with Deut. xvi. 10, 11). +There is also an appeal to loyalty: we are commanded to _honour_ the Lord +with the first-fruits of all our increase. And _that_ is the way to +prosper, for the next word is, '_So_ shall thy barns be filled with +plenty.' The friend who first called my attention to this command, said +that the setting apart first-fruits--making a proportion for God's work a +_first charge_ upon the income--always seemed to bring a blessing on the +rest, and that since this had been systematically done, it actually +seemed to go farther than when not thus lessened. + +Presenting our first-fruits should be a peculiarly delightful act, as +they are themselves the emblem of our consecrated relationship to God. +For of His own will begat He us by the word of truth, that we should be a +kind of first-fruits of His creatures. How sweet and hallowed and richly +emblematic our little acts of obedience in this matter become, when we +throw this light upon them! And how blessedly they may remind us of the +heavenly company, singing, as it were, a new song before the throne; for +they are the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. + +Perhaps we shall find no better plan of detailed and systematic setting +apart than the New Testament one: 'Upon the first day of the week let +every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.' The +very act of literally fulfilling this apostolic command seems to bring a +blessing with it, as all simple obedience does. I wish, dear friends, you +would try it! You will find it a sweet reminder on His own day of this +part of your consecration. You will find it an immense help in making the +most of your little charities. The regular inflow will guide the outflow, +and ensure your always having _something_ for any sudden call for your +Master's poor or your Master's cause. Do not say you are 'afraid you +could not keep to it.' What has a consecrated life to do with being +'afraid'? Some of us could tell of such sweet and singular lessons of +trust in this matter, that they are written in golden letters of love on +our memories. Of course there will be trials of our faith in this, as +well as in everything else. But every trial of our faith is but a trial +of His faithfulness, and is 'much more precious than gold which +perisheth.' + +'What about self-denial?' some reader will say. Consecration does not +supersede this, but transfigures it. Literally, a consecrated life is and +must be a life of denial of self. But all the effort and pain of it is +changed into very delight. We love our Master; we know, surely and +absolutely, that He is listening and watching our every word and way, and +that He has called us to the privilege of walking 'worthy of the Lord +unto all pleasing.' And in so far as this is a reality to us, the +identical things which are still self-_denial_ in one sense, become +actual self-_delight_ in another. It may be self-denial to us to turn +away from something within reach of our purse which it would be very +convenient or pleasant to possess. But if the Master lifted the veil, and +revealed Himself standing at our side, and let us hear His audible voice +asking us to reserve the price of it for His treasury, should we talk +about self-denial then? Should we not be utterly ashamed to think of it? +or rather, should we, for one instant, think about self or self-denial at +all? Would it not be an unimaginable joy to do what He asked us to do +with that money? But as long as His own unchangeable promise stands +written in His word for us, 'Lo, I am with you _alway_,' we may be sure +that He _is_ with us, and that His eye is as certainly on our opened or +half-opened purse as it was on the treasury, when He sat over against it +and saw the two mites cast in. So let us do our shopping 'as seeing Him +who is invisible.' + +It is important to remember that there is no much or little in God's +sight, except as relatively to our means and willingness. 'For if there +be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and +not according to that he hath not.' He knows what we have _not_, as well +as what we have. He knows all about the low wages in one sphere, and the +small allowance, or the fixed income with rising prices in another. And +it is not a question of paying to God what can be screwed out of these, +but of giving Him all, and then holding all at His disposal, and taking +His orders about the disposal of all. + +But I do not see at all how self-indulgence and needless extravagance can +possibly co-exist with true consecration. If we really never do go +_without_ anything for the Lord's sake, but, just because He has +graciously given us means, always supply for ourselves not only every +need but 'every notion,' I think it is high time we looked into the +matter before God. Why should only those who have limited means have the +privilege of offering to their Lord that which has really cost them +something to offer? Observe, it is not _merely_ going without something +we would naturally like to have or do, but going without it _for Jesus' +sake_. Not, 'I will go without it, because, after all, I can't very well +afford it;' or, 'because I really ought to subscribe to so and so;' or, +'because I daresay I shall be glad I have not spent the money:' but, 'I +will do without it, because I _do_ want to do a little more for Him who +so loves me--just that much more than I could do if I did this other +thing.' I fancy this is more often the heart language of those who _have_ +to cut and contrive, than of those who are able to give liberally without +any cutting and contriving at all. The very abundance of God's good gifts +too often hinders from the privilege and delight of really doing without +something superfluous or comfortable or usual, that they may give just +that much more to their Lord. What a pity! + +The following quotation may (I hope it will), touch some conscience:--'A +gentleman once told us that his wine bill was £100 a year--more than +enough to keep a Scripture reader always at work in some populous +district. And it is one of the countless advantages of total abstinence +that it at once sets free a certain amount of money for such work. +Smoking, too, is a habit not only injurious to the health in a vast +majority of cases, and, to our mind, very unbecoming in a "temple of the +Holy Ghost," but also one which squanders money which might be used for +the Lord. Expenses in dress might in most people be curtailed; expensive +tastes should be denied; and simplicity in all habits of life should be a +mark of the followers of Him who had not where to lay His head.' + +And again: 'The self-indulgence of wealthy Christians, who might largely +support the Lord's work with what they lavish upon their houses, their +tables, or their personal expenditure, is very sad to see.'[footnote: +_Christian Progress_, vol. iii. pp. 25, 26.] + +Here the question of jewellery seems to come in. Perhaps it was an +instance of the gradual showing of the details of consecration, +illustrated on page 21, but I will confess that when I wrote 'Take my +silver and my gold,' it never dawned on me that anything was included +beyond the coin of the realm! But the Lord 'leads on softly,' and a good +many of us have been shown some capital bits of unenclosed but easily +enclosable ground, which have yielded 'pleasant fruit.' Yes, _very_ +pleasant fruit! It is wonderfully nice to light upon something that we +really never thought of as a possible gift to our Lord, and just to give +it, straight away, to Him. I do not press the matter, but I do ask my +lady friends to give it fair and candid and prayerful consideration. +Which do you really care most about--a diamond on your finger, or a star +in the Redeemer's kingdom, shining for ever and ever? That is what it +comes to, and there I leave it. + +On the other hand, it is very possible to be fairly faithful in much, and +yet unfaithful in that which is least. We may have thought about our gold +and silver, and yet have been altogether thoughtless about our rubbish! +Some have a habit of hoarding away old garments, 'pieces,' remnants, and +odds and ends generally, under the idea that they 'will come in useful +some day;' very likely setting it up as a kind of mild virtue, backed by +that noxious old saying, 'Keep it by you seven years, and you'll find a +use for it.' And so the shabby things get shabbier, and moth and dust +doth corrupt, and the drawers and places get choked and crowded; and +meanwhile all this that is sheer rubbish to you might be made useful at +once, to a degree beyond what you would guess, to some poor person. + +It would be a nice variety for the clever fingers of a lady's maid to be +set to work to do up old things; or some tidy woman may be found in +almost every locality who knows how to contrive children's things out of +what seems to you only fit for the rag-bag, either for her own little +ones or those of her neighbours. + +My sister trimmed 70 or 80 hats every spring for several years with the +contents of friends' rubbish drawers, thus relieving dozens of poor +mothers who liked their children to 'go tidy on Sunday,' and also keeping +down finery in her Sunday school. Those who literally fulfilled her +request for 'rubbish' used to marvel at the results. + +Little scraps of carpet, torn old curtains, faded blinds, and all such +gear, go a wonderfully long way towards making poor cottagers and old or +sick people comfortable. I never saw anything in this 'rubbish' line yet +that could not be turned to good account somehow, with a little +_considering_ of the poor and their discomforts. + +I wish my lady reader would just leave this book now, and go straight +up-stairs and have a good rummage at once, and see what can be thus +cleared out. If she does not know the right recipients at first hand, let +her send it off to the nearest working clergyman's wife, and see how +gratefully it will be received! For it is a great trial to workers among +the poor not to be able to supply the needs they see. Such supplies are +far more useful than treble their small money value. + +Just a word of earnest pleading for needs, closely veiled, but very sore, +which might be wonderfully lightened if this wardrobe over-hauling were +systematic and faithful. There are hundreds of poor clergymen's families +to whom a few old garments or any household oddments are as great a +charity as to any of the poor under their charge. There are two Societies +for aiding these with such gifts, under initials which are explained in +the Reports; the P.P.C. Society--Secretary, Miss Breay, Battenhall Place, +Worcester; and the A.F.D. Society--Secretary, Miss Hinton, 4 York Place, +Clifton. I only ask my lady friends to send for a report to either of +these devoted secretaries; and if their hearts are not so touched by the +cases of brave and bitter need that they go forthwith to wardrobes and +drawers to see what can be spared and sent, they are colder and harder +than I give Englishwomen credit for. + + +There is no bondage in consecration. The two things are opposites, and +cannot co-exist, much less mingle. We should suspect our consecration, +and come afresh to our great Counsellor about it, directly we have any +sense of bondage. As long as we have an unacknowledged feeling of fidget +about our account-book, and a smothered wondering what and how much we +'_ought_' to give, and a hushed-up wishing the thing had not been put +quite so strongly before us, depend upon it we have not said +unreservedly, 'Take my silver and my gold.' And how can the Lord keep +what He has not been sincerely asked to take? + +Ah! if we had stood at the foot of the Cross, and watched the tremendous +payment of our redemption with the precious blood of Christ,--if we had +seen that awful price told out, drop by drop, from His own dear patient +brow and torn hands and feet, till it was ALL paid, and the central word +of eternity was uttered, '_It is finished!_' should we not have been +ready to say, '_Not a mite will I withhold!_' + + + My Jewels. + + 'Shall I hold them back--my jewels? + Time has travelled many a day + Since I laid them by for ever, + Safely locking them away; + And I thought them yielded wholly. + When I dared no longer wear + Gems contrasting, oh, so sadly! + With the adorning I would bear. + + 'Shall I keep them still--my jewels? + Shall I, can I yet withhold + From that living, loving Saviour + Aught of silver or of gold? + Gold so needed, that His gospel + May resound from sea to sea; + Can I know Christ's service lacketh, + Yet forget His "unto Me"! + + 'No; I lay them down--my jewels, + Truly on the altar now. + Stay! I see a vision passing + Of a gem-encircled brow: + Heavenly treasure worn by Jesus, + Souls won through my gift outpoured; + Freely, gladly I will offer + Jewels thus to crown my Lord!' + + From _Woman's Work._ + + + + + Chapter VIII. + Our Intellects kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my intellect, and use_ + _Every power as Thou shalt choose.'_ + +There are two distinct sets of temptations which assail those who have, +or think they have, rather less, and those who have, or think they have, +rather more than an average share of intellect; while those who have +neither less nor more are generally open in some degree to both. The +refuge and very present help from both is the same. The intellect, +whether great or small, which is committed to the Lord's keeping, will be +kept and will be used by Him. + +The former class are tempted to think themselves excused from effort to +cultivate and use their small intellectual gifts; to suppose they cannot +or need not seek to win souls, because they are not so clever and apt in +speech as So-and-so; to attribute to want of gift what is really want of +grace; to hide the one talent because it is not five. Let me throw out a +thought or two for these. + +Which is greatest, gifts or grace? _Gifts_ are given 'to every man +according to his several ability.' That is, we have just as much given as +God knows we are able to use, and what He knows we can best use for Him. +'But unto every one of us is given _grace_ according to the measure of +the gift of Christ.' Claiming and using that royal measure of grace, you +may, and can, and will do more for God than the mightiest intellect in +the world without it. For which, in the clear light of His Word, is +likely to be most effectual, the natural ability which at its best and +fullest, without Christ, 'can do _nothing_' (observe and believe that +word!), or the grace of our Almighty God and the power of the Holy Ghost, +which is as free to you as it ever was to any one? + +If you are responsible for making use of your limited gift, are you not +equally responsible for making use of the grace and power which are to be +had for the asking, which are already yours in Christ, and which are not +limited? + +Also, do you not see that when there are great natural gifts, people give +the credit to _them_, instead of to the grace which alone did the real +work, and thus God is defrauded of the glory? So that, to say it +reverently, God can get more glory out of a feeble instrument, because +then it is more obvious that the excellency of the power is of God and +not of us. Will you not henceforth say, 'Most gladly, therefore, will I +rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon +me'? + +Don't you really believe that the Holy Spirit is just as able to draw a +soul to Jesus, if He will, by your whisper of the one word, '_Come_,' as +by an eloquent sermon an hour long? _I_ do! At the same time, as it is +evidently God's way to work through these intellects of ours, we have no +more right to expect Him to use a mind which we are wilfully neglecting, +and taking no pains whatever to fit for His use, than I should have to +expect you to write a beautiful inscription with my pen, if I would not +take the trouble to wipe it and mend it. + +The latter class are tempted to rely on their natural gifts, and to act +and speak in their own strength; to go on too fast, without really +looking up at every step, and for every word; to spend their Lord's time +in polishing up their intellects, nominally for the sake of influence and +power, and so forth, while really, down at the bottom, it is for the sake +of the keen enjoyment of the process; and perhaps, most of all, to spend +the strength of these intellects 'for that which doth not profit,' in +yielding to the specious snare of reading clever books 'on both sides,' +and eating deliberately of the tree of the knowledge of good _and evil_. + +The mere mention of these temptations should be sufficient appeal to +conscience. If consecration is to be a reality anywhere, should it not be +in the very thing which you own as an extra gift from God, and which is +evidently closest, so to speak, to His direct action, spirit upon spirit? +And if the very strength of your intellect has been your weakness, will +you not entreat Him to keep it henceforth really and entirely for +Himself? It is so good of Him to have given you something to lay at His +feet; shall not this goodness lead you to lay it _all_ there, and never +hanker after taking it back for yourself or the world? Do you not feel +that in very proportion to the gift you need the special keeping of it? +He may lead you by a way you know not in the matter; very likely He will +show you that you must be willing to be a fool for His sake first, before +He will condescend to use you much for His glory. Will you look up into +His face and say, '_Not_ willing'? + + +He who made every power can use every power--memory, judgment, +imagination, quickness of apprehension or insight; specialties of +musical, poetical, oratorical, or artistic faculty; special tastes for +reasoning, philosophy, history, natural science, or natural history,--all +these may be dedicated to Him, sanctified by Him, and used by Him. +Whatever He has given, He will use, if we will let Him. Often, in the +most unexpected ways, and at the most unexpected turns, something read or +acquired long ago suddenly comes into use. We cannot foresee what will +thus 'come in useful'; but He knew, when He guided us to learn it, what +it would be wanted for in His service. So may we not ask Him to bring His +perfect foreknowledge to bear on all our mental training and storing? to +guide us to read or study exactly what He knows there will be use for in +the work to which He has called or will call us? + +Nothing is more practically perplexing to a young Christian, whose +preparation time is not quite over, or perhaps painfully limited, than to +know what is most worth studying, what is really the best investment of +the golden hours, while yet the time is not come for the field of active +work to be fully entered, and the 'thoroughly furnishing' of the mind is +the evident path of present duty. Is not His name called 'Counsellor'? +and will He not be faithful to the promise of His name in this, as well +as in all else? + +The same applies to every subsequent stage. Only let us be perfectly +clear about the principle that our intellect is not our own, either to +cultivate, or to use, or to enjoy, and that Jesus Christ is our real and +ever-present Counsellor, and then there will be no more worry about what +to read and how much to read, and whether to keep up one's +accomplishments, or one's languages, or one's '_ologies'!_ If the Master +has need of them, He will show us; and if He has not, what need have we +of them? If we go forward without His leading, we may throw away some +talent, or let it get too rusty for use, which would have been most +valuable when other circumstances arose or different work was given. We +must not think that 'keeping' means not using at all! What we want is to +have all our powers kept for His _use_. + +In this they will probably find far higher development than in any other +sort of use. I know cases in which the effect of real consecration on +mere mental development has been obvious and surprising to all around. +Yet it is only a confirmation of what I believe to be a great principle, +viz. that _the Lord makes the most of whatever is unreservedly +surrendered to Him_. There will always be plenty of waste in what we try +to cut out for ourselves. But He wastes no material! + + + + + Chapter IX. + Our Wills kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine,_ + _For it is no longer mine.'_ + +Perhaps there is no point in which expectation has been so limited by +experience as this. We believe God is able to do for us just so much as +He has already done, and no more. We take it for granted a line must be +drawn somewhere; and so we choose to draw it where experience ends, and +faith would have to begin. Even if we have trusted and proved Him as to +keeping our members and our minds, faith fails when we would go deeper +and say, 'Keep my will!' And yet the only reason we have to give is, that +though we have asked Him to take our will, we do not exactly find that it +is altogether His, but that self-will crops up again and again. And +whatever flaw there might be in this argument, we think the matter is +quite settled by the fact that some whom we rightly esteem, and who are +far better than ourselves, have the same experience, and do not even seem +to think it right to hope for anything better. That is conclusive! And +the result of this, as of every other faithless conclusion, is either +discouragement and depression, or, still worse, acquiescence in an +unyielded will, as something that can't be helped. + +Now let us turn from our thoughts to God's thoughts. Verily, they are not +as ours! He says He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we +ask or think. Apply this here. We ask Him to take our wills and make them +His. Does He or does He not mean what He says? and if He does, should we +not trust Him to do this thing that we have asked and longed for, and not +less but more? 'Is _anything_ too hard for the Lord?' 'Hath He said, and +shall He not do it?' and if He gives us faith to believe that we have the +petition that we desired of Him, and with it the unspeakable rest of +leaning our will wholly upon His love, what ground have we for imagining +that this is _necessarily_ to be a mere fleeting shadow, which is hardly +to last an hour, but is _necessarily_ to be exhausted ere the next breath +of trial or temptation comes? Does He mock our longing by acting as I +have seen an older person act to a child, by accepting some trifling gift +of no intrinsic value, just to please the little one, and then throwing +it away as soon as the child's attention is diverted? Is not the taking +rather the pledge of the keeping, if we will but entrust Him fearlessly +with it? We give Him no opportunity, so to speak, of proving His +faithfulness to this great promise, because we _will_ not fulfil the +condition of reception, believing it. But we readily enough believe +instead all that we hear of the unsatisfactory experience of others! Or, +start from another word. Job said, 'I know that Thou canst do +everything,' and we turn round and say, 'Oh yes, everything _except_ +keeping my will!' Dare we add, 'And I know that Thou canst not do that'? +Yet that is what is said every day, only in other words; and if not said +aloud, it is said in faithless hearts, and God hears it. What _does_ +'Almighty' mean, if it does not mean, as we teach our little children, +'able to do _everything'?_ + +We have asked this great thing many a time, without, perhaps, realizing +how great a petition we were singing, in the old morning hymn, 'Guard my +first springs of thought and will!' That goes to the root of the matter, +only it implies that the will has been already surrendered to Him, that +it may be wholly kept and guarded. + +It may be that we have not sufficiently realized the sin of the only +alternative. Our wills belong either to self or to God. It may seem a +small and rather excusable sin in man's sight to be self-willed, but see +in what a category of iniquity God puts it! (2 Pet. ii. 10). And +certainly we are without excuse when we have such a promise to go upon +as, 'It is God that worketh in you both to _will_ and to do of His +pleasure.' How splendidly this meets our very deepest +helplessness,--'worketh in you to _will!_' Oh, let us pray for ourselves +and for each other, that we may know 'what is the exceeding greatness of +His power to usward who believe.' It does not say, 'to usward who fear +and doubt;' for if we will not believe, neither shall we be established. +If we will not believe what God says He can do, we shall see it with our +eyes, but we shall not eat thereof. 'They _could_ not enter in because of +unbelief.' + +It is most comforting to remember that the grand promise, 'Thy people +shall be willing in the day of Thy power,' is made by the Father to +Christ Himself. The Lord Jesus holds this promise, and God will fulfil it +to Him. He will make us willing because He has promised Jesus that He +will do so. And what is being made willing, but having our will taken and +kept? + +All true surrender of the will is based upon love and knowledge of, and +confidence in, the one to whom it is surrendered. We have the human +analogy so often before our eyes, that it is the more strange we should +be so slow to own even the possibility of it as to God. Is it thought +anything so very extraordinary and high-flown, when a bride deliberately +_prefers_ wearing a colour which was not her own taste or choice, because +her husband likes to see her in it? Is it very unnatural that it is no +distress to her to do what he asks her to do, or to go with him where he +asks her to come, even without question or explanation, instead of doing +what or going where she would undoubtedly have preferred if she did not +know and love him? Is it very surprising if this lasts beyond the wedding +day, and if year after year she still finds it her greatest pleasure to +please him, quite irrespective of what _used_ to be her own ways and +likings? Yet in this case she is not helped by any promise or power on +his part to make her wish what he wishes. But He who so wonderfully +condescends to call Himself the Bridegroom of His church, and who claims +our fullest love and trust, has promised and has power to work in us to +will. Shall we not claim His promise and rely on His mighty power, and +say, not self-confidently, but looking only unto Jesus-- + + 'Keep my will, for it is Thine; + It shall be no longer mine!' + +Only in proportion as our own will is surrendered, are we able to discern +the splendour of God's will. + + For oh! it is a splendour, + A glow of majesty, + A mystery of beauty + If we will only see; + A very cloud of glory + Enfolding you and me. + + A splendour that is lighted + At one transcendent flame, + The wondrous Love, the perfect Love, + Our Father's sweetest name; + For His Name and very Essence + And His Will are all the same! + +Conversely, in proportion as we see this splendour of His will, we shall +more readily or more fully surrender our own. Not until we have presented +our bodies a living sacrifice can we prove what is that good, and +perfect, and acceptable will of God. But in thus proving it, this +continual presentation will be more and more seen to be our reasonable +service, and becomes more and more a joyful sacrifice of praise. + +The connection in Romans xii. 1, 2, between our sacrifice which He so +graciously calls acceptable to Himself, and our finding out that His will +is acceptable to ourselves, is very striking. One reason for this +connection may be that only love can really understand love, and love on +both sides is at the bottom of the whole transaction and its results. +First, He loves us. Then the discovery of this leads us to love Him. +Then, because He loves us, He claims us, and desires to have us wholly +yielded to His will, so that the operations of love in and for us may +find no hindrance. Then, because we love Him we recognise His claim and +yield ourselves. Then, being thus yielded, He draws us nearer to +Him,[footnote: 'Now ye _have_ consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come +_near_' (2 Chron. xxix. 31).] and admits us, so to speak, into closer +intimacy, so that we gain nearer and truer views of His perfections. Then +the unity of these perfections becomes clearer to us. Now we not only see +His justice and mercy flowing in an undivided stream from the cross of +Christ, but we see that they never were divided, though the strange +distortions of the dark, false glass of sin made them appear so, but that +both are but emanations of God's holy love. Then having known and +believed this holy love, we see further that His will is not a separate +thing, but only love (and therefore all His attributes) in action; love +being the primary essence of His being, and all the other attributes +manifestations and combinations of that ineffable essence, for God _is_ +Love. Then this will of God which has seemed in old far-off days a stern +and fateful power, is seen to be only love energized; love saying, 'I +will.' And when once we really grasp this (hardly so much by faith as by +love itself), the will of God cannot be otherwise than acceptable, for it +is no longer a question of trusting that somehow or other there is a +hidden element of love in it, but of understanding that it _is_ love; no +more to be dissociated from it than the power of the sun's rays can be +dissociated from their light and warmth. And love recognised must surely +be love accepted and reciprocated. So, as the fancied sternness of God's +will is lost in His love, the stubbornness of our will becomes melted in +that love, and lost in our acceptance of it. + + 'Take Thine own way with me, dear Lord, + Thou canst not otherwise than bless; + I launch me forth upon a sea + Of boundless love and tenderness. + + 'I could not choose a larger bliss + Than to be wholly Thine; and mine + A will whose highest joy is this, + To ceaselessly unclasp in Thine. + + 'I will not fear Thee, O my God! + The days to come can only bring + Their perfect sequences of love, + Thy larger, deeper comforting. + + 'Within the shadow of this love, + Loss doth transmute itself to gain; + Faith veils earth's sorrows in its light, + And straightway lives above her pain. + + 'We are not losers thus; we share + The perfect gladness of the Son, + Not conquered--for, behold, we reign; + Conquered and Conqueror are one. + + 'Thy wonderful grand will, my God! + Triumphantly I make it mine; + And faith shall breathe her glad "Amen" + To every dear command of Thine. + + 'Beneath the splendour of Thy choice, + Thy perfect choice for me, I rest; + Outside it now I dare not live, + Within it I must needs be blest. + + 'Meanwhile my spirit anchors calm + In grander regions still than this; + The fair, far-shining latitudes + Of that yet unexplorèd bliss. + + 'Then may Thy perfect, glorious will + Be evermore fulfilled in me, + And make my life an answ'ring chord + Of glad, responsive harmony. + + 'Oh! it is life indeed to live + Within this kingdom strangely sweet, + And yet we fear to enter in, + And linger with unwilling feet. + + 'We fear this wondrous rule of Thine, + Because we have not reached Thy heart; + Not venturing our all on Thee, + We may not know how good Thou art.' + + Jean Sophia Pigott. + + + + + Chapter X. + Our hearts kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my heart; it is Thine own;_ + _It is now Thy royal throne.'_ + +'It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace,' and yet +some of us go on as if it were not a good thing even to hope for it to be +so. + +We should be ashamed to say that we had behaved treacherously to a +friend; that we had played him false again and again; that we had said +scores of times what we did not really mean; that we had professed and +promised what, all the while, we had no sort of purpose of performing. We +should be ready to go off by next ship to New Zealand rather than calmly +own to all this, or rather than ever face our friends again after we had +owned it. And yet we are not ashamed (some of us) to say that we are +always dealing treacherously with our Lord; nay, more, we own it with an +inexplicable complacency, as if there were a kind of virtue in saying how +fickle and faithless and desperately wicked our hearts are; and we +actually plume ourselves on the easy confession, which we think proves +our humility, and which does not lower us in the eyes of others, nor in +our own eyes, half so much as if we had to say, 'I have told a story,' +or, 'I have broken my promise.' Nay, more, we have not the slightest +hope, and therefore not the smallest intention of aiming at an utterly +different state of things. Well for us if we do not go a step farther, +and call those by hard and false names who do seek to have an established +heart, and who believe that as the Lord meant what He said when He +promised, '_No_ good thing will He withhold from them that walk +uprightly,' so He will not withhold _this_ good thing. + +Prayer must be based upon promise, but, thank God, His promises are +always broader than our prayers. No fear of building inverted pyramids +here, for Jesus Christ is the foundation, and this and all the other +'promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God +by us.' So it shall be unto His glory to fulfil this one to us, and to +answer our prayer for a 'kept' or 'established' heart. And its fulfilment +shall work out His glory, not in spite of us, but '_by_ us.' + +We find both the means and the result of the keeping in the 112th Psalm: +'His heart is fixed.' Whose heart? An angel? A saint in glory? No! Simply +the heart of the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in His +commandments. Therefore yours and mine, as God would have them be; just +the normal idea of a God-fearing heart, nothing extremely and hopelessly +beyond attainment. + +'Fixed.' How does that tally with the deceitfulness and waywardness and +fickleness about which we really talk as if we were rather proud of them +than utterly ashamed of them? + +Does our heavenly Bridegroom expect nothing more of us? Does His mighty, +all-constraining love intend to do no more for us than to leave us in +this deplorable state, when He is undoubtedly able to heal the +desperately wicked heart (compare verses 9 and 14 of Jeremiah xvii.), to +rule the wayward one with His peace, and to establish the fickle one with +His grace? Are we not 'without excuse'? + +'Fixed, trusting in the Lord.' Here is the means of the fixing--trust. He +works the trust in us by sending the Holy Spirit to reveal God in Christ +to us as absolutely, infinitely worthy of our trust. When we 'see Jesus' +by Spirit-wrought faith, we cannot but trust Him; we distrust our hearts +more truly than ever before, but we trust our Lord entirely, because we +trust Him _only_. For, entrusting our trust to Him, we know that He is +able to keep that which we commit (_i. e._ entrust) to Him. It is His own +way of winning and fixing our hearts for Himself. Is it not a beautiful +one? Thus 'his heart is established.' But we have not quite faith enough +to believe that. So what is the very first doubting, and therefore sad +thought that crops up? 'Yes, but I am _afraid_ it will not remain fixed.' + +That is _your_ thought. Now see what is God's thought about the case. +'His heart is established, he shall not be afraid.' + +Is not that enough? What _is_, if such plain and yet divine words are +not? Well, the Gracious One bears with us, and gives line upon line to +His poor little children. And so He says, 'The peace of God, which +passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through +Christ Jesus.' And again, 'Thy thoughts shall be established.' And again, +'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, +because he trusteth in Thee.' + +And to prove to us that these promises can be realized in present +experience, He sends down to us through nearly 3000 years the words of +the man who prayed, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God,' and lets us hear +twice over the new song put by the same Holy Spirit into his mouth: 'My +heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed' (Ps. lvii. 7, cviii. 1). + +The heart that is established in Christ is also established for Christ. +It becomes His royal throne, no longer occupied by His foe, no longer +tottering and unstable. And then we see the beauty and preciousness of +the promise, 'He shall be a Priest upon His throne.' Not only reigning, +but atoning. Not only ruling, but cleansing. Thus the throne is +established 'in mercy,' but 'by righteousness.' + +I think we lose ground sometimes by parleying with the tempter. We have +no business to parley with an usurper. The throne is no longer his when +we have surrendered it to our Lord Jesus. And why should we allow him to +argue with us for one instant, as if it were still an open question? +Don't listen; simply tell him that Jesus Christ _is_ on the long-disputed +throne, and no more about it, but turn at once to your King and claim the +glorious protection of His sovereignty over you. It is a splendid +reality, and you will find it so. He will not abdicate and leave you +kingless and defenceless. For verily, 'The Lord _is_ our King; He will +save us' (Isa. xxxiii. 22). + + _Our hearts are naturally_-- _God can make them_-- + Evil, Heb. iii. 12. Clean, Ps. li. 10. + Desperately wicked, Jer. xvii. 9. Good, Luke viii. 15. + Weak, Ezek. xvi. 30. Fixed, Ps. cxii. 7. + Deceitful, Jer. xvii. 9. Faithful, Neh. ix. 8. + Deceived, Isa. xliv. 20. Understanding, 1 Kings iii. 9. + Double, Ps. xii. 2. Honest, Luke viii. 15. + Impenitent, Rom. ii. 5. Contrite, Ps. li. 17. + Rebellious, Jer. v. 23. True, Heb. x. 22. + Hard, Ezek. iii. 7. Soft, Job xxiii. 16. + Stony, Ezek. xi. 19. New, Ezek. xviii. 31. + Froward, Prov. xvii. 20. Sound, Ps. cxix. 80. + Despiteful, Ezek. xxv. 15. Glad, Ps. xvi. 9. + Stout, Isa. x. 12. Established, Ps. cxii. 8. + Haughty, Prov. xviii. 12. Tender, Ephes. iv. 32. + Proud, Prov. xxi. 4. Pure, Matt. v. 8. + Perverse, Prov. xii. 8. Perfect, 1 Chron. xxix. 9. + Foolish, Rom. i. 21. Wise, Prov. xi. 29. + + + + + Chapter XI. + Our love kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my love; my Lord, I pour_ + _At Thy feet its treasure-store.'_ + +Not as a mere echo from the morning-gilded shore of Tiberias, but as an +ever new, ever sounding note of divinest power, come the familiar words +to each of us, 'Lovest thou Me?' He says it who has loved us with an +everlasting love. He says it who has died for us. He says it who has +washed us from our sins in His own blood. He says it who has waited for +our love, waited patiently all through our coldness. + +And if by His grace we have said, 'Take my love,' which of us has not +felt that part of His very answer has been to make us see how little +there was to take, and how little of that little has been kept for Him? +And yet we _do_ love Him! He knows that! The very mourning and longing to +love Him more proves it. But we want more than that, and so does our +Lord. + +He has created us to love. We have a sealed treasure of love, which +either remains sealed, and then gradually dries up and wastes away, or is +unsealed and poured out, and yet is the fuller and not the emptier for +the outpouring. The more love we give, the more we have to give. So far +it is only natural. But when the Holy Spirit reveals the love of Christ, +and sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, this natural love is +penetrated with a new principle as it discovers a new Object. Everything +that it beholds in that Object gives it new depth and new colours. As it +sees the holiness, the beauty, and the glory, it takes the deep hues of +conscious sinfulness, unworthiness, and nothingness. As it sees even a +glimpse of the love that passeth knowledge, it takes the glow of wonder +and gratitude. And when it sees that love drawing close to its deepest +need with blood-purchased pardon, it is intensified and stirred, and +there is no more time for weighing and measuring; we must pour it out, +all there is of it, with our tears, at the feet that were pierced for +love of us. + +And what then? Has the flow grown gradually slower and shallower? Has our +Lord reason to say, 'My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and +as a stream of brooks they pass away'? It is humiliating to have found +that we could not keep on loving Him, as we loved in that remembered hour +when 'Thy time was the time of love.' We have proved that we were not +able. Let this be only the stepping-stone to proving that He is able! + +There will have been a cause, as we shall see if we seek it honestly. It +was not that we really poured out all our treasure, and so it naturally +came to an end. We let it be secretly diverted into other channels. We +began keeping back a little part of the price for something else. We +looked away from, instead of looking away unto Jesus. We did not entrust +Him with our love, and ask Him to keep it for Himself. + +And what has He to say to us? Ah, He upbraideth not. Listen! 'Thus saith +the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine +espousals.' Can any words be more tender, more touching, to you, to me? +Forgetting all the sin, all the backsliding, all the coldness, casting +all that into the unreturning depths of the sea, He says He remembers +that hour when we first said, 'Take my love.' He remembers it now, at +this minute. He has written it for ever on His infinite memory, where the +past is as the present. + +His own love is unchangeable, so it could never be His wish or will that +we should thus drift away from Him. Oh, 'Come and let us return unto the +Lord!' But is there any hope that, thus returning, our flickering love +may be kept from again failing? Hear what He says: 'And I will betroth +thee unto Me for ever' And again: 'Thou _shalt_ abide _for Me_ many days; +so will I also be for thee.' Shall we trust His word or not? Is it worthy +of our acceptation or not? Oh, rest on this word of the King, and let Him +from this day have the keeping of your love, and He will keep it! + + +The love of Christ is not an absorbing, but a radiating love. The more we +love Him, the more we shall most certainly love others. Some have not +much natural power of loving, but the love of Christ will strengthen it. +Some have had the springs of love dried up by some terrible earthquake. +They will find 'fresh springs' in Jesus, and the gentle flow will be +purer and deeper than the old torrent could ever be. Some have been +satisfied that it should rush in a narrow channel, but He will cause it +to overflow into many another, and widen its course of blessing. Some +have spent it all on their God-given dear ones. Now He is come whose +right it is; and yet in the fullest resumption of that right, He is so +gracious that He puts back an even larger measure of the old love into +our hand, sanctified with His own love, and energized with His blessing, +and strengthened with His new commandment, 'That ye love one another, as +I have loved you.' + +In that always very interesting part, called a 'Corner for Difficulties,' +of that always very interesting magazine, _Woman's Work_, the question +has been discussed, 'When does love become idolatry? Is it the experience +of Christians that the coming in of a new object of affection interferes +with entire consecration to God?' I should like to quote the many +excellent answers in full, but must only refer my readers to the number +for March 1879. One replies: 'It seems to me that He who is love would +not give us an object for our love unless He saw that our hearts needed +expansion; and if the love is consecrated, and the friendship takes its +stand in Christ, there is no need for the fear that it will become +idolatry. Let the love on both sides _be given to God to keep_, and +however much it may grow, the source from which it springs must yet be +greater.' Perhaps I may be pardoned for giving, at the same writer's +suggestion, a quotation from _Under the Surface_ on this subject. Eleanor +says to Beatrice:-- + + 'I tremble when I think + How much I love him; but I turn away + From thinking of it, just to love him more;-- + Indeed, I fear, too much.' + 'Dear Eleanor, + Do you love him as much as Christ loves us? + Let your lips answer me.' + 'Why ask me, dear? + Our hearts are finite, Christ is infinite.' + 'Then, till you reach the standard of that love, + Let neither fears nor well-meant warning voice + Distress you with "too much." For He hath said + _How_ much--and who shall dare to change His measure? + "_That ye should love as I have loved you._" + O sweet command, that goes so far beyond + The mightiest impulse of the tenderest heart! + A bare permission had been much; but He + Who knows our yearnings and our fearfulness, + Chose graciously to _bid_ us do the thing + That makes our earthly happiness, + A limit that we need not fear to pass, + Because we cannot. Oh, the breadth and length, + And depth and height of love that passeth knowledge! + Yet Jesus said, "As I have loved you."' + 'O Beatrice, I long to feel the sunshine + That this should bring; but there are other words + Which fall in chill eclipse. 'Tis written, "Keep + Yourselves from idols." How shall I obey?' + 'Oh, not by loving less, but loving more. + It is not that we love our precious ones + Too much, but God too little. As the lamp + A miner bears upon his shadowed brow + Is only dazzling in the grimy dark, + And has no glare against the summer sky, + So, set the tiny torch of our best love + In the great sunshine of the love of God, + And, though full fed and fanned, it casts no shade + And dazzles not, o'erflowed with mightier light.' + +There is no love so deep and wide as that which is kept for Jesus. It +flows both fuller and farther when it flows only through Him. Then, too, +it will be a power for Him. It will always be unconsciously working for +Him. In drawing others to ourselves by it, we shall be necessarily +drawing them nearer to the fountain of our love, never drawing them away +from it. It is the great magnet of His love which alone can draw any +heart to Him; but when our own are thoroughly yielded to its mighty +influence, they will be so magnetized that He will condescend to use them +in this way. + +Is it not wonderful to think that the Lord Jesus will not only accept and +keep, but actually _use_ our love? + +'Of Thine own have we given Thee,' for 'we love Him because He first +loved us.' + + Set apart to love Him, + And His love to know; + Not to waste affection + On a passing show; + Called to give Him life and heart, + Called to pour the hidden treasure, + That none other claims to measure, + Into His belovèd hand! thrice blessèd 'set apart'! + + + + + Chapter XII. + Our Selves kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my self, that I may be_ + _Ever, only, all for Thee.'_ + +'For Thee!' That is the beginning and the end of the whole matter of +consecration. + +There was a prelude to its 'endless song,'--a prelude whose theme is +woven into every following harmony in the new anthem of consecrated life: +'The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself _for me_.' Out of the +realized 'for me,' grows the practical 'for Thee!' If the former is a +living root, the latter will be its living fruit. + +'For _Thee!_' This makes the difference between forced or formal, and +therefore unreasonable service, and the 'reasonable service' which is the +beginning of the perfect service where they see His face. This makes the +difference between slave work and free work. For Thee, my Redeemer; for +Thee who hast spoken to my heart; for Thee, who hast done for me--_what?_ +Let us each pause, and fill up that blank with the great things the Lord +hath done for us. For Thee, who art to me--_what?_ Fill that up too, +before Him! For Thee, my Saviour Jesus, my Lord and my God! + +And what is to be for Him? My self. We talk sometimes as if, whatever +else could be subdued unto Him, self could never be. Did St. Paul forget +to mention this important exception to the 'all things' in Phil. iii. 21? +David said: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, _and all that is within me_, +bless His Holy Name.' Did he, too, unaccountably forget to mention that +he only meant all that was within him, _except_ self? If not, then self +must be among the 'all things' which the Lord Jesus Christ is able to +subdue unto Himself, and which are to 'bless His Holy Name.' It is Self +which, once His most treacherous foe, is now, by full and glad surrender, +His own soldier--coming over from the rebel camp into the royal army. It +is not some one else, some temporarily possessing spirit, which says +within us, 'Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee,' but our true and very +self, only changed and renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost. And when +we do that we would not, we know that 'it is no more _I_ that do it, but +sin that dwelleth in me.' Our true self is the new self, taken and won by +the love of God, and kept by the power of God. + +Yes, '_kept!_' There is the promise on which we ground our prayer; or, +rather, one of the promises. For, search and look for your own +strengthening and comfort, and you will find it repeated in every part of +the Bible, from 'I am with thee, and will keep thee,' in Genesis, to 'I +also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,' in Revelation. + +And kept _for Him!_ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, +when it is only the fulfilling of His own eternal purpose in creating us? +'This people have I formed _for Myself._' Not ultimately only, but +presently and continually; for He says, 'Thou shalt abide _for Me;_' and, +'He that remaineth, even he shall be _for our God_.' Are you one of His +people by faith in Jesus Christ? Then see what you are to Him. You, +personally and individually, are part of the Lord's portion (Deut. xxxii. +9) and of His inheritance (1 Kings viii. 53, and Eph. i. 18). His portion +and inheritance would not be complete without you; you are His peculiar +treasure (Ex. xix. 5); 'a _special_ people' (how warm, and loving, and +natural that expression is!) '_unto Himself_' (Deut. vii. 6). Would you +call it 'keeping,' if you had a 'special' treasure, a darling little +child, for instance, and let it run wild into all sorts of dangers all +day long, sometimes at your side, and sometimes out in the street, with +only the intention of fetching it safe home at night? If ye then, being +evil, would know better, and do better, than that, how much more shall +our Lord's keeping be true, and tender, and continual, and effectual, +when He declares us to be His peculiar treasure, purchased (See 1 Pet. +ii. 9, margin) for Himself at such unknown cost! + + He will keep what thus He sought, + Safely guard the dearly bought; + Cherish that which He did choose, + Always love and never lose. + +I know what some of us are thinking. 'Yes; I see it all plainly enough in +theory, but in practice I find I am not kept. Self goes over to the other +camp again and again. If is not all for Jesus, though I have asked and +wished for it to be so.' Dear friends, the 'all' must be sealed with +'only.' Are you willing to be '_only_' for Jesus? You have not given +'all' to Jesus while you are not quite ready to be '_only_' for Him. And +it is no use to talk about 'ever' while we have not settled the 'only' +and the 'all.' You cannot be 'for Him,' in the full and blessed sense, +while you are partly 'for' anything or any one else. For 'the Lord hath +_set apart_ him that is godly for Himself.' You see, the 'for Himself' +hinges upon the 'set apart.' There is no consecration without separation. +If you are mourning over want of realized consecration, will you look +humbly and sincerely into _this_ point? 'A garden _enclosed_ is my +sister, my spouse,' saith the Heavenly Bridegroom. + + Set apart for Jesus! + Is not this enough, + Though the desert prospect + Open wild and rough? + Set apart for His delight, + Chosen for His holy pleasure, + Sealed to be His special treasure! + Could we choose a nobler joy?--and would we, if we might?[footnote: + _Loyal Responses_, p. 11.] + +But yielding, by His grace, to this blessed setting apart for Himself, +'The Lord shall _establish_ thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath +sworn unto thee.' Can there be a stronger promise? Just obey and trust +His word _now_, and yield yourselves _now_ unto God, 'that He may +establish thee _to-day_ for a people unto Himself.' Commit the keeping of +your souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, being +persuaded that He is able to keep that which you commit to Him. + + Now, Lord, I give myself to Thee, + I would be wholly Thine, + As Thou hast given Thyself to me, + And Thou art wholly mine; + O take me, seal me for Thine own, + Thine altogether, Thine alone. + +Here comes in once more that immeasurably important subject of our +influence. For it is not what we say or do, so much as what we _are_, +that influences others. We have heard this, and very likely repeated it +again and again, but have we seen it to be inevitably linked with the +great question of this chapter? I do not know anything which, +thoughtfully considered, makes us realize more vividly the need and the +importance of our whole selves being kept for Jesus. Any part not wholly +committed, and not wholly kept, must hinder and neutralize the real +influence for Him of all the rest. If we ourselves are kept all for +Jesus, then our influence will be all kept for Him too. If not, then, +however much we may wish and talk and try, we cannot throw our full +weight into the right scale. And just in so far as it is not in the one +scale, it must be in the other; weighing against the little which we have +tried to put in the right one, and making the short weight still shorter. + +So large a proportion of it is entirely involuntary, while yet the +responsibility of it is so enormous, that our helplessness comes out in +exceptionally strong relief, while our past debt in this matter is simply +incalculable. Are we feeling this a little? getting just a glimpse, down +the misty defiles of memory, of the neutral influence, the wasted +influence, the mistaken influence, the actually wrong influence which has +marked the ineffaceable although untraceable course? And all the while we +owed Him all that influence! It _ought_ to have been all for Him! We have +nothing to say. But what has our Lord to say? 'I forgave thee all _that_ +debt!' + +Then, after that forgiveness which must come first, there comes a thought +of great comfort in our freshly felt helplessness, rising out of the very +thing that makes us realize this helplessness. Just _because_ our +influence is to such a great extent involuntary and unconscious, we may +rest assured that if we ourselves are truly kept for Jesus, this will be, +as a quite natural result, kept for Him also. It cannot be otherwise, for +as is the fountain, so will be the flow; as the spring, so the action; as +the impulse, so the communicated motion. Thus there may be, and in simple +trust there will be, a quiet rest about it, a relief from all sense of +strain and effort, a fulfilling of the words, 'For he that is entered +into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from +His.' It will not be a matter of _trying_ to have good influence, but +just of _having_ it, as naturally and constantly as the magnetized bar. + +Another encouraging thought should follow. Of ourselves we may have but +little weight, no particular talents or position or anything else to put +into the scale; but let us remember that again and again God has shown +that the influence of a very average life, when once really consecrated +to Him, may outweigh that of almost any number of merely professing +Christians. Such lives are like Gideon's three hundred, carrying not even +the ordinary weapons of war, but only trumpets and lamps and empty +pitchers, by whom the Lord wrought great deliverance, while He did not +use the others at all. For He hath chosen the weak things of the world to +confound the things which are mighty. + +Should not all this be additional motive for desiring that our _whole_ +selves should be taken and kept? + + +I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever. Therefore we may +rejoicingly say 'ever' as well as 'only' and 'all for Thee!' For the Lord +is our Keeper, and He is the Almighty and the Everlasting God, with whom +is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He will never change His +mind about keeping us, and no man is able to pluck us out of His hand. +Neither will Christ let us pluck ourselves out of His hand, for He says, +'Thou _shalt_ abide for Me many days.' And He that keepeth us will not +slumber. Once having undertaken His vineyard, He will keep it night and +day, till all the days and nights are over, and we know the full meaning +of the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, unto which we are +kept by His power. + +And then, for ever for Him! passing from the gracious keeping by faith +for this little while, to the glorious keeping in His presence for all +eternity! For ever fulfilling the object for which He formed us and chose +us, we showing forth His praise, and He showing the exceeding riches of +His grace in His kindness towards us in the ages to come! _He for us, and +we for Him for ever!_ Oh, how little we can grasp this! Yet this is the +fruition of being 'kept for Jesus!' + + Set apart for ever + For Himself alone! + Now we see our calling + Gloriously shown. + Owning, with no secret dread, + This our holy separation, + Now the crown of consecration[footnote: Num. vi. 7.] + Of the Lord our God shall rest upon our willing head. + + + + + Chapter XIII. + Christ for Us. + + +_'So will I also be for Thee._'--Hos. iii. 3. + +The typical promise, 'Thou shalt abide for Me many days,' is indeed a +marvel of love. For it is given to the most undeserving, described under +the strongest possible figure of utter worthlessness and +treacherousness,--the woman beloved, yet an adulteress. + +The depth of the abyss shows the length of the line that has fathomed it, +yet only the length of the line reveals the real depth of the abyss. The +sin shows the love, and the love reveals the sin. The Bible has few words +more touching, though seldom quoted, than those just preceding this +wonderful promise: 'The love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, +who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.' Put that into the +personal application which no doubt underlies it, and say, 'The love of +the Lord toward _me_, who have looked away from Him, with wandering, +faithless eyes, to other helps and hopes, and have loved earthly joys and +sought earthly gratifications,--the love of the Lord toward even me!' And +then hear Him saying in the next verse, 'So I bought her to Me;' stooping +to do _that_ in His unspeakable condescension of love, not with the +typical silver and barley, but with the precious blood of Christ. Then, +having thus loved us, and rescued us, and bought us with a price indeed, +He says, still under the same figure, 'Thou shalt abide for Me many +days.' + +This is both a command and a pledge. But the very pledge implies our past +unfaithfulness, and the proved need of even our own part being undertaken +by the ever patient Lord. He Himself has to guarantee our faithfulness, +because there is no other hope of our continuing faithful. Well may such +love win our full and glad surrender, and such a promise win our happy +and confident trust! + +But He says more. He says, 'So will I also be for thee!' And this seems +an even greater marvel of love, as we observe how He meets every detail +of our consecration with this wonderful word.[footnote: The remainder of +this chapter is printed in a little penny book, entitled, _I also for +Thee_, by F. R. H., published by Caswell, Birmingham, and by Nisbet & +Co.] + + +1. _His Life_ 'for thee!' 'The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the +sheep.' Oh, wonderful gift! not promised, but _given_; not to friends, +but to enemies. Given without condition, without reserve, without return. +Himself unknown and unloved, His gift unsought and unasked, He gave His +life for thee; a more than royal bounty--the greatest gift that Deity +could devise. Oh, grandeur of love! 'I lay down My life for the sheep!' +And we for whom He gave it have held back, and hesitated to give our +lives, not even _for_ Him (He has not asked us to do that), but _to_ Him! +But that is past, and He has tenderly pardoned the unloving, ungrateful +reserve, and has graciously accepted the poor little fleeting breath and +speck of dust which was all we had to offer. And now His precious death +and His glorious life are all 'for thee.' + + +2. _His Eternity_ 'for thee.' All we can ask Him to take are days and +moments--the little span given us as it is given, and of this only the +present in deed and the future in will. As for the past, in so far as we +did not give it to Him, it is too late; we can never give it now! But His +past was given to us, though ours was not given to Him. Oh, what a +tremendous debt does this show us! + +Away back in the dim depths of past eternity, 'or ever the earth and the +world were made,' His divine existence in the bosom of His Father was all +'for thee,' purposing and planning 'for thee,' receiving and holding the +promise of eternal life 'for thee.' + +Then the thirty-three years among sinners on this sinful earth: do we +think enough of the slowly-wearing days and nights, the heavy-footed +hours, the never-hastening minutes, that went to make up those +thirty-three years of trial and humiliation? We all know how slowly time +passes when suffering and sorrow are near, and there is no reason to +suppose that our Master was exempted from this part of our infirmities. + +Then His present is 'for thee.' Even now He 'liveth to make +intercession;' even now He 'thinketh upon me;' even now He 'knoweth,' He +'careth,' He 'loveth.' + +Then, only to think that His whole eternity will be 'for thee!' Millions +of ages of unfoldings of all His love, and of ever new declarings of His +Father's name to His brethren. Think of it! and can we ever hesitate to +give _all_ our poor little hours to His service? + + +3. _His Hands_ 'for thee.' Literal hands; literally pierced, when the +whole weight of His quivering frame hung from their torn muscles and +bared nerves; literally uplifted in parting blessing. Consecrated, +priestly hands; 'filled' hands (Ex. xxviii. 41, xxix. 9, etc., +margin)--filled once with His great offering, and now with gifts and +blessings 'for thee.' Tender hands, touching and healing, lifting and +leading with gentlest care. Strong hands, upholding and defending. Open +hands, filling with good and satisfying desire (Ps. civ. 28, and cxlv. +16). Faithful hands, restraining and sustaining. 'His left hand is under +my head, and His right hand doth embrace me.' + + +4. _His Feet_ 'for thee.' They were weary very often, they were wounded +and bleeding once. They made clear footprints as He went about doing +good, and as He went up to Jerusalem to suffer; and these 'blessed steps +of His most holy life,' both as substitution and example, were 'for +thee.' Our place of waiting and learning, of resting and loving, is at +His feet. And still those 'blessed feet' are and shall be 'for thee,' +until He comes again to receive us unto Himself, until and when the word +is fulfilled, 'They shall walk with Me in white.' + + +5. _His Voice_ 'for thee.' The 'Voice of my beloved that knocketh, +saying, Open to me, my sister, my love;' the Voice that His sheep 'hear' +and 'know,' and that calls out the fervent response, 'Master, say on!' +This is not all. It was the literal voice of the Lord Jesus which uttered +that one echoless cry of desolation on the Cross 'for thee,' and it will +be His own literal voice which will say, 'Come, ye blessed!' to thee. And +that same tender and 'glorious Voice' has literally sung and will sing +'for thee.' I think He consecrated song for us, and made it a sweet and +sacred thing for ever, when He Himself 'sang an hymn,' the very last +thing before He went forth to consecrate suffering for us. That was not +His last song. 'The Lord thy God ... will joy over thee with singing.' +And the time is coming when He will not only sing 'for thee' or 'over +thee,' but with thee. He says He will! 'In the midst of the church will I +sing praise unto Thee.' Now what a magnificent glimpse of joy this is! +'Jesus Himself leading the praises of His brethren,'[footnote: See A. +Newton on the Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. ii. ver. 12.] and we ourselves +singing not merely in such a chorus, but with such a leader! If 'singing +for Jesus' is such delight here, what will this 'singing _with_ Jesus' +be? Surely song may well be a holy thing to us henceforth. + + +6. _His Lips_ 'for thee.' Perhaps there is no part of our consecration +which it is so difficult practically to realize, and in which it is, +therefore, so needful to recollect?--'I also for thee.' It is often +helpful to read straight through one or more of the Gospels with a +special thought on our mind, and see how much bears upon it. When we read +one through with this thought--'His _lips_ for me!'--wondering, verse by +verse, at the grace which was poured into them, and the gracious words +which fell from them, wondering more and more at the cumulative force and +infinite wealth of tenderness and power and wisdom and love flowing from +them, we cannot but desire that our lips and all the fruit of them should +be wholly for Him. 'For thee' they were opened in blessing; 'for thee' +they were closed when He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And whether +teaching, warning, counsel, comfort, or encouragement, commandments in +whose keeping there is a great reward, or promises which exceed all we +ask or think--all the precious fruit of His lips is 'for thee,' really +and truly _meant_ 'for thee.' + + +7. _His Wealth_ 'for thee.' 'Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He +became poor, that ye through His poverty might be made rich.' Yes, +'through His poverty' the unsearchable riches of Christ are 'for thee.' +Seven-fold riches are mentioned; and these are no unminted treasure or +sealed reserve, but all ready coined for our use, and stamped with His +own image and superscription, and poured freely into the hand of faith. +The mere list is wonderful. 'Riches of goodness,' 'riches of forbearance +and long-suffering,' 'riches both of wisdom and knowledge,' 'riches of +mercy,' 'exceeding riches of grace,' and 'riches of glory.' And His own +Word says, 'All are yours!' Glance on in faith, and think of eternity +flowing on and on beyond the mightiest sweep of imagination, and realize +that all 'His riches in glory' and 'the riches of His glory' are and +shall be 'for thee!' In view of this, shall we care to reserve anything +that rust doth corrupt for ourselves? + + +8. _His 'treasures of wisdom and knowledge'_ 'for thee.' First, used for +our behalf and benefit. Why did He expend such immeasurable might of mind +upon a world which is to be burnt up, but that He would fit it perfectly +to be, not the home, but the school of His children? The infinity of His +skill is such that the most powerful intellects find a lifetime too short +to penetrate a little way into a few secrets of some one small department +of His working. If we turn to Providence, it is quite enough to take only +one's own life, and look at it microscopically and telescopically, and +marvel at the treasures of wisdom lavished upon its details, ordering and +shaping and fitting the tiny confused bits into the true mosaic which He +means it to be. Many a little thing in our lives reveals the same Mind +which, according to a well-known and very beautiful illustration, +adjusted a perfect proportion in the delicate hinges of the snowdrop and +the droop of its bell, with the mass of the globe and the force of +gravitation. How kind we think it if a very talented friend spends a +little of his thought and power of mind in teaching us or planning for +us! Have we been grateful for the infinite thought and wisdom which our +Lord has expended upon us and our creation, preservation, and redemption? + +Secondly, to be shared with us. He says, 'All that I have is thine.' He +holds nothing back, reserves nothing from His dear children, and what we +cannot receive now He is keeping for us. He gives us 'hidden riches of +secret places' now, but by and by He will give us more, and the glorified +intellect will be filled continually out of His treasures of wisdom and +knowledge. But the sanctified intellect will be, must be, used for Him, +and only for Him, now! + + +9. _His Will_ 'for thee.' Think first of the _infinite might_ of that +will; the first great law and the first great force of the universe, from +which alone every other law and every other force has sprung, and to +which all are subordinate. 'He worketh all things after the counsel of +His own will.' 'He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and +among the inhabitants of the earth.' Then think of the _infinite +mysteries_ of that will. For ages and generations the hosts of heaven +have wonderingly watched its vouchsafed unveilings and its sublime +developments, and still they are waiting, watching, and wondering. + +Creation and Providence are but the whisper of its power, but Redemption +is its music, and praise is the echo which shall yet fill His temple. The +whisper and the music, yes, and 'the thunder of His power,' are all 'for +thee.' For what _is_ 'the good pleasure of His will'? (Eph. i. 5.) Oh, +what a grand list of blessings purposed, provided, purchased, and +possessed, all flowing to us out of it! And nothing but blessings, +nothing but privileges, which we never should have imagined, and which, +even when revealed, we are 'slow of heart to believe;' nothing but what +should even now fill us 'with joy unspeakable and full of glory!' + +Think of this will as always and altogether on our side--always working +for us, and in us, and with us, if we will only let it; think of it as +always and only synonymous with infinitely wise and almighty love; think +of it as undertaking all for us, from the great work of our eternal +salvation down to the momentary details of guidance and supply, and do we +not feel utter shame and self-abhorrence at _ever_ having hesitated for +an instant to give up our tiny, feeble, blind will, to be--not crushed, +not even bent, but _blent_ with His glorious and perfect Will? + + +10. _His Heart_ 'for thee.' 'Behold ... He is mighty ... in heart,' said +Job (Job xxxvi. 5, margin). And this mighty and tender heart is 'for +thee!' If He had only stretched forth His hand to save us from bare +destruction, and said, 'My hand for thee!' how could we have praised Him +enough? But what shall we say of the unspeakably marvellous condescension +which says, 'Thou hast ravished (margin, _taken away_) my heart, my +sister, my spouse!' The very fountain of His divine life, and light, and +love, the very centre of His being, is given to His beloved ones, who are +not only 'set as a seal upon His heart,' but taken into His heart, so +that our life is hid there, and we dwell there in the very centre of all +safety, and power, and love, and glory. What will be the revelation of +'that day,' when the Lord Jesus promises, 'Ye shall know that I am in My +Father, and _ye in Me'?_ For He implies that we do not yet know it, and +that our present knowledge of this dwelling in Him is not knowledge at +all compared with what He is going to show us about it. + +Now shall we, can we, reserve any corner of our hearts from Him? + + +11. _His Love_ 'for thee.' Not a passive, possible love, but outflowing, +yes, _outpouring_ of the real, glowing, personal love of His mighty and +tender heart. Love not as an attribute, a quality, a latent force, but an +acting, moving, reaching, touching, and grasping power. Love, not a cold, +beautiful, far-off star, but a sunshine that comes and enfolds us, making +us warm and glad, and strong and bright and fruitful. + +_His_ love! What manner of love is it? What should be quoted to prove or +describe it? First the whole Bible with its mysteries and marvels of +redemption, then the whole book of Providence and the whole volume of +creation. Then add to these the unknown records of eternity past and the +unknown glories of eternity to come, and then let the immeasurable +quotation be sung by 'angels and archangels, and all the company of +heaven,' with all the harps of God, and still that love will be untold, +still it will be 'the love of Christ that passeth knowledge.' + +But it is 'for thee!' + + +12. _Himself_ 'for thee.' 'Christ also hath loved us, and given Himself +for us.' 'The Son of God ... loved me, and gave Himself for me.' Yes, +Himself! What is the Bride's true and central treasure? What calls forth +the deepest, brightest, sweetest thrill of love and praise? Not the +Bridegroom's priceless gifts, not the robe of His resplendent +righteousness, not the dowry of unsearchable riches, not the magnificence +of the palace home to which He is bringing her, not the glory which she +shall share with Him, but Himself! Jesus Christ, 'who His own self bare +our sins in His own body on the tree;' 'this same Jesus,' 'whom having +not seen, ye love;' the Son of God, and the Man of Sorrows; my Saviour, +my Friend, my Master, my King, my Priest, my Lord and my God--He says, +'_I_ also for thee!' What an '_I'!_ What power and sweetness we feel in +it, so different from any human '_I_,' for all His Godhead and all His +manhood are concentrated in it, and all 'for thee!' + +And not only 'all,' but '_ever_' for thee. His unchangeableness is the +seal upon every attribute; He will be 'this same Jesus' for ever. How can +mortal mind estimate this enormous promise? How can mortal heart conceive +what is enfolded in these words, 'I also for thee'? + +One glimpse of its fulness and glory, and we feel that henceforth it must +be, shall be, and by His grace _will_ be our true-hearted, whole-hearted +cry-- + + Take _myself_, and I will be + _Ever_, ONLY, ALL for Thee! + + + + + SELECTIONS FROM + MISS HAVERGAL'S LATEST POEMS. + + + + + An Interlude. + + + _That_ part is finished! I lay down my pen, + And wonder if the thoughts will flow as fast + Through the more difficult defile. For the last + Was easy, and the channel deeper then. + My Master, I will trust Thee for the rest; + Give me just what Thou wilt, and that will be my best! + + How can _I_ tell the varied, hidden need + Of Thy dear children, all unknown to me, + Who at some future time may come and read + What I have written! All are known to Thee. + As Thou hast helped me, help me to the end; + Give me Thy own sweet messages of love to send. + + So now, I pray Thee, keep my hand in Thine; + And guide it as Thou wilt. I do not ask + To understand the 'wherefore' of each line; + Mine is the sweeter, easier, happier task, + Just to look up to Thee for every word, + Rest in Thy love, and trust, and know that I am heard. + + + + + The Thoughts of God. + + + They say there is a hollow, safe and still, + A point of coolness and repose + Within the centre of a flame, where life might dwell + Unharmed and unconsumed, as in a luminous shell, + Which the bright walls of fire enclose + In breachless splendour, barrier that no foes + Could pass at will. + + There is a point of rest + At the great centre of the cyclone's force, + A silence at its secret source;-- + A little child might slumber undistressed, + Without the ruffle of one fairy curl, + In that strange central calm amid the mighty whirl. + + So, in the centre of these thoughts of God, + Cyclones of power, consuming glory-fire,-- + As we fall o'erawed + Upon our faces, and are lifted higher + By His great gentleness, and carried nigher + Than unredeemèd angels, till we stand + Even in the hollow of His hand, + Nay, more! we lean upon His breast-- + _There_, there we find a point of perfect rest + And glorious safety. There we see + His thoughts to usward, thoughts of peace + That stoop in tenderest love; that still increase + With increase of our need; that never change, + That never fail, or falter, or forget + O pity infinite! + O royal mercy free! + O gentle climax of the depth and height + Of God's most precious thoughts, most wonderful, most strange! + 'For I am poor and needy, yet + The Lord Himself, Jehovah, _thinketh upon me_!' + + + + + 'Free to Serve.' + + + She chose His service. For the Lord of Love + Had chosen her, and paid the awful price + For her redemption; and had sought her out, + And set her free, and clothed her gloriously, + And put His royal ring upon her hand, + And crowns of loving-kindness on her head. + She chose it. Yet it seemed she could not yield + The fuller measure other lives could bring; + For He had given her a precious gift, + A treasure and a charge to prize and keep, + A tiny hand, a darling hand, that traced + On her heart's tablet words of golden love. + And there was not much room for other lines, + For time and thought were spent (and rightly spent, + For He had given the charge), and hours and days + Were concentrated on the one dear task. + But He had need of her. Not one new gem + But many for His crown;--not one fair sheaf, + But many, she should bring. And she should have + A richer, happier harvest-home at last. + Because more fruit, more glory and more praise + Her life should yield to Him. And so He came, + The Master came Himself, and gently took + The little hand in His, and gave it room + Among the angel-harpers. Jesus came + And laid His own hand on the quivering heart, + And made it very still, that He might write + Invisible words of power--'Free to serve!' + Then through the darkness and the chill He sent + A heat-ray of His love, developing + The mystic writing, till it glowed and shone + And lit up all her life with radiance new,-- + The happy service of a yielded heart. + With comfort that He never ceased to give + (Because her need could never cease) she filled + The empty chalices of other lives, + And time and thought were thenceforth spent for Him + Who loved her with His everlasting love. + + Let Him write what He will upon our hearts, + With His unerring pen. They are His own, + Hewn from the rock by His selecting grace, + Prepared for His own glory. Let Him write! + Be sure He will not cross out one sweet word + But to inscribe a sweeter,--but to grave + One that shall shine for ever to His praise, + And thus fulfil our deepest heart-desire. + The tearful eye at first may read the line, + 'Bondage to grief!' But He shall wipe away + The tears, and clear the vision, till it read + In ever-brightening letters, 'Free to serve!' + For whom the Son makes free is free indeed. + Nor only by reclaiming His good gifts, + But by withholding, doth the Master write + These words upon the heart. Not always needs + Erasure of some blessèd line of love + For this more blest inscription. Where He finds + A tablet empty for the 'lines left out,' + That 'might have been' engraved with human love + And sweetest human cares, yet never bore + That poetry of life, His own dear hand + Writes 'Free to serve!' And these clear characters + Fill with fair colours all the unclaimed space, + Else grey and colourless. + Then let it be + The motto of our lives until we stand + In the great freedom of Eternity, + Where we '_shall_ serve Him' while we see His face, + For ever and for ever 'Free to serve.' + + + + + Coming to the King. + + 2 Chronicles ix. 1-12. + + + I came from very far away to see + The King of Salem; for I had been told + Of glory and of wisdom manifold, + And condescension infinite and free. + How could I rest, when I had heard His fame, + In that dark lonely land of death from whence I came? + + I came (but not like Sheba's queen), alone! + No stately train, no costly gifts to bring; + No friend at court, save One, that One the King! + I had requests to spread before His throne, + And I had questions none could solve for me, + Of import deep, and full of awful mystery. + + I came and communed with that mighty King, + And told Him all my heart; I cannot say, + In mortal ear, what communings were they. + But wouldst thou know, go too, and meekly bring + All that is in thy heart, and thou shalt hear + His voice of love and power, His answers sweet and clear. + + O happy end of every weary quest! + He told me all I needed, graciously;-- + Enough for guidance, and for victory + O'er doubts and fears, enough for quiet rest; + And when some veiled response I could not read, + It was not hid from Him,--this was enough indeed. + + His wisdom and His glories passed before + My wondering eyes in gradual revelation; + The house that He had built, its strong foundation, + Its living stones; and, brightening more and more, + Fair glimpses of that palace far away, + Where all His loyal ones shall dwell with Him for aye. + + True the report that reached my far-off land + Of all His wisdom and transcendent fame; + Yet I believed not until I came,-- + Bowed to the dust till raised by royal hand. + The half was never told by mortal word; + My King exceeded all the fame that I had heard! + + Oh, happy are His servants! happy they + Who stand continually before His face, + Ready to do His will of wisest grace! + My King! is mine such blessedness to-day? + For I too hear Thy wisdom, line by line, + Thy ever brightening words in holy radiance shine. + + Oh, blessèd be the Lord thy God, who set + Our King upon His throne! Divine delight + In the Beloved crowning Thee with might, + Honour, and majesty supreme; and yet + The strange and Godlike secret opening thus,-- + The kingship of His Christ ordained through love to us! + + What shall I render to my glorious King? + I have but that which I receive from Thee; + And what I give, Thou givest back to me, + Transmuted by Thy touch; each worthless thing + Changed to the preciousness of gem or gold, + And by Thy blessing multiplied a thousand fold. + + All my desire Thou grantest, whatsoe'er + I ask! Was ever mythic tale or dream + So bold as this reality,--this stream + Of boundless blessings flowing full and free? + Yet more than I have thought or asked of Thee, + Out of Thy royal bounty still Thou givest me. + + Now I will turn to my own land, and tell + What I myself have seen and heard of Thee. + And give Thine own sweet message, 'Come and see!' + And yet in heart and mind for ever dwell + With Thee, my King of Peace, in loyal rest, + Within the fair pavilion of Thy presence blest. + + +'Surely in what place my Lord the King shall be, whether in death or +life, even there also will thy servant be.'--2 _Sam._ xv. 21. + +'Where I am, there shall also my servant be.'--_John_ xii. 26. + + + + + The Two Paths. + + Via Dolorosa and Via Giojosa. + + [_Suggested by a Picture._] + + + My Master, they have wronged Thee and Thy love! + They only told me I should find the path + A Via Dolorosa all the way! + Even Thy sweetest singers only sang + Of pressing onward through the same sharp thorns, + With bleeding footsteps, through the chill dark mist, + Following and struggling till they reach the light, + The rest, the sunshine of the far beyond. + The anthems of the pilgrimage were set + In most pathetic minors, exquisite, + Yet breathing sadness more than any praise; + Thy minstrels let the fitful breezes make + Æolian moans on their entrusted harps, + Until the listeners thought that this was all + The music Thou hadst given. And so the steps + That halted where the two ways met and crossed, + The broad and narrow, turned aside in fear, + Thinking the radiance of their youth must pass + In sombre shadows if they followed Thee; + Hearing afar such echoes of one strain, + The cross, the tribulation, and the toil, + The conflict, and the clinging in the dark. + What wonder that the dancing feet are stayed + From entering the only path of peace! + Master, forgive them! Tune their harps anew, + And put a new song in their mouths for Thee, + And make Thy chosen people joyful in Thy love. + + + Lord Jesus, Thou hast trodden once for all + The Via Dolorosa,--and for us! + No artist power or minstrel gift may tell + The cost to Thee of each unfaltering step, + When love that passeth knowledge led Thee on, + Faithful and true to God, and true to us. + And now, belovèd Lord, Thou callest us + To follow Thee, and we will take Thy word + About the path which Thou hast marked for us. + Narrow indeed it is! Who does not choose + The narrow track upon the mountain side, + With ever-widening view, and freshening air, + And honeyed heather, rather than the road, + With smoothest breadth of dust and loss of view, + Soiled blossoms not worth gathering, and the noise + Of wheels instead of silence of the hills, + Or music of the waterfalls? Oh, why + Should they misrepresent Thy words, and make + 'Narrow' synonymous with 'very hard'? + For Thou, Divinest Wisdom, Thou hast said + Thy ways are ways of pleasantness, and all + Thy paths are peace; and that the path of him + Who wears Thy perfect robe of righteousness + Is as the light that shineth more and more + Unto the perfect day. And Thou hast given + An olden promise, rarely quoted now,[footnote: Job xxvi. 15.] + Because it is too bright for our weak faith: + 'If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend + Days in prosperity, and they shall spend + Their years in pleasures.' All because Thy days + Were full of sorrow, and Thy lonely years + Were passed in grief's acquaintance--all for us! + + Master, I set my seal that Thou art true, + Of Thy good promise not one thing hath failed! + And I would send a ringing challenge forth, + To all who know Thy name, to tell it out, + Thy faithfulness to every written word, + Thy loving-kindness crowning all the days,-- + To say and sing with me: 'The Lord is good, + His mercy is for ever, and His truth + Is written on each page of all my life!' + Yes! there _is_ tribulation, but Thy power + Can blend it with rejoicing. There _are_ thorns, + But they have kept us in the narrow way, + The King's Highway of holiness and peace. + And there _is_ chastening, but the Father's love + Flows through it; and would any trusting heart + Forego the chastening and forego the love? + And every step leads on to 'more and more,' + From strength to strength Thy pilgrims pass and sing + The praise of Him who leads them on and on, + From glory unto glory, even here! + + + + + Only for Jesus. + + + Only for Jesus! Lord, keep it for ever + Sealed on the heart and engraved on the life! + Pulse of all gladness and nerve of endeavour, + Secret of rest, and the strength of our strife. + + + + + 'Vessels of Mercy, Prepared unto Glory.' + + (Rom. ix. 23.) + + + Vessels of mercy, prepared unto glory! + This is your calling and this is your joy! + This, for the new year unfolding before ye, + Tells out the terms of your blessed employ. + + Vessels, it may be, all empty and broken, + Marred in the Hand of inscrutable skill; + (Love can accept the mysterious token!) + Marred but to make them more beautiful still. + + Jer. xviii. 4. + + Vessels, it may be, not costly or golden; + Vessels, it may be, of quantity small, + Yet by the Nail in the Sure Place upholden, + Never to shiver and never to fall. + + Isa. xxii. 23, 24. + + Vessels to honour, made sacred and holy, + Meet for the use of the Master we love, + Ready for service, all simple and lowly, + Ready, one day, for the temple above. + + 2 Tim. ii. 21. + + Yes, though the vessels be fragile and earthen, + God hath commanded His glory to shine; + Treasure resplendent henceforth is our burthen, + Excellent power, not ours but Divine. + + 2 Cor. iv. 5, 6. + + Chosen in Christ ere the dawn of Creation, + Chosen for Him, to be filled with His grace, + Chosen to carry the streams of salvation + Into each thirsty and desolate place. + + Acts ix. 15. + + Take all Thy vessels, O glorious Finer, + Purge all the dross, that each chalice may be + Pure in Thy pattern, completer, diviner, + Filled with Thy glory and shining for Thee. + + Prov. xxv. 4. + + + + + The Turned Lesson. + + + 'I thought I knew it!' she said, + 'I thought I had learnt it quite!' + But the gentle Teacher shook her head, + With a grave yet loving light + In the eyes that fell on the upturned face, + As she gave the book + With the mark still set in the self-same place. + + 'I thought I knew it!' she said; + And a heavy tear fell down, + As she turned away with bending head, + Yet not for reproof or frown, + Not for the lesson to learn again, + Or the play hour lost;-- + It was something else that gave the pain. + + She could not have put it in words, + But her Teacher understood, + As God understands the chirp of the birds + In the depth of an autumn wood. + And a quiet touch on the reddening cheek + Was quite enough; + No need to question, no need to speak. + + Then the gentle voice was heard, + 'Now I will try you again!' + And the lesson was mastered,--every word! + Was it not worth the pain? + Was it not kinder the task to turn, + Than to let it pass, + As a lost, lost leaf that she did not learn? + + Is it not often so, + That we only learn in part, + And the Master's testing-time may show + That it was not quite 'by heart'? + Then He gives, in His wise and patient grace, + That lesson again + With the mark still set in the self-same place. + + Only, stay by His side + Till the page is really known. + It may be we failed because we tried + To learn it all alone, + And now that He would not let us lose + One lesson of love + (For He knows the loss),--can we refuse? + + But oh! how could we dream + That we knew it all so well! + Reading so fluently, as we deem, + What we could not even spell! + And oh! how could we grieve once more + That Patient One + Who has turned so many a task before! + + That waiting One, who now + Is letting us try again; + Watching us with the patient brow, + That bore the wreath of pain; + Thoroughly teaching what He would teach, + Line upon line, + Thoroughly doing His work in each. + + Then let our hearts 'be still,' + Though our task is turned to-day; + Oh let Him teach us what He will, + In His own gracious way. + Till, sitting only at Jesus' feet, + As we learn each line + The hardest is found all clear and sweet! + + + + + Sunday Night. + + + Rest him, O Father! Thou didst send him forth + With great and gracious messages of love; + But Thy ambassador is weary now, + Worn with the weight of his high embassy. + Now care for him as Thou hast cared for us + In sending him; and cause him to lie down + In Thy fresh pastures, by Thy streams of peace. + Let Thy left hand be now beneath his head, + And Thine upholding right encircle him, + And, underneath, the Everlasting arms + Be felt in full support. So let him rest, + Hushed like a little child, without one care; + And so give Thy belovèd sleep to-night. + + Rest him, dear Master! He hath poured for us + The wine of joy, and we have been refreshed. + Now fill _his_ chalice, give him sweet new draughts + Of life and love, with Thine own hand; be Thou + His ministrant to-night; draw very near + In all Thy tenderness and all Thy power. + Oh speak to him! Thou knowest how to speak + A word in season to Thy weary ones, + And he is weary now. Thou lovest him-- + Let Thy disciple lean upon Thy breast, + And, leaning, gain new strength to 'rise and shine.' + + Rest him, O loving Spirit! Let Thy calm + Fall on his soul to-night. O holy Dove, + Spread Thy bright wing above him, let him rest + Beneath its shadow; let him know afresh + The infinite truth and might of Thy dear name-- + 'Our Comforter!' As gentlest touch will stay + The strong vibrations of a jarring chord, + So lay Thy hand upon his heart, and still + Each overstraining throb, each pulsing pain. + Then, in the stillness, breathe upon the strings, + And let thy holy music overflow + With soothing power his listening, resting soul. + + + + + A Song in the Night. + +[Written in severe pain, Sunday afternoon, October 8th, 1876, at the +Pension Wengen, Alps.] + + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + From Thine own hand, + The strength to bear it bravely + Thou wilt command. + + I am too weak for effort, + So let me rest, + In hush of sweet submission, + On Thine own breast. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + As proof indeed + That Thou art watching closely + My truest need; + + That Thou, my Good Physician, + Art watching still; + That all Thine own good pleasure + Thou wilt fulfil. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus; + What Thou dost choose + The soul that really loves Thee + Will not refuse. + + It is not for the first time + I trust to-day; + For Thee my heart has never + A trustless 'Nay!' + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus; + But what beside? + 'Tis no unmingled portion + Thou dost provide. + + In every hour of faintness + My cup runs o'er + With faithfulness and mercy, + And love's sweet store. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + As Thine own gift; + And true though tremulous praises + I now uplift. + + I am too weak to sing them, + But Thou dost hear + The whisper from the pillow, + Thou art so near! + + 'Tis Thy dear hand, O Saviour, + That presseth sore, + The hand that bears the nail-prints + For evermore. + + And now beneath its shadow, + Hidden by Thee, + The pressure only tells me + Thou lovest me! + + + + + What will You do without Him? + + + I could not do without Him! + Jesus is more to me + Than all the richest, fairest gifts + Of earth could ever be. + But the more I find Him precious-- + And the more I find Him true-- + The more I long for you to find + What He can be to you. + + You need not do without Him, + For He is passing by, + He is waiting to be gracious, + Only waiting for your cry: + He is waiting to receive you-- + To make you all His own! + Why will you do without Him, + And wander on alone? + + Why will you do without Him? + Is He not kind indeed? + Did He not die to save you? + Is He not all you need? + Do you not want a Saviour? + Do you not want a Friend? + One who will love you faithfully, + And love you to the end? + + Why will you do without Him? + The Word of God is true! + The world is passing to its doom-- + And you are passing too. + It may be no to-morrow + Shall dawn on you or me; + Why will you run the awful risk + Of all eternity? + + What will you do without Him, + In the long and dreary day + Of trouble and perplexity, + When you do not know the way, + And no one else can help you, + And no one guides you right, + And hope comes not with morning, + And rest comes not with night? + + You could not do without Him, + If once He made you see + The fetters that enchain you, + Till He hath set you free. + If once you saw the fearful load + Of sin upon your soul; + The hidden plague that ends in death, + Unless He makes you whole! + + What will you do without Him, + When death is drawing near? + Without His love--the only love + That casts out every fear; + When the shadow-valley opens, + Unlighted and unknown, + And the terrors of its darkness + Must all be passed alone! + + What will you do without Him, + When the great white throne is set, + And the Judge who never can mistake, + And never can forget,-- + The Judge whom you have never here + As Friend and Saviour sought, + Shall summon you to give account + Of deed and word and thought? + + What will you do without Him, + When He hath shut the door, + And you are left outside, because + You would not come before? + When it is no use knocking, + No use to stand and wait; + For the word of doom tolls through your heart + That terrible 'Too late!' + + You cannot do without Him! + There is no other name + By which you ever _can_ be saved, + No way, no hope, no claim! + Without Him--everlasting loss + Of love, and life, and light! + Without Him--everlasting woe, + And everlasting night. + + But with Him--oh! _with Jesus_! + Are any words so blest? + With Jesus, everlasting joy + And everlasting rest! + With Jesus--all the empty heart + Filled with His perfect love; + With Jesus--perfect peace below, + And perfect bliss above. + + Why should you do without Him? + It is not yet too late; + He has not closed the day of grace, + He has not shut the gate. + He calls you! hush! He calls you! + He would not have you go + Another step without Him, + Because He loves you so. + + Why will you do without Him? + He calls and calls again-- + 'Come unto Me! Come unto Me!' + Oh, shall He call in vain? + He wants to have you with Him; + Do you not want Him too? + You cannot do without Him, + And He wants--even you. + + + + + Church Missionary Jubilee Hymn. + +'He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.'--Isa. +liii. 11. + + + Rejoice with Jesus Christ to-day, + All ye who love His holy sway! + The travail of His soul is past, + He shall be satisfied at last. + + Rejoice with Him, rejoice indeed! + For He shall see His chosen seed. + But ours the trust, the grand employ, + To work out this divinest joy. + + Of all His own He loseth none, + They shall be gathered one by one; + He gathereth the smallest grain, + His travail shall not be in vain. + + Arise and work! arise and pray + That He would haste the dawning day! + And let the silver trumpet sound, + Wherever Satan's slaves are found. + + The vanquished foe shall soon be stilled, + The conquering Saviour's joy fulfilled, + Fulfilled in us, fulfilled in them, + His crown, His royal diadem. + + Soon, soon our waiting eyes shall see + The Saviour's mighty Jubilee! + His harvest joy is filling fast, + He shall be satisfied at last. + + + + + A Happy New Year to You! + + + New mercies, new blessings, new light on thy way; + New courage, new hope, and new strength for each day; + New notes of thanksgiving, new chords of delight, + New praise in the morning, new songs in the night, + New wine in thy chalice, new altars to raise; + New fruits for thy Master, new garments of praise; + New gifts from His treasures, new smiles from His face; + New streams from the Fountain of infinite grace; + New stars for thy crown, and new tokens of love; + New gleams of the glory that waits thee above; + New light of His countenance, full and unpriced; + All this be the joy of thy new life in Christ! + + + + + Another Year. + + + Another year is dawning! + Dear Master, let it be + In working or in waiting, + Another year with Thee. + + Another year of leaning + Upon Thy loving breast, + Of ever-deepening trustfulness, + Of quiet, happy rest. + + Another year of mercies, + Of faithfulness and grace; + Another year of gladness + In the shining of Thy face. + + Another year of progress, + Another year of praise; + Another year of proving + Thy presence 'all the days.' + + Another year of service, + Of witness for Thy love; + Another year of training + For holier work above. + + Another year is dawning! + Dear Master, let it be + On earth, or else in heaven, + Another year for Thee! + + + + + New Year's Wishes. + + + What shall I wish thee? + Treasures of earth? + Songs in the springtime, + Pleasure and mirth? + Flowers on thy pathway, + Skies ever clear? + Would this ensure thee + A Happy New Year? + + What shall I wish thee? + What can be found + Bringing thee sunshine + All the year round? + Where is the treasure, + Lasting and dear, + That shall ensure thee + A Happy New Year? + + Faith that increaseth, + Walking in light; + Hope that aboundeth, + Happy and bright; + Love that is perfect, + Casting out fear; + These shall ensure thee + A Happy New Year. + + Peace in the Saviour, + Rest at His feet, + Smile of His countenance + Radiant and sweet, + Joy in His presence! + Christ ever near! + This will ensure thee + A Happy New Year! + + + + + 'Most Blessed For Ever.' + +(_Though the date of these lines is uncertain, they are chosen as a +closing chord to her songs on earth._) + + + The prayer of many a day is all fulfilled, + Only by full fruition stayed and stilled; + You asked for blessing as your Father willed, + Now He hath answered: 'Most blessed for ever!' + + Lost is the daily light of mutual smile, + You therefore sorrow now a little while; + But floating down life's dimmed and lonely aisle + Comes the clear music: 'Most blessed for ever!' + + From the great anthems of the Crystal Sea, + Through the far vistas of Eternity, + Grand echoes of the word peal on for thee, + Sweetest and fullest: 'Most blessed for ever.' + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Kept for the Master's Use, by +Frances Ridley Havergal + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE *** + +***** This file should be named 31647-8.txt or 31647-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/6/4/31647/ + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Hutcheson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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} + .fnblock { margin-top:2em; } + .fndef { text-align:justify; margin-top:1.5em; margin-left:1.5em; text-indent:-1.5em; } + .fndef p { text-align:justify; margin-top:1.5em; margin-left:0em; text-indent:0em; } +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Kept for the Master's Use, by Frances Ridley Havergal + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Kept for the Master's Use + +Author: Frances Ridley Havergal + +Release Date: March 15, 2010 [EBook #31647] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE *** + + + + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Hutcheson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div id="cover"> +<div class="img"> +<img src="images/p1.png" alt="Kept for the Master's Use--Havergal" title="KEPT FOR THE MASTER’S USE--HAVERGAL" width="560" height="835" /> +</div> +</div> +<div id="home" class="titlepg"> +<h1>Kept for +<br />the Master’s +<br />Use</h1> +<p class="center"><span class="large">By +<br />Frances Ridley +<br />Havergal</span></p> +<p class="center">Philadelphia +<br />Henry Altemus Company</p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">Copyrighted 1895, by <span class="sc">Henry Altemus</span>.</span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smallest">HENRY ALTEMUS, MANUFACTURER, +<br />PHILADELPHIA.</span></p> +</div> +<div id="toc" title="Contents."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_3">[3]</div> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<dl class="toc"> +<dt><a href="#c01">I. Our Lives kept for Jesus,</a> 9</dt> +<dt><a href="#c02">II. Our Moments kept for Jesus,</a> 26</dt> +<dt><a href="#c03">III. Our Hands kept for Jesus,</a> 34</dt> +<dt><a href="#c04">IV. Our Feet kept for Jesus,</a> 46</dt> +<dt><a href="#c05">V. Our Voices kept for Jesus,</a> 51</dt> +<dt><a href="#c06">VI. Our Lips kept for Jesus,</a> 66</dt> +<dt><a href="#c07">VII. Our Silver and Gold kept for Jesus,</a> 79</dt> +<dt><a href="#c08">VIII. Our Intellects kept for Jesus,</a> 91</dt> +<dt><a href="#c09">IX. Our Wills kept for Jesus,</a> 96</dt> +<dt><a href="#c10">X. Our Hearts kept for Jesus,</a> 104</dt> +<dt><a href="#c11">XI. Our Love kept for Jesus,</a> 109</dt> +<dt><a href="#c12">XII. Our Selves kept for Jesus,</a> 115</dt> +<dt><a href="#c13">XIII. Christ for us,</a> 122</dt> +</dl> +</div> +<div id="note" title="Prefatory Note."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_5">[5]</div> +<h2>PREFATORY NOTE.</h2> +<p>My beloved sister Frances finished revising the +proofs of this book shortly before her death on +Whit Tuesday, June 3, 1879, but its publication +was to be deferred till the Autumn.</p> +<p>In appreciation of the deep and general sympathy +flowing in to her relatives, they wish that its +publication should not be withheld. Knowing her +intense desire that Christ should be magnified, +whether by her life or in her death, may it be to +His glory that in these pages she, being dead,</p> +<p class="t10">‘Yet speaketh!’</p> +<p class="jr1"><span class="smaller">MARIA V. G. HAVERGAL.</span></p> +<p><span class="small"><span class="sc">Oakhampton, Worchestershire</span>.</span></p> +</div> +<div id="main" title="Kept for the Master's Use"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_7">[7]</div> +<h2>KEPT +<br /><span class="smallest">FOR</span> +<br />The Master’s Use.</h2> +<div class="pb" id="pg_8">[8]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my life, and let it be</p> +<p class="t0">Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my moments and my days;</p> +<p class="t0">Let them flow in ceaseless praise.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my hands, and let them move</p> +<p class="t0">At the impulse of Thy love.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my feet, and let them be</p> +<p class="t0">Swift and ‘beautiful’ for Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my voice, and let me sing</p> +<p class="t0">Always, only, for my King.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my lips and let them be</p> +<p class="t0">Filled with messages from Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my silver and my gold;</p> +<p class="t0">Not a mite would I withhold.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my intellect, and use</p> +<p class="t0">Every power as Thou shalt choose.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my will and make it Thine;</p> +<p class="t0">It shall be no longer mine.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my heart; it <i>is</i> Thine own;</p> +<p class="t0">It shall be Thy royal throne.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take my love; my Lord, I pour</p> +<p class="t0">At Thy feet its treasure-store.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take myself, and I will be</p> +<p class="t0">Ever, <i>only</i>, <span class="small">ALL</span> for Thee.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c01" title="Our Lives kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_9">[9]</div> +<h2>CHAPTER I. +<br /><span class="f">Our Lives kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my life, that it may be</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>Many a heart has echoed the little song:</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Take my life, and let it be</p> +<p class="t0">Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!’</p> +</div></div> +<p>And yet those echoes have not been, in every case +and at all times, so clear, and full, and firm, so +continuously glad as we would wish, and perhaps +expected. Some of us have said:</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘I launch me forth upon a sea</p> +<p class="t">Of boundless love and tenderness;’</p> +</div></div> +<p>and after a little we have found, or fancied, that +there is a hidden leak in our barque, and though we +are doubtless still afloat, yet we are not sailing with +the same free, exultant confidence as at first. What +is it that has dulled and weakened the echo of our +consecration song? what is the little leak that hinders +the swift and buoyant course of our consecrated +life? Holy Father, let Thy loving spirit +<span class="pb" id="pg_10">[10]</span> +guide the hand that writes, and strengthen the heart +of every one who reads what shall be written, for +Jesus’ sake.</p> +<p>While many a sorrowfully varied answer to these +questions may, and probably will, arise from touched +and sensitive consciences, each being shown by +God’s faithful Spirit the special sin, the special +yielding to temptation which has hindered and +spoiled the blessed life which they sought to enter +and enjoy, it seems to me that one or other of two +things has lain at the outset of the failure and disappointment.</p> +<p class="tb">First, it may have arisen from want of the simplest +belief in the simplest fact, as well as want of +trust in one of the simplest and plainest words our +gracious Master ever uttered! The unbelieved fact +being simply that He hears us; the untrusted word +being one of those plain, broad foundation-stones +on which we rested our whole weight, it may be +many years ago, and which we had no idea we ever +doubted, or were in any danger of doubting now,—‘Him +that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast +out.’</p> +<p>‘Take my life!’ We have said it or sung it before +the Lord, it may be many times; but if it were +only once whispered in His ear with full purpose of +heart, should we not believe that He heard it? +And if we know that He heard it, should we not +believe that He has answered it, and fulfilled this, +our heart’s desire? For with Him hearing means +heeding. Then why should we doubt that He did +verily take our lives when we offered them—our +<span class="pb" id="pg_11">[11]</span> +bodies when we presented them? Have we not +been wronging His faithfulness all this time by +practically, even if unconsciously, doubting whether +the prayer ever really reached Him? And if so, is it +any wonder that we have not realized all the power +and joy of full consecration? By some means or other +He has to teach us to trust implicitly at every step +of the way. And so, if we did not really trust in +this matter, He has had to let us find out our want +of trust by withholding the sensible part of the +blessing, and thus stirring us up to find out why it +is withheld.</p> +<p>An offered gift must be either accepted or refused. +Can He have refused it when He has said, +‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out’? +If not, then it must have been accepted. It is just +the same process as when we came to Him first of +all, with the intolerable burden of our sins. There +was no help for it but to come with them to Him, +and take His word for it that He would not and did +not cast us out. And so coming, so believing, we +found rest to our souls; we found that His word +was true, and that His taking away our sins was +a reality.</p> +<p>Some give their lives to Him then and there, and +go forth to live thenceforth not at all unto themselves, +but unto Him who died for them. This is +as it should be, for conversion and consecration +ought to be simultaneous. But practically it is not +very often so, except with those in whom the bringing +out of darkness into marvellous light has been +sudden and dazzling, and full of deepest contrasts. +More frequently the work resembles the case of the +<span class="pb" id="pg_12">[12]</span> +Hebrew servant described in Exodus xxi., who, +after six years’ experience of a good master’s service, +dedicates himself voluntarily, unreservedly, +and irrevocably to it, saying, ‘I love my master; I +will not go out free;’ the master then accepting and +sealing him to a life-long service, free in law, yet +bound in love. This seems to be a figure of later +consecration founded on experience and love.</p> +<p>And yet, as at our first coming, it is less than +nothing, worse than nothing that we have to bring; +for our lives, even our redeemed and pardoned lives, +are not only weak and worthless, but defiled and +sinful. But thanks be to God for the Altar that +sanctifieth the gift, even our Lord Jesus Christ +Himself! By Him we draw nigh unto God; to +Him, as one with the Father, we offer our living +sacrifice; in Him, as the Beloved of the Father, we +know it is accepted. So, dear friends, when once +He has wrought in us the desire to be altogether +His own, and put into our hearts the prayer, ‘Take +my life,’ let us go on our way rejoicing, believing +that He <i>has</i> taken our lives, our hands, our feet, our +voices, our intellects, our wills, our whole selves, to +be ever, only, all for Him. Let us consider that a +blessedly settled thing; not because of anything we +have felt, or said, or done, but because we know +that He heareth us, and because we know that He +is true to His word.</p> +<p class="tb">But suppose our hearts do not condemn us in +this matter, our disappointment may arise from another +cause. It may be that we have not received, +because we have not asked a fuller and further +<span class="pb" id="pg_13">[13]</span> +blessing. Suppose that we did believe, thankfully +and surely, that the Lord heard our prayer, and that +He did indeed answer and accept us, and set us apart +for Himself; and yet we find that our consecration +was not merely miserably incomplete, but that we +have drifted back again almost to where we were +before. Or suppose things are not quite so bad as +that, still we have not quite all we expected; and +even if we think we can truly say, ‘O God, my heart +is fixed,’ we find that, to our daily sorrow, somehow +or other the details of our conduct do not +seem to be fixed, something or other is perpetually +slipping through, till we get perplexed and distressed. +Then we are tempted to wonder whether +after all there was not some mistake about it, and +the Lord did not really take us at our word, although +we took Him at His word. And then the +struggle with one doubt, and entanglement, and +temptation only seems to land us in another. What +is to be done then?</p> +<p>First, I think, very humbly and utterly honestly +to search and try our ways before our God, or +rather, as we shall soon realize our helplessness to +make such a search, ask Him to do it for us, praying +for His promised Spirit to show us unmistakably +if there is any secret thing with us that is hindering +both the inflow and outflow of His grace to +us and through us. Do not let us shrink from +some unexpected flash into a dark corner; do not +let us wince at the sudden touching of a hidden +plague-spot. The Lord always does His own work +thoroughly if we will only let Him do it; if we put +our case into His hands, He will search and probe +<span class="pb" id="pg_14">[14]</span> +fully and firmly, though very tenderly. Very painfully, +it may be, but only that He may do the very +thing we want,—cleanse us and heal us thoroughly, +so that we may set off to walk in real newness of +life. But if we do not put it unreservedly into His +hands, it will be no use thinking or talking about +our lives being consecrated to Him. The heart that +is not entrusted to Him for searching, will not be +undertaken by Him for cleansing; the life that +fears to come to the light lest any deed should be +reproved, can never know the blessedness and the +privileges of walking in the light.</p> +<p>But what then? When He has graciously again +put a new song in our mouth, and we are singing,</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,</p> +<p class="t">Who like me His praise should sing?’</p> +</div></div> +<p>and again with fresh earnestness we are saying,</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Take my life, and let it be</p> +<p class="t0">Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!’</p> +</div></div> +<p>are we only to look forward to the same disappointing +experience over again? are we always to stand +at the threshold? Consecration is not so much a +step as a course; not so much an act, as a position +to which a course of action inseparably belongs. +In so far as it is a course and a position, there must +naturally be a definite entrance upon it, and a time, +it may be a moment, when that entrance is made. +That is when we say, ‘Take’; but we do not want +to go on taking a first step over and over again. +<span class="pb" id="pg_15">[15]</span> +What we want now is to be maintained in that position, +and to fulfil that course. So let us go on to +another prayer. Having already said, ‘Take my +life, for I cannot give it to Thee,’ let us now say, +with deepened conviction, that without Christ we +really can do nothing,—‘Keep my life, for I cannot +keep it for Thee.’</p> +<p>Let us ask this with the same simple trust to +which, in so many other things, He has so liberally +and graciously responded. For this is the confidence +that we have in Him, that if we ask anything +according to His will, He heareth us; and if +we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we +know that we have the petitions that we desired of +Him. There can be no doubt that this petition is +according to His will, because it is based upon +many a promise. May I give it to you just as it +floats through my own mind again and again, knowing +whom I have believed, and being persuaded that +He is <i>able to keep</i> that which I have committed unto +Him?</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my life, that it may be</p> +<p class="t0">Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my moments and my days;</p> +<p class="t0">Let them flow in ceaseless praise.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my hands, that they may move</p> +<p class="t0">At the impulse of Thy love.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my feet, that they may be</p> +<p class="t0">Swift and ‘beautiful’ for Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my voice, that I may sing</p> +<p class="t0">Always, only, for my King.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_16">[16]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my lips, that they may be</p> +<p class="t0">Filled with messages from Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my silver and my gold;</p> +<p class="t0">Not a mite would I withhold.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my intellect, and use</p> +<p class="t0">Every power as Thou shalt choose.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine!</p> +<p class="t0">For it is no longer mine.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my heart; it <i>is</i> Thine own;</p> +<p class="t0">It is now Thy royal throne.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep my love; my Lord, I pour</p> +<p class="t0">At Thy feet its treasure-store.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Keep myself, that I may be</p> +<p class="t0">Ever, <i>only</i>, <span class="small">ALL</span> for Thee.</p> +</div></div> +<p>Yes! He who is able and willing to take unto +Himself, is no less able and willing to keep for +Himself. Our willing offering has been made by +His enabling grace, and this our King has ‘seen +with joy.’ And now we pray, ‘Keep this for ever +in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of +Thy people’ (1 Chron. xxix. 17, 18).</p> +<p>This blessed ‘taking,’ once for all, which we +may quietly believe as an accomplished fact, followed +by the continual ‘keeping,’ for which He +will be continually inquired of by us, seems analogous +to the great washing by which we have part +in Christ, and the repeated washing of the feet for +which we need to be continually coming to Him. +For with the deepest and sweetest consciousness +<span class="pb" id="pg_17">[17]</span> +that He has indeed taken our lives to be His very +own, the need of His active and actual keeping of +them in every detail and at every moment is most +fully realized. But then we have the promise of +our faithful God, ‘I the Lord <i>do</i> keep it, I will +keep it night and day.’ The only question is, will +we trust this promise, or will we not? If we do, we +shall find it come true. If not, of course it will +not be realized. For unclaimed promises are like +uncashed cheques; they will keep us from bankruptcy, +but not from want. But if not, <i>why</i> not? +What right have we to pick out one of His faithful +sayings, and say we don’t expect Him to fulfil +that? What defence can we bring, what excuse can +we invent, for so doing?</p> +<p>If you appeal to experience against His faithfulness +to His word, I will appeal to experience too, +and ask you, did you ever <i>really trust</i> Jesus to fulfil +any word of His to you, and find your trust +deceived? As to the past experience of the details +of your life not being kept for Jesus, look a little +more closely at it, and you will find that though you +may have asked, you did not trust. Whatever you +did really trust Him to keep, He has kept, and the +unkept things were never really entrusted. Scrutinize +this past experience as you will, and it will +only bear witness against your unfaithfulness, never +against His absolute faithfulness.</p> +<p>Yet this witness must not be unheeded. We +must not forget the things that are behind till they +are confessed and forgiven. Let us now bring all +this unsatisfactory past experience, and, most of all, +the want of trust which has been the poison-spring +<span class="pb" id="pg_18">[18]</span> +of its course, to the precious blood of Christ, which +cleanseth us, even us, from all sin, even this sin. +Perhaps we never saw that we were not trusting +Jesus as He deserves to be trusted; if so, let us +wonderingly hate ourselves the more that we could +be so trustless to such a Saviour, and so sinfully +dark and stupid that we did not even see it. And +oh, let us wonderingly love Him the more that He +has been so patient and gentle with us, upbraiding +not, though in our slow-hearted foolishness we have +been grieving Him by this subtle unbelief, and +then, by His grace, may we enter upon a new era +of experience, our lives kept for Him more fully +than ever before, because we trust Him more simply +and unreservedly to keep them!</p> +<p class="tb">Here we must face a question, and perhaps a difficulty. +Does it not almost seem as if we were at +this point led to trusting to our trust, making everything +hinge upon it, and thereby only removing a +subtle dependence upon ourselves one step farther +back, disguising instead of renouncing it? If +Christ’s keeping depends upon our trusting, and +our continuing to trust depends upon ourselves, we +are in no better or safer position than before, and +shall only be landed in a fresh series of disappointments. +The old story, something for the sinner to +<i>do</i>, crops up again here, only with the ground +shifted from ‘works’ to trust. Said a friend to me, +‘I see now! I did trust Jesus to do everything +else for me, but I thought that this trusting was +something that <i>I</i> had got to do.’ And so, of +course, what she ‘had got to do’ had been a +<span class="pb" id="pg_19">[19]</span> +perpetual effort and frequent failure. We can no +more trust and keep on trusting than we can do +anything else of ourselves. Even in this it must +be ‘Jesus only’; we are not to look to Him only to +be the Author and Finisher of our faith, but we are +to look to Him for all the intermediate fulfilment +of the work of faith (2 Thess. i. 11); we must ask +Him to go on fulfilling it in us, committing even +this to His power.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t">For we both may and must</p> +<p class="t0">Commit our very faith to Him,</p> +<p class="t">Entrust to him our trust.</p> +</div></div> +<p>What a long time it takes us to come down to the +conviction, and still more to the realization of the +fact that without Him we can do <i>nothing</i>, but that +He must work <i>all</i> our works in us! This is the +work of God, that ye believe in Him whom He has +sent. And no less must it be the work of God that +we go on believing, and that we go on trusting. +Then, dear friends, who are longing to trust Him +with unbroken and unwavering trust, cease the +effort and drop the burden, and <i>now</i> entrust your +trust to Him! He is just as well able to keep that +as any other part of the complex lives which we +want Him to take and keep for Himself. And oh, +do not pass on content with the thought, ‘Yes, +that is a good idea; perhaps I should find that a +great help!’ But, ‘Now, then, <i>do it</i>.’ It is no +help to the sailor to see a flash of light across a +dark sea, if he does not instantly steer accordingly.</p> +<p class="tb">Consecration is not a religiously selfish thing. If +it sinks into that, it ceases to be consecration. We +<span class="pb" id="pg_20">[20]</span> +want our lives kept, not that we may feel happy, +and be saved the distress consequent on wandering, +and get the power with God and man, and all the +other privileges linked with it. We shall have all +this, because the lower is included in the higher; +but our true aim, if the love of Christ constraineth +us, will be far beyond this. Not for ‘me’ at all but +‘for Jesus’; not for my safety, but for His glory; +not for my comfort, but for His joy; not that I may +find rest, but that He may see the travail of His soul, +and be satisfied! Yes, for <i>Him</i> I want to be kept. +Kept for His sake; kept for His use; kept to be His +witness; kept for His joy! Kept for Him, that in +me He may show forth some tiny sparkle of His +light and beauty; kept to do His will and His work in +His own way; kept, it may be, to suffer for His sake; +kept for Him, that He may do just what seemeth +Him good with me; kept, so that no other lord +shall have any more dominion over me, but that +Jesus shall have all there is to have;—little enough, +indeed, but not divided or diminished by any other +claim. Is not this, O you who love the Lord—is +not this worth living for, worth asking for, worth +trusting for?</p> +<p>This is consecration, and I cannot tell you the +blessedness of it. It is not the least use arguing +with one who has had but a taste of its blessedness, +and saying to him, ‘How can these things be?’ It +is not the least use starting all sorts of difficulties +and theoretical suppositions about it with such a +one, any more than it was when the Jews argued +with the man who said, ‘One thing I know, that +whereas I was blind, now I see.’ The Lord Jesus +<span class="pb" id="pg_21">[21]</span> +does take the life that is offered to Him, and He +does keep the life for Himself that is entrusted to +Him; but until the life is offered we cannot know +the taking, and until the life is entrusted we cannot +know or understand the keeping. All we can do is +to say, ‘O taste and see!’ and bear witness to the +reality of Jesus Christ, and set to our seal that we +have found Him true to His every word, and that +we have proved Him able even to do exceeding +abundantly above all we asked or thought. Why +should we hesitate to bear this testimony? We +have done nothing at all; we have, in all our +efforts, only proved to ourselves, and perhaps to +others, that we had no power either to give or keep +our lives. Why should we not, then, glorify His +grace by acknowledging that we have found Him so +wonderfully and tenderly gracious and faithful in +both taking and keeping as we never supposed or +imagined? I shall never forget the smile and emphasis +with which a poor working man bore this +witness to his Lord. I said to him, ‘Well, H., we +have a good Master, have we not?’ ‘Ah,’ said he, +‘a deal better than ever <i>I</i> thought!’ That summed +up his experience, and so it will sum up the experience +of every one who will but yield their lives +wholly to the same good Master.</p> +<p class="tb">I cannot close this chapter without a word with +those, especially my younger friends, who, although +they have named the name of Christ, are saying, +‘Yes, this is all very well for some people, or for +older people, but I am not ready for it; I can’t say +I see my way to this sort of thing.’ I am going to +<span class="pb" id="pg_22">[22]</span> +take the lowest ground for a minute, and appeal to +<i>your</i> ‘past experience.’ Are you satisfied with +your experience of the other ‘sort of thing’? Your +pleasant pursuits, your harmless recreations, your +nice occupations, even your improving ones, what +fruit are you having from them? Your social intercourse, +your daily talks and walks, your investments +of all the time that remains to you over and above +the absolute duties God may have given you, what +fruit that shall remain have you from all this? Day +after day passes on, and year after year, and what +shall the harvest be? What is even the present return? +Are you getting any real and lasting satisfaction +out of it all? Are you not finding that +things lose their flavour, and that you are spending +your strength day after day for nought? that you +are no more satisfied than you were a year ago—rather +less so, if anything? Does not a sense of +hollowness and weariness come over you as you go +on in the same round, perpetually getting through +things only to begin again? It cannot be otherwise. +Over even the freshest and purest earthly +fountains the Hand that never makes a mistake has +written, ‘He that drinketh of this water shall thirst +again.’ Look into your own heart and you will +find a copy of that inscription already traced, +‘<i>Shall thirst again</i>.’ And the characters are being +deepened with every attempt to quench the inevitable +thirst and weariness in life, which can only be +satisfied and rested in full consecration to God. +For ‘Thou hast made us <i>for Thyself</i>, and the heart +never resteth till it findeth rest in Thee.’ To-day +I tell you of a brighter and happier life, whose inscription +<span class="pb" id="pg_23">[23]</span> +is, ‘<i>Shall never thirst</i>,’—a life that is no +dull round-and-round in a circle of unsatisfactorinesses, +but a life that has found its true and entirely +satisfactory centre, and set itself towards a +shining and entirely satisfactory goal, whose brightness +is cast over every step of the way. Will you +not seek it?</p> +<p>Do not shrink, and suspect, and hang back from +what it may involve, with selfish and unconfiding +and ungenerous half-heartedness. Take the word +of any who have willingly offered themselves unto +the Lord, that the life of consecration is ‘a deal +better than they thought!’ Choose this day whom +you will serve with real, thorough-going, whole-hearted +service, and He will receive you; and you +will find, as we have found, that He is such a good +Master that you are satisfied with His goodness, +and that you will never want to go out free. Nay, +rather take His own word for it; see what He says: +‘If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their +days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.’ +You cannot possibly understand that till you are +really <i>in</i> His service! For He does not give, nor +even show, His wages before you enter it. And He +says, ‘My servants shall sing for joy of heart.’ But +you cannot try over that song to see what it is like, +you cannot even read one bar of it, till your nominal +or even promised service is exchanged for real +and undivided consecration. But when He can +call you ‘My servant,’ then you will find yourself +singing for joy of heart, because He says you shall.</p> +<p>‘And who, then, is willing to consecrate his service +this day unto the Lord?’</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_24">[24]</div> +<p>‘Do not startle at the term, or think, because +you do not understand all it may include, you are +therefore not qualified for it. I dare say it comprehends +a great deal more than either you or I +understand, but we can both enter into the spirit of +it, and the detail will unfold itself as long as our +probation shall last. Christ demands a hearty consecration +in <i>will</i>, and He will teach us what that +involves in <i>act</i>.’</p> +<p>This explains the paradox that ‘full consecration’ +may be in one sense the act of a moment, and in +another the work of a lifetime. It must be complete +to be real, and yet if real, it is always incomplete; +a point of rest, and yet a perpetual progression.</p> +<p>Suppose you make over a piece of ground to +another person. You give it up, then and there, +entirely to that other; it is no longer in your own +possession; you no longer dig and sow, plant and +reap, at your discretion or for your own profit. His +occupation of it is total; no other has any right to +an inch of it; it is his affair thenceforth what crops +to arrange for and how to make the most of it. But +his practical occupation of it may not appear all at +once. There may be waste land which he will take +into full cultivation only by degrees, space wasted +for want of draining or by over fencing, and odd +corners lost for want of enclosing; fields yielding +smaller returns than they might because of hedgerows +too wide and shady, and trees too many and +spreading, and strips of good soil trampled into +uselessness for want of defined pathways.</p> +<p>Just so is it with our lives. The transaction of, +<span class="pb" id="pg_25">[25]</span> +so to speak, making them over to God is definite +and complete. But then begins the practical development +of consecration. And here He leads on +‘softly, according as the children be able to endure.’ +I do not suppose any one sees anything like +all that it involves at the outset. We have not +a notion what an amount of waste of power there +has been in our lives; we never measured out the +odd corners and the undrained bits, and it never +occurred to us what good fruit might be grown in +our straggling hedgerows, nor how the shade of our +trees has been keeping the sun from the scanty +crops. And so, season by season, we shall be sometimes +not a little startled, yet always very glad, as +we find that bit by bit the Master shows how much +more may be made of our ground, how much more +He is able to make of it than we did; and we shall +be willing to work under Him and do exactly what +He points out, even if it comes to cutting down a +shady tree, or clearing out a ditch full of pretty +weeds and wild-flowers.</p> +<p>As the seasons pass on, it will seem as if there +was always more and more to be done; the very +fact that He is constantly showing us something +more to be done in it, proving that it is really His +ground. Only let Him <i>have</i> the ground, no matter +how poor or overgrown the soil may be, and then +‘He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her +desert like the garden of the Lord.’ Yes, even <i>our</i> +‘desert’! And then we shall sing, ‘My +beloved has gone down into <i>His</i> garden, to the +beds of spices, to feed in the gardens and to +gather lilies.’</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_26">[26]</div> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t4">Made for Thyself, O God!</p> +<p class="t0">Made for Thy love, Thy service, Thy delight;</p> +<p class="t0">Made to show forth Thy wisdom, grace, and might;</p> +<p class="t0">Made for Thy praise, whom veiled archangels laud:</p> +<p class="t0">Oh, strange and glorious thought, that we may be</p> +<p class="t4">A joy to Thee!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t4">Yet the heart turns away</p> +<p class="t0">From this grand destiny of bliss, and deems</p> +<p class="t0">’Twas made for its poor self, for passing dreams,</p> +<p class="t0">Chasing illusions melting day by day,</p> +<p class="t0">Till for ourselves we read on this world’s best,</p> +<p class="t4">‘This is not rest!’</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c02" title="Our Moments kept for Jesus."> +<h2>CHAPTER II. +<br /><span class="f">Our Moments kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my moments and my days;</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Let them flow in ceaseless praise.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>It may be a little help to writer and reader if we +consider some of the practical details of the life +which we desire to have ‘kept for Jesus’ in the +order of the little hymn at the beginning of this +book, with the one word ‘take’ changed to ‘keep.’ +So we will take a couplet for each chapter.</p> +<p>The first point that naturally comes up is that +which is almost synonymous with life—our time. +And this brings us at once face to face with one of +our past difficulties, and its probable cause.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_27">[27]</div> +<p>When we take a wide sweep, we are so apt to +be vague. When we are aiming at generalities +we do not hit the practicalities. We forget that +faithfulness to principle is only proved by faithfulness +in detail. Has not this vagueness had +something to do with the constant ineffectiveness +of our feeble desire that our time should be devoted +to God?</p> +<p>In things spiritual, the greater does not always +include the less, but, paradoxically, the less more +often includes the greater. So in this case, time is +entrusted to us to be traded with for our Lord. But +we cannot grasp it as a whole. We instinctively +break it up ere we can deal with it for any purpose. +So when a new year comes round, we commit it with +special earnestness to the Lord. But as we do so, +are we not conscious of a feeling that even a year is +too much for us to deal with? And does not this +feeling, that we are dealing with a larger thing than +we can grasp, take away from the sense of reality? +Thus we are brought to a more manageable measure; +and as the Sunday mornings or the Monday mornings +come round, we thankfully commit the opening +week to Him, and the sense of help and rest is renewed +and strengthened. But not even the six or +seven days are close enough to our hand; even +to-morrow exceeds our tiny grasp, and even to-morrow’s +grace is therefore not given to us. So we +find the need of considering our lives as a matter of +day by day, and that any more general committal and +consecration of our time does not meet the case so +truly. Here we have found much comfort and help, +and if results have not been entirely satisfactory, +<span class="pb" id="pg_28">[28]</span> +they have, at least, been more so than before we +reached this point of subdivision.</p> +<p>But if we have found help and blessing by going +a certain distance in one direction, is it not probable +we shall find more if we go farther in the same? +And so, if we may commit the days to our Lord, +why not the hours, and why not the moments? And +may we not expect a fresh and special blessing in +so doing?</p> +<p>We do not realize the importance of moments. +Only let us consider those two sayings of God about +them, ‘In a moment shall they die,’ and, ‘We shall +all be changed in a moment,’ and we shall think +less lightly of them. Eternal issues may hang upon +any one of them, but it has come and gone before +we can even think about it. Nothing seems less +within the possibility of our own keeping, yet +nothing is more inclusive of all other keeping. +Therefore let us ask Him to keep them for us.</p> +<p>Are they not the tiny joints in the harness through +which the darts of temptation pierce us? Only give +us time, we think, and we should not be overcome. +Only give us time, and we could pray and resist, +and the devil would flee from us! But he comes +all in a moment; and in a moment—an unguarded, +unkept one—we utter the hasty or exaggerated word, +or think the un-Christ-like thought, or feel the un-Christ-like +impatience or resentment.</p> +<p>But even if we have gone so far as to say, ‘Take +my moments,’ have we gone the step farther, and +really <i>let</i> Him take them—really entrusted them to +Him? It is no good saying ‘take,’ when we do not +let go. How can another keep that which we are keeping +<span class="pb" id="pg_29">[29]</span> +hold of? So let us, with full trust in His power, +first commit these slippery moments to Him,—put +them right into His hand,—and then we may trustfully +and happily say, ‘Lord, keep them for me! +Keep every one of the quick series as it arises. I +cannot keep them for Thee; do Thou keep them +for Thyself!’</p> +<p class="tb">But the sanctified and Christ-loving heart cannot +be satisfied with only negative keeping. We do not +want only to be kept from displeasing Him, but to +be kept always pleasing Him. Every ‘kept <i>from</i>’ +should have its corresponding and still more blessed +‘kept <i>for</i>.’ We do not want our moments to be +simply kept from Satan’s use, but kept for His use; +we want them to be not only kept from sin, but kept +for His praise.</p> +<p>Do you ask, ‘But what use can he make of mere +moments?’ I will not stay to prove or illustrate +the obvious truth that, as are the moments so will +be the hours and the days which they build. You +understand that well enough. I will answer your +question as it stands.</p> +<p>Look back through the history of the Church +in all ages, and mark how often a great work and +mighty influence grew out of a mere moment in the +life of one of God’s servants; a mere moment, but +overshadowed and filled with the fruitful power of +the Spirit of God. The moment may have been +spent in uttering five words, but they have fed five +thousand, or even five hundred thousand. Or it +may have been lit by the flash of a thought that +has shone into hearts and homes throughout the +<span class="pb" id="pg_30">[30]</span> +land, and kindled torches that have been borne +into earth’s darkest corners. The rapid speaker +or the lonely thinker little guessed what use +his Lord was making of that single moment. There +was no room in it for even a thought of that. If +that moment had not been, though perhaps unconsciously, +‘kept for Jesus,’ but had been otherwise +occupied, what a harvest to His praise would have +been missed!</p> +<p>The same thing is going on every day. It is +generally a moment—either an opening or a culminating +one—that really does the work. It is not +so often a whole sermon as a single short sentence +in it that wings God’s arrow to a heart. It is seldom +a whole conversation that is the means of +bringing about the desired result, but some sudden +turn of thought or word, which comes with the +electric touch of God’s power. Sometimes it is +less than that; only a look (and what is more momentary?) +has been used by Him for the pulling +down of strongholds. Again, in our own quiet +waiting upon God, as moment after moment glides +past in the silence at His feet, the eye resting upon +a page of His Word, or only looking up to Him +through the darkness, have we not found that He +can so irradiate one passing moment with His light +that its rays never die away, but shine on and on +through days and years? Are not such moments +proved to have been kept for Him? And if some, +why not all?</p> +<p>This view of moments seems to make it clearer +that it is impossible to serve two masters, for it is +evident that the service of a moment cannot be +<span class="pb" id="pg_31">[31]</span> +divided. If it is occupied in the service of self, or +any other master, it is not at the Lord’s disposal; +He cannot make use of what is already occupied.</p> +<p>Oh, how much we have missed by not placing +them at his disposal! What might He not have +done with the moments freighted with self or +loaded with emptiness, which we have carelessly +let drift by! Oh, what might have been if they +had all been kept for Jesus! How He might +have filled them with His light and life, enriching +our own lives that have been impoverished by the +waste, and using them in far-spreading blessing +and power!</p> +<p class="tb">While we have been undervaluing these fractions +of eternity, what has our gracious God been doing +in them? How strangely touching are the words, +‘What is man, that Thou shouldest set Thine heart +upon him, and that Thou shouldest visit him every +morning, and <i>try him every moment?</i>’ Terribly +solemn and awful would be the thought that He +has been trying us every moment, were it not for +the yearning gentleness and love of the Father +revealed in that wonderful expression of wonder, +‘What is man, that Thou shouldest set Thine heart +upon him?’ Think of that ceaseless setting of +His heart upon us, careless and forgetful children +as we have been! And then think of those other +words, none the less literally true because given +under a figure: ‘I, the Lord, do keep it; <i>I will +water it every moment.</i>’</p> +<p>We see something of God’s infinite greatness +and wisdom when we try to fix our dazzled gaze +<span class="pb" id="pg_32">[32]</span> +on infinite space. But when we turn to the marvels +of the microscope, we gain a clearer view and +more definite grasp of these attributes by gazing on +the perfection of His infinitesimal handiworks. +Just so, while we cannot realize the infinite love +which fills eternity, and the infinite vistas of the +great future are ‘dark with excess of light’ even to +the strongest telescopes of faith, we see that love +magnified in the microscope of the moments, +brought very close to us, and revealing its unspeakable +perfection of detail to our wondering sight.</p> +<p>But we do not see this as long as the moments +are kept in our own hands. We are like little +children closing our fingers over diamonds. How +can they receive and reflect the rays of light, analyzing +them into all the splendour of their prismatic +beauty, while they are kept shut up tight in +the dirty little hands? Give them up; let our +Father hold them for us, and throw His own great +light upon them, and then we shall see them full +of fair colours of His manifold loving-kindnesses; +and let Him always keep them for us, and then we +shall always see His light and His love reflected in +them.</p> +<p>And then, surely, they shall be filled with praise. +Not that we are to be always singing hymns, and +using the expressions of other people’s praise, any +more than the saints in glory are always literally +singing a new song. But praise will be the tone, +the colour, the atmosphere in which they flow; +none of them away from it or out of it.</p> +<p>Is it a little too much for them all to ‘flow in +ceaseless praise’? Well, where will you stop? +<span class="pb" id="pg_33">[33]</span> +What proportion of your moments do you think +enough for Jesus? How many for the spirit of +praise, and how many for the spirit of heaviness? +Be explicit about it, and come to an understanding. +If He is not to have all, then <i>how much?</i> Calculate, +balance, and apportion. You will not be able +to do this in heaven—you know it will be all praise +there; but you are free to halve your service of +praise here, or to make the proportion what you +will.</p> +<p>Yet,—He made you for His glory.</p> +<p>Yet,—He chose you that you should be to the +praise of His glory.</p> +<p>Yet,—He loves you every moment, waters you +every moment, watches you unslumberingly, cares +for you unceasingly.</p> +<p>Yet,—He died for you!</p> +<p>Dear friends, one can hardly write it without +tears. Shall you or I remember all this love, and +hesitate to give all our moments up to Him? Let +us entrust Him with them, and ask Him to keep +them all, every single one, for His own beloved +self, and fill them <i>all</i> with His praise, and let them +<i>all</i> be to His praise!</p> +</div> +<div id="c03" title="Our Hands Kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_34">[34]</div> +<h2>Chapter III. +<br /><span class="f">Our Hands Kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my hands, that they may move</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>At the impulse of Thy love.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>When the Lord has said to us, ‘Is thine heart +right, as My heart is with thy heart?’ the +next word seems to be, ‘If it be, give Me thine +hand.’</p> +<p>What a call to confidence, and love, and free, +loyal, happy service is this! and how different will +the result of its acceptance be from the old lamentation: +‘We labour and have no rest; we have +given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians.’ +In the service of these ‘other lords,’ under +whatever shape they have presented themselves, we +shall have known something of the meaning of having +‘both the hands full with travail and vexation +of spirit.’ How many a thing have we ‘taken in +hand,’ as we say, which we expected to find an +agreeable task, an interest in life, a something +towards filling up that unconfessed ‘aching void’ +which is often most real when least acknowledged; +and after a while we have found it change under our +hands into irksome travail, involving perpetual vexation +<span class="pb" id="pg_35">[35]</span> +of spirit! The thing may have been of the earth +and for the world, and then no wonder it failed to satisfy +even the instinct of work, which comes natural +to many of us. Or it may have been right enough +in itself, something for the good of others so far as +we understood their good, and unselfish in all but +unravelled motive, and yet we found it full of +tangled vexations, because the hands that held it +were not simply consecrated to God. Well, if so, +let us bring these soiled and tangle-making hands to +the Lord, ‘Let us lift up our heart with our hands’ +to Him, asking Him to clear and cleanse them.</p> +<p>If He says, ‘What is that in thine hand?’ let us +examine honestly whether it is something which He +can use for His glory or not. If not, do not let us +hesitate an instant about dropping it. It may be +something we do not like to part with; but the +Lord is able to give thee much more than this, and +the first glimpse of the excellency of the knowledge +of Christ Jesus your Lord will enable us to count +those things loss which were gain to us.</p> +<p>But if it is something which He can use, He will +make us do ever so much more with it than before. +Moses little thought what the Lord was going to +make him do with that ‘rod in his hand’! The +first thing he had to do with it was to ‘cast it on +the ground,’ and see it pass through a startling +change. After this he was commanded to take it +up again, hard and terrifying as it was to do so. +But when it became again a rod in his hand, it was +no longer what it was before, the simple rod of a +wandering desert shepherd. Henceforth it was +‘the rod of God in his hand’ (Ex. iv. 20), wherewith +<span class="pb" id="pg_36">[36]</span> +he should do signs, and by which God Himself +would do ‘marvellous things’ (Ps. lxxviii. 12).</p> +<p class="tb">If we look at any Old Testament text about consecration, +we shall see that the marginal reading of +the word is, ‘fill the hand’ (<i>e. g.</i> +Ex. xxviii. 41; +1 Chron. xxix. 5). Now, if our hands are full of +‘other things,’ they cannot be filled with ‘the +things that are Jesus Christ’s’; there must be emptying +before there can be any true filling. So if we +are sorrowfully seeing that our hands have not been +kept for Jesus, let us humbly begin at the beginning, +and ask Him to empty them thoroughly, that +He may fill them completely.</p> +<p>For they <i>must</i> be emptied. Either we come to +our Lord willingly about it, letting Him unclasp +their hold, and gladly dropping the glittering +weights they have been carrying, or, in very love, +He will have to force them open, and wrench from +the reluctant grasp the ‘earthly things’ which are +so occupying them that He cannot have His rightful +use of them. There is only one other alternative, +a terrible one,—to be let alone till the day +comes when not a gentle Master, but the relentless +king of terrors shall empty the trembling hands as +our feet follow him out of the busy world into the +dark valley, for ‘it is certain we can carry nothing +out.’</p> +<p class="tb">Yet the emptying and the filling are not all that +has to be considered. Before the hands of the +priests could be filled with the emblems of consecration, +they had to be laid upon the emblem of +<span class="pb" id="pg_37">[37]</span> +atonement (Lev. viii. 14, etc.). That came first. +‘Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head +of the bullock for the sin-offering.’ So the transference +of guilt to our Substitute, typified by that +act, must precede the dedication of ourselves to +God.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘My faith would lay her hand</p> +<p class="t">On that dear head of Thine,</p> +<p class="t0">While like a penitent I stand,</p> +<p class="t">And there confess my sin.’</p> +</div></div> +<p>The blood of that Holy Substitute was shed ‘to +make reconciliation upon the altar.’ Without that +reconciliation we cannot offer and present ourselves +to God; but this being made, Christ Himself +presents us. And you, that were sometime +alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked +works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of +His flesh through death, to present you holy and +unblamable and unreprovable in His sight.</p> +<p>Then Moses ‘brought the ram for the burnt-offering; +and Aaron and his sons laid their hands +upon the head of the ram, and Moses burnt the +whole ram upon the altar; it was a burnt-offering +for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto +the Lord.’ Thus Christ’s offering was indeed a +whole one, body, soul, and spirit, each and all suffering +even unto death. These atoning sufferings, +accepted by God for us, are, by our own free act, +accepted by us as the ground of our acceptance.</p> +<p>Then, reconciled and accepted, we are ready for +consecration; for then ‘he brought the other ram; +the ram of consecration; and Aaron and his sons +<span class="pb" id="pg_38">[38]</span> +laid their hands upon the head of the ram.’ Here +we see Christ, ‘who is consecrated for evermore.’ +We enter by faith into union with Him who said, +‘For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also +might be sanctified through the truth.’</p> +<p>After all this, their hands were filled with ‘consecrations +for a sweet savour,’ so, after laying the +hand of our faith upon Christ, suffering and dying +for us, we are to lay that very same hand of faith, +and in the very same way, upon Him as consecrated +for us, to be the source and life and power of our +consecration. And then our hands shall be filled +with ‘consecrations,’ filled with Christ, and filled +with all that is a sweet savour to God in Him.</p> +<p>‘And who then is willing to fill his hand this +day unto the Lord?’ Do you want an added +motive? Listen again: ‘Fill your hands to-day +to the Lord, that He may bestow upon you a blessing +this day.’ Not a long time hence, not even to-morrow, +but ‘this day.’ Do you not want a blessing? +Is not your answer to your Father’s ‘What +wilt thou?’ the same as Achsah’s, ‘Give me a blessing!’ +Here is His promise of just what you so +want; will you not gladly fulfil His condition? A +blessing shall immediately follow. He does not +specify what it shall be; He waits to reveal it. You +will find it such a blessing as you had not supposed +could be for you—a blessing that shall verily make +you rich, with no sorrow added—a blessing <i>this +day</i>.</p> +<p class="tb">All that has been said about consecration applies +to our literal members. Stay a minute, and look +<span class="pb" id="pg_39">[39]</span> +at your hand, the hand that holds this little book as +you read it. See how wonderfully it is made; how +perfectly fitted for what it has to do; how ingeniously +connected with the brain, so as to yield that +instantaneous and instinctive obedience without +which its beautiful mechanism would be very little +good to us! <i>Your</i> hand, do you say? Whether it +is soft and fair with an easy life, or rough and strong +with a working one, or white and weak with illness, +it is the Lord Jesus Christ’s. It is not your own +at all; it belongs to Him. He made it, for without +Him was not anything made that was made, not +even your hand. And He has the added right of +purchase—He has bought it that it might be one of +His own instruments. We know this very well, but +have we realized it? Have we really let Him have +the use of these hands of ours? and have we ever +simply and sincerely asked Him to keep them for +His own use?</p> +<p>Does this mean that we are always to be doing +some definitely ‘religious’ work, as it is called? +No, but that <i>all that we do</i> is to be always definitely +done <i>for Him</i>. There is a great difference. If the +hands are indeed moving ‘at the impulse of His +love,’ the simplest little duties and acts are transfigured +into holy service to the Lord.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘A servant with this clause</p> +<p class="t">Makes drudgery divine;</p> +<p class="t0">Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,</p> +<p class="t">Makes that and the action fine.’</p> +</div></div> +<p class="author"><span class="sc">George Herbert.</span></p> +<p>A Christian school-girl loves Jesus; she wants to +please Him all day long, and so she practices her +<span class="pb" id="pg_40">[40]</span> +scales carefully and conscientiously. It is at the +impulse of His love that her fingers move so steadily +through the otherwise tiresome exercises. Some +day her Master will find a use for her music; but +meanwhile it may be just as really done unto Him +as if it were Mr. Sankey at his organ, swaying the +hearts of thousands. The hand of a Christian lad +traces his Latin verses, or his figures, or his copying. +He is doing his best, because a banner has +been given him that it may be displayed, not so +much by talk as by continuance in well-doing. +And so, for Jesus’ sake, his hand moves accurately +and perseveringly.</p> +<p>A busy wife, or daughter, or servant has a number +of little manual duties to perform. If these are +done slowly and leisurely, they may be got through, +but there will not be time left for some little service +to the poor, or some little kindness to a suffering or +troubled neighbour, or for a little quiet time alone +with God and His word. And so the hands move +quickly, impelled by the loving desire for service or +communion, kept in busy motion for Jesus’ sake. +Or it may be that the special aim is to give no occasion +of reproach to some who are watching, but +so to adorn the doctrine that those may be won by +the life who will not be won by the word. Then +the hands will have their share to do; they will +move carefully, neatly, perhaps even elegantly, +making every thing around as nice as possible, letting +their intelligent touch be seen in the details of +the home, and even of the dress, doing or arranging +all the little things decently and in order for Jesus’ +sake. And so on with every duty in every position.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_41">[41]</div> +<p>It may seem an odd idea, but a simple glance at +one’s hand, with the recollection, ‘This hand is +not mine; it has been given to Jesus, and it must +be kept for Jesus,’ may sometimes turn the scale in +a doubtful matter, and be a safeguard from certain +temptations. With that thought fresh in your mind +as you look at your hand, can you let it take up +things which, to say the very least, are not ‘for +Jesus’? things which evidently cannot be used, as +they most certainly are not used, either for Him or +by Him? Cards, for instance! Can you deliberately +hold in it books of a kind which you know +perfectly well, by sadly repeated experience, lead +you farther from instead of nearer to Him? books +which must and do fill your mind with those ‘other +things’ which, entering in, choke the word? books +which you would not care to read at all, if your +heart were burning within you at the coming of +His feet to bless you? Next time any temptation +of this sort approaches, just <i>look at your hand!</i></p> +<p>It was of a literal hand that our Lord Jesus spoke +when He said, ‘Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth +Me is with Me on the table;’ and, ‘He +that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the +same shall betray Me.’ A hand so near to Jesus, +with Him on the table, touching His own hand in +the dish at that hour of sweetest, and closest, and +most solemn intercourse, and yet betraying Him! +That same hand taking the thirty pieces of silver! +What a tremendous lesson of the need of keeping +for our hands! Oh that every hand that is with +Him at His sacramental table, and that takes the +memorial bread, may be kept from any faithless +<span class="pb" id="pg_42">[42]</span> +and loveless motion! And again, it was by literal +‘wicked hands’ that our Lord Jesus was crucified +and slain. Does not the thought that human +hands have been so treacherous and cruel to our +beloved Lord make us wish the more fervently +that our hands may be totally faithful and devoted +to Him?</p> +<p class="tb">Danger and temptation to let the hands move at +other impulses is every bit as great to those who +have nothing else to do but to render direct service, +and who think they are doing nothing else. Take +one practical instance—our letter-writing. Have +we not been tempted (and fallen before the temptation), +according to our various dispositions, to let +the hand that holds the pen move at the impulse to +write an unkind thought of another; or to say a +clever and sarcastic thing, or a slightly coloured +and exaggerated thing, which will make our point +more telling; or to let out a grumble or a suspicion; +or to let the pen run away with us into flippant +and trifling words, unworthy of our high and +holy calling? Have we not drifted away from the +golden reminder, ‘Should he reason with unprofitable +talk, and with speeches wherewith he can do +no good?’ Why has this been, perhaps again and +again? Is it not for want of putting our hands +into our dear Master’s hand, and asking and trusting +Him to keep them? He <i>could</i> have kept; He +<i>would</i> have kept!</p> +<p>Whatever our work or our special temptations +may be, the principle remains the same, only let us +apply it for ourselves.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_43">[43]</div> +<p>Perhaps one hardly needs to say that the kept +hands will be very gentle hands. Quick, angry +motions of the heart will sometimes force themselves +into expression by the hand, though the +tongue may be restrained. The very way in which +we close a door or lay down a book may be a victory +or a defeat, a witness to Christ’s keeping or a +witness that we are not truly being kept. How can +we expect that God will use this member as an instrument +of righteousness unto Him, if we yield it +thus as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin? +Therefore let us see to it, that it is at once yielded +to Him whose right it is; and let our sorrow that +it should have been even for an instant desecrated +to Satan’s use, lead us to entrust it henceforth to +our Lord, to be kept by the power of God through +faith ‘for the Master’s use.’</p> +<p>For when the gentleness of Christ dwells in us, +He can use the merest touch of a finger. Have we +not heard of one gentle touch on a wayward shoulder +being the turning-point of a life? I have known +a case in which the Master made use of less than +that—only the quiver of a little finger being made +the means of touching a wayward heart.</p> +<p>What must the touch of the Master’s own hand +have been! One imagines it very gentle, though +so full of power. Can He not communicate both +the power and the gentleness? When He touched +the hand of Peter’s wife’s mother, she arose and +ministered unto them. Do you not think the hand +which Jesus had just touched must have ministered +very excellently? As we ask Him to ‘touch our lips +with living fire,’ so that they may speak effectively +<span class="pb" id="pg_44">[44]</span> +for Him, may we not ask Him to touch our hands, +that they may minister effectively, and excel in all +that they find to do for Him? Then our hands +shall be made strong by the hands of the Mighty +God of Jacob.</p> +<p class="tb">It is very pleasant to feel that if our hands are indeed +our Lord’s, we may ask Him to guide them, +and strengthen them, and teach them. I do not +mean figuratively, but quite literally. In everything +they do for Him (and that should be <i>everything +we ever undertake</i>) we want to do it well—better +and better. ‘Seek that ye may excel.’ We +are too apt to think that He has given us certain +natural gifts, but has nothing practically to do with +the improvement of them, and leaves us to ourselves +for that. Why not ask him to make these +hands of ours more handy for His service, more +skilful in what is indicated as the ‘next thynge’ they +are to do? The ‘kept’ hands need not be clumsy +hands. If the Lord taught David’s hands to war and +his fingers to fight, will He not teach our hands, and +fingers too, to do what He would have them do?</p> +<p>The Spirit of God must have taught Bezaleel’s +hands as well as his head, for he was filled with it +not only that he might devise cunning works, but +also in cutting of stones and carving of timber. And +when all the women that were wise-hearted did spin +with their hands, the hands must have been made +skilful as well as the hearts made wise to prepare +the beautiful garments and curtains.</p> +<p>There is a very remarkable instance of the hand +of the Lord, which I suppose signifies in that case +<span class="pb" id="pg_45">[45]</span> +the power of His Spirit, being upon the hand of a +man. In 1 Chron. xxviii. 19, we read: ‘All this, +said David, the Lord made me understand in writing +by His hand upon me, even all the works of +this pattern.’ This cannot well mean that the Lord +gave David a miraculously written scroll, because, +a few verses before, it says that he had it all by the +Spirit. So what else can it mean but that as David +wrote, the hand of the Lord was upon his hand, +impelling him to trace, letter by letter, the right +words of description for all the details of the temple +that Solomon should build, with its courts and +chambers, its treasuries and vessels? Have we not +sometimes sat down to write, feeling perplexed and +ignorant, and wishing some one were there to tell +us what to say? At such a moment, whether it +were a mere note for post, or a sheet for press, it is +a great comfort to recollect this mighty laying of a +Divine hand upon a human one, and ask for the +same help from the same Lord. It is sure to be +given!</p> +<p class="tb">And now, dear friend, what about your own +hands? Are they consecrated to the Lord who +loves you? And if they are, are you trusting Him +to keep them, and enjoying all that is involved in +that keeping? Do let this be settled with your +Master before you go on to the next chapter.</p> +<p>After all, this question will hinge on another, Do +you love Him? If you really do, there can surely +be neither hesitation about yielding them to Him, +nor about entrusting them to Him to be kept. <i>Does +He love you?</i> That is the truer way of putting it; +<span class="pb" id="pg_46">[46]</span> +for it is not our love to Christ, but the love of +Christ to us which constraineth us. And this is +the impulse of the motion and the mode of the +keeping. The steam-engine does not move when +the fire is not kindled, nor when it is gone out; no +matter how complete the machinery and abundant +the fuel, cold coals will neither set it going nor +keep it working. Let us ask Him so to shed +abroad His love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost +which is given unto us, that it may be the perpetual +and only impulse of every action of our daily life.</p> +</div> +<div id="c04" title="Our Feet kept for Jesus."> +<h2>Chapter IV. +<br />Our Feet kept for Jesus.</h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my feet, that they may be</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Swift and beautiful for Thee.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>The figurative keeping of the feet of His saints, +with the promise that when they run they +shall not stumble, is a most beautiful and helpful +subject. But it is quite distinct from the literal +keeping for Jesus of our literal feet.</p> +<p>There is a certain homeliness about the idea which +helps to make it very real. These very feet of ours +are purchased for Christ’s service by the precious +drops which fell from His own torn and pierced feet +upon the cross. They are to be His errand-runners. +<span class="pb" id="pg_47">[47]</span> +How can we let the world, the flesh, and the +devil have the use of what has been purchased with +such payment?</p> +<p>Shall ‘the world’ have the use of them? Shall +they carry us where the world is paramount, and +the Master cannot be even named, because the mention +of His Name would be so obviously out of +place? I know the apparent difficulties of a subject +which will at once occur in connection with this, +but they all vanish when our bright banner is loyally +unfurled, with its motto, ‘<i>All</i> for Jesus!’ Do +you honestly want your very feet to be ‘kept for +Jesus’? Let these simple words, ‘<i>Kept for Jesus</i>,’ +ring out next time the dancing difficulty or any +other difficulty of the same kind comes up, and I +know what the result will be!</p> +<p>Shall ‘the flesh’ have the use of them? Shall they +carry us hither and thither merely because we like +to go, merely because it pleases ourselves to take +this walk or pay this visit? And after all, what a +failure it is! If people only <i>would</i> believe it, self-pleasing +is always a failure in the end. Our good +Master gives us a reality and fulness of <i>pleasure</i> in +pleasing Him which we never get out of pleasing +ourselves.</p> +<p>Shall ‘the devil’ have the use of them? Oh no, +of course not! We start back at this, as a highly +unnecessary question. Yet if Jesus has not, Satan +has. For as all are serving either the Prince of +Life or the prince of this world, and as no man can +serve two masters, it follows that if we are not serving +the one, we are serving the other. And Satan +is only too glad to disguise this service under the +<span class="pb" id="pg_48">[48]</span> +less startling form of the world, or the still less +startling one of self. All that is not ‘kept for +Jesus,’ is left for self or the world, and therefore +for Satan.</p> +<p class="tb">There is no fear but that our Lord will have +many uses for what is kept by Him for Himself. +‘How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad +tidings of good things!’ That is the best use of +all; and I expect the angels think those feet beautiful, +even if they are cased in muddy boots or +goloshes.</p> +<p>Once the question was asked, ‘Wherefore wilt +thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings +ready?’ So if we want to have these beautiful feet, +we must have the tidings ready which they are to +bear. Let us ask Him to keep our hearts so freshly +full of His good news of salvation, that our mouths +may speak out of their abundance. ‘If the clouds +be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the +earth.’ The ‘two olive branches empty the golden +oil out of themselves.’ May we be so filled with +the Spirit that we may thus have much to pour out +for others!</p> +<p>Besides the great privilege of carrying water from +the wells of salvation, there are plenty of cups of +cold water to be carried in all directions; not to +the poor only,—ministries of love are often as much +needed by a rich friend. But the feet must be kept +for these; they will be too tired for them if they +are tired out for self-pleasing. In such services we +are treading in the blessed steps of His most holy +life, who ‘went about doing good.’</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_49">[49]</div> +<p>Then there is literal errand-going,—just to fetch +something that is needed for the household, or +something that a tired relative wants, whether asked +or unasked. Such things should come first instead +of last, because these are clearly indicated +as our Lord’s will for us to do, by the position +in which He has placed us; while what <i>seems</i> +more direct service, may be after all not so directly +apportioned by Him. ‘I have to go and buy +some soap,’ said one with a little sigh. The sigh +was waste of breath, for her feet were going to +do her Lord’s will for that next half-hour much +more truly than if they had carried her to her +well-worked district, and left the soap to take its +chance.</p> +<p>A member of the Young Women’s Christian +Association wrote a few words on this subject, +which, I think, will be welcome to many more than +she expected them to reach:—</p> +<p>‘May it not be a comfort to those of us who feel +we have not the mental or spiritual power that +others have, to notice that the living sacrifice mentioned +in Rom. xii. 1 is our “bodies”? Of course, +that includes the mental power, but does it not +also include the loving, sympathizing glance, the +kind, encouraging word, <i>the ready errand for +another</i>, the work of our hands, opportunities for +all of which come oftener in the day than for the +mental power we are often tempted to envy? May +we be enabled to offer willingly that which we have. +For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted +according to that a man hath, and not according to +that he hath not.’</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_50">[50]</div> +<p>If our feet are to be kept at His disposal, our +eyes must be ever toward the Lord for guidance. +We must look to Him for our orders where to go. +Then He will be sure to give them. ‘The steps +of a good man are ordered by the Lord.’ Very +often we find that they have been so very literally +ordered for us that we are quite astonished,—just as +if He had not promised!</p> +<p>Do not smile at a <i>very</i> homely thought! If our +feet are not our own, ought we not to take care of +them for Him whose they are? Is it quite right to +be reckless about ‘getting wet feet,’ which might +be guarded against either by forethought or afterthought, +when there is, at least, a risk of hindering +our service thereby? Does it please the Master +when even in our zeal for His work we annoy +anxious friends by carelessness in little things of +this kind?</p> +<p>May every step of our feet be more and more +like those of our beloved Master. Let us continually +consider Him in this, and go where He would +have gone, on the errands which He would have +done, ‘following hard’ after Him. And let us +look on to the time when our feet shall stand in the +gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, when holy feet +shall tread the streets of the holy city; no longer +pacing any lonely path, for He hath said, ‘They +shall walk with Me in white.’</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘And He hath said, “How beautiful the feet!”</p> +<p class="t">The “feet” so weary, travel-stained, and worn—</p> +<p class="t">The “feet” that humbly, patiently have borne</p> +<p class="t0">The toilsome way, the pressure, and the heat.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_51">[51]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘The “feet,” not hasting on with wingèd might,</p> +<p class="t">Nor strong to trample down the opposing foe;</p> +<p class="t">So lowly, and so human, they must go</p> +<p class="t0">By painful steps to scale the mountain height.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Not unto all the tuneful lips are given,</p> +<p class="t">The ready tongue, the words so strong and sweet;</p> +<p class="t">Yet all may turn, with humble, willing “feet,”</p> +<p class="t0">And bear to darkened souls the light from heaven.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘And fall they while the goal far distant lies,</p> +<p class="t">With scarce a word yet spoken for their Lord—</p> +<p class="t">His sweet approval He doth yet accord;</p> +<p class="t0">Their “feet” are beauteous in the Master’s eyes.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘With weary human “feet” He, day by day,</p> +<p class="t">Once trod this earth to work His acts of love;</p> +<p class="t">And every step is chronicled above</p> +<p class="t0">His servants take to follow in His way.’</p> +</div> +</div> +<p class="author"><span class="sc">Sarah Geraldina Stock.</span></p> +</div> +<div id="c05" title="Our Voices kept for Jesus."> +<h2>Chapter V. +<br /><span class="f">Our Voices kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my voice, and let me sing</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Always, only, for my King.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>I have wondered a little at being told by an experienced +worker, that in many cases the voice +seems the last and hardest thing to yield entirely to +the King; and that many who think and say they +<span class="pb" id="pg_52">[52]</span> +have consecrated all to the Lord and His service, +‘revolt’ when it comes to be a question of whether +they shall sing ‘always, only,’ for their King. They +do not mind singing a few general sacred songs, +but they do not see their way to really singing +always and only unto and for Him. They want to +bargain and balance a little. They question and +argue about what proportion they may keep for +self-pleasing and company-pleasing, and how much +they must ‘give up’; and who will and who won’t +like it; and what they ‘really <i>must</i> sing,’ and what +they ‘really must <i>not</i> sing’ at certain times and +places; and what ‘won’t do,’ and what they ‘can’t +very well help,’ and so on. And so when the question, +‘How much owest thou unto my Lord?’ is +applied to this particularly pleasant gift, it is not +met with the loyal, free-hearted, happy response, +‘All! yes, <i>all</i> for Jesus!’</p> +<p>I know there are special temptations around this +matter. Vain and selfish ones—whispering how +much better a certain song suits your voice, and +how much more likely to be admired. Faithless +ones—suggesting doubts whether you can make the +holy song ‘go.’ Specious ones—asking whether +you ought not to please your neighbours, and +hushing up the rest of the precept, ‘Let every +one of you please his neighbour <i>for his good to +edification</i>’ (Rom. xv. 2). Cowardly +ones—telling you that it is just a little too much to expect +of you, and that you are not called upon to wave +your banner in people’s very faces, and provoke +surprise and remark, as this might do. And so +the banner is kept furled, the witness for Jesus is +<span class="pb" id="pg_53">[53]</span> +not borne, and you sing for others and not for +your King.</p> +<p>The words had passed your lips, ‘Take my +voice!’ And yet you will not let Him have it; +you will not let Him have that which costs you +something, just <i>because</i> it costs you something! +And yet He lent you that pleasant voice that you +might use it for Him. And yet He, in the sureness +of His perpetual presence, was beside you all the +while, and heard every note as you sang the songs +which were, as your inmost heart knew, <i>not</i> for +Him.</p> +<p>Where is your faith? Where is the consecration +you have talked about? The voice has not been +kept for Him, because it has not been truly and unreservedly +given to Him. Will you not now say, +‘Take my voice, for I had not given it to Thee; +keep my voice, for I cannot keep it for Thee’?</p> +<p>And He will keep it! You cannot tell, till you +have tried, how surely all the temptations flee when +it is no longer your battle but the Lord’s; nor how +completely and <i>curiously</i> all the difficulties vanish, +when you simply and trustfully go forward in the +path of full consecration in this matter. You will +find that the keeping is most wonderfully real. Do +not expect to lay down rules and provide for every +sort of contingency. If you could, you would miss +the sweetness of the continual guidance in the +‘kept’ course. Have only one rule about it—just +to look up to your Master about every single song +you are asked or feel inclined to sing. If you are +‘willing and obedient,’ you will always meet His +guiding eye. He will always keep the voice that is +<span class="pb" id="pg_54">[54]</span> +wholly at His disposal. Soon you will have such +experience of His immediate guidance that you will +be utterly satisfied with it, and only sorrowfully +wonder you did not sooner thus simply lean on it.</p> +<p>I have just received a letter from one who has +laid her special gift at the feet of the Giver, yielding +her voice to Him with hearty desire that it +might be kept for His use. She writes: ‘I had +two lessons on singing while in Germany from our +Master. One was very sweet. A young girl wrote +to me, that when she had heard me sing, “O come, +every one that thirsteth,” she went away and prayed +that she might come, and she <i>did</i> come, too. Is +not He good? The other was: I had been tempted +to join the <i>Gesang Verein</i> in N——. I prayed to +be shown whether I was right in so doing or not. +I did not see my way clear, so I went. The singing +was all secular. The very first night I went I +caught a bad cold on my chest, which prevented me +from singing again at all till Christmas. Those +were better than any lessons from a singing master!’ +Does not this illustrate both the keeping <i>from</i> and +the keeping <i>for?</i> In the latter case I believe she +honestly wished to know her Lord’s will,—whether +the training and practice were needed for His better +service with her music, and that, therefore, she +might take them for His sake; or whether the concomitants +and influence would be such as to hinder +the close communion with Him which she had +found so precious, and that, therefore, she was to +trust Him to give her ‘much more than this.’ And +so, at once, He showed her unmistakeably what He +would have her <i>not</i> do, and gave her the sweet +<span class="pb" id="pg_55">[55]</span> +consciousness that He Himself was teaching her +and taking her at her word. I know what her passionate +love for music is, and how very real and +great the compensation from Him must have been +which could thus make her right down <i>glad</i> about +what would otherwise have been an immense disappointment. +And then, as to the former of these +two ‘lessons,’ the song she names was one substituted +when she said, ‘Take my voice,’ for some +which were far more effective for her voice. But +having freely chosen to sing what might glorify the +Master rather than the singer, see how, almost immediately, +He gave her a reward infinitely outweighing +all the drawing-room compliments or concert-room +applause! That one consecrated song found +echoes in heaven, bringing, by its blessed result, +joy to the angels and glory to God. And the memory +of that song is immortal; it will live through +ages to come, never lost, never dying away, when +the vocal triumphs of the world’s greatest singers +are past and forgotten for ever. Now you who have +been taking a half-and-half course, do <i>you</i> get such +rewards as this? You may well envy them! But +why not take the same decided course, and share +the same blessed keeping and its fulness of hidden +reward?</p> +<p>If you only knew, dear hesitating friends, what +strength and gladness the Master gives when we +loyally ‘sing forth the honour of His Name,’ you +would not forego it! Oh, if you only knew the difficulties +it saves! For when you sing ‘always and +only for your King,’ you will not get much entangled +by the King’s enemies, Singing an out-and-out +<span class="pb" id="pg_56">[56]</span> +sacred song often clears one’s path at a +stroke as to many other things. If you only knew +the rewards He gives—very often then and there; +the recognition that you are one of the King’s +friends by some lonely and timid one; the openings +which you quite naturally gain of speaking a +word for Jesus to hearts which, without the song, +would never have given you the chance of the word! +If you only knew the joy of believing that His +sure promise, ‘My Word shall not return unto Me +void,’ will be fulfilled as you <i>sing</i> that word for +Him! If you only tasted the solemn happiness of +knowing that you have indeed a royal audience, +that the King Himself is listening as you sing! If +you only knew—and why should you not know? +Shall not the time past of your life suffice you for +the miserable, double-hearted, calculating service? +Let Him have the <i>whole</i> use of your voice at any +cost, and see if He does not put many a totally unexpected +new song into your mouth!</p> +<p>I am not writing all this to great and finished +singers, but to everybody who can sing at all. +Those who think they have only a very small talent, +are often most tempted not to trade with it for their +Lord. Whether you have much or little natural +voice, there is reason for its cultivation and room +for its use. Place it at your Lord’s disposal, and +He will show you how to make the most of it for +Him; for not seldom His multiplying power is +brought to bear on a consecrated voice. A puzzled +singing master, very famous in his profession, said +to one who tried to sing for Jesus, ‘Well, you have +not much voice; but, mark my words, you will +<span class="pb" id="pg_57">[57]</span> +always beat anybody with four times your voice!’ +He was right, though he did not in the least know +why.</p> +<p class="tb">A great many so-called ‘sacred songs’ are so +plaintive and pathetic that they help to give a +gloomy idea of religion. Now <i>don’t</i> sing these; +come out boldly, and sing definitely and unmistakeably +for your King, and of your King, and to +your King. You will soon find, and even outsiders +will have to own, that it is a <i>good</i> thing thus to show +forth His loving-kindness and His faithfulness (see +Ps. xcii. 1-3).</p> +<p>Here I am usually met by the query, ‘But what +would you advise me to sing?’ I can only say that +I never got any practical help from asking any one +but the Master Himself, and so I would advise you +to do the same! He knows exactly what will best +suit your voice and enable you to sing best for +Him; for He made it, and gave it just the pitch +and tone He pleased, so, of course, He is the best +counsellor about it. Refer your question in simplest +faith to Him, and I am perfectly sure you will +find it answered. He will direct you, and in some +way or other the Lord will provide the right songs +for you to sing. That is the very best advice I can +possibly give you on the subject, and you will prove +it to be so if you will act upon it.</p> +<p>Only one thing I would add: I believe there is +nothing like singing His own words. The preacher +claims the promise, ‘My word shall not return unto +Me void,’ and why should not the singer equally +claim it? Why should we use His own inspired +<span class="pb" id="pg_58">[58]</span> +words, with faith in their power, when speaking or +writing, and content ourselves with human words +put into rhyme (and sometimes very feeble rhyme) +for our singing?</p> +<p>What a vista of happy work opens out here! +What is there to prevent our using this mightiest +of all agencies committed to human agents, the +Word, which is quick and powerful, and sharper +than any two-edged sword, whenever we are asked +to sing? By this means, even a young girl may be +privileged to make that Word sound in the ears of +many who would not listen to it otherwise. By +this, the incorruptible seed may be sown in otherwise +unreachable ground.</p> +<p>It is a remarkable fact that it is actually the +easiest way thus to take the very highest ground. +You will find that singing Bible words does not excite +the prejudice or contempt that any other words, +sufficiently decided to be worth singing, are almost +sure to do. For very decency’s sake, a Bible song +will be listened to respectfully; and for very +shame’s sake, no adverse whisper will be ventured +against the words in ordinary English homes. The +singer is placed on a vantage-ground, certain that +at least the words of the song will be outwardly respected, +and the possible ground of unfriendly +criticism thus narrowed to begin with.</p> +<p>But there is much more than this. One feels the +power of His words for oneself as one sings. One +loves them and rejoices in them, and what can be +greater help to any singer than that? And one +knows they are true, and that they cannot really return +void, and what can give greater confidence +<span class="pb" id="pg_59">[59]</span> +than that? God <i>may</i> bless the singing of any +words, but He <i>must</i> bless the singing of His own +Word, if that promise means what it says!</p> +<p>The only real difficulty in the matter is that +Scripture songs, as a rule, require a little more practice +than others. Then practise them a little more! +You think nothing of the trouble of learning, for +instance, a sonata, which takes you many a good +hour’s practice before you can render it perfectly +and expressively. But you shrink from a song, the +accompaniment of which you cannot read off without +any trouble at all. And you never think of +such a thing as taking one-tenth the pains to learn +that accompaniment that you took to learn that +sonata! Very likely, too, you take the additional +pains to learn the sonata off by heart, so that you +may play it more effectively. But you do not take +pains to learn your accompaniment by heart, so +that you may throw all your power into the expression +of the words, undistracted by reading the notes +and turning over the leaves. It is far more useful +to have half a dozen Scripture songs thoroughly +learnt and made your own, than to have in your +portfolios several dozen easy settings of sacred +poetry which you get through with your eyes fixed +on the notes. And every one thus thoroughly mastered +makes it easier to master others.</p> +<p>You will say that all this refers only to drawing-room +singing. So it does, primarily, but then it is +the drawing-room singing which has been so little +for Jesus and so much for self and society; and so +much less has been said about it, and so much less +<i>done</i>. There would not be half the complaints of +<span class="pb" id="pg_60">[60]</span> +the difficulty of witnessing for Christ in even professedly +Christian homes and circles, if every converted +singer were also a consecrated one. For +nothing raises or lowers the tone of a whole evening +so much as the character of the music. There +are few things which show more clearly that, as a +rule, a very definite step in advance is needed beyond +being a believer or even a worker for Christ. +Over how many grand or cottage pianos could the +Irish Society’s motto, ‘For Jesus’ sake <i>only</i>,’ be +hung, without being either a frequent reproach, or +altogether inappropriate?</p> +<p>But what is learnt will, naturally, be sung. And +oh! how many Christian parents give their daughters +the advantage of singing lessons without +troubling themselves in the least about what songs +are learnt, provided they are not exceptionally +foolish! Still more pressingly I would say, how +many Christian principals, to whom young lives +are entrusted at the most important time of all for +training, do not give themselves the least concern +about this matter! As I write, I turn aside to refer +to a list of songs learnt last term by a fresh young +voice which would willingly be trained for higher +work. There is just one ‘sacred’ song in the +whole long list, and even that hardly such a one as +the writer of the letter above quoted would care to +sing in her fervent-spirited service of Christ. All +the rest are harmless and pleasing, but only suggestive +of the things of earth, the things of the +world that is passing away; not one that might +lead upward and onward, not one that might touch +a careless heart to seek first the kingdom of God, +<span class="pb" id="pg_61">[61]</span> +not one that might show forth the glory and praise +of our King, not one that tells out His grace and +love, not one that carries His comfort to His weary +ones or His joy to His loving ones. She is left to +find and learn <i>such</i> songs as best she may; those +which she will sing with all the ease and force +gained by good teaching of them are no help at all, +but rather hindrance in anything like wish or attempt +to ‘sing <i>for Jesus</i>.’</p> +<p>There is not the excuse that the songs of God’s +kingdom, songs which waft His own words to the +souls around, would not have answered the teacher’s +purpose as well. God has taken care of that. He +has not left Himself without witness in this direction. +He has given the most perfect melodies and +the richest harmonies to be linked with His own +words, and no singer can be trained beyond His +wonderful provision in this way. I pray that even +these poor words of mine may reach the consciences +of some of those who have this responsibility, and +lead them to be no longer unfaithful in this important +matter, no longer giving this strangely divided +service—training, as they profess to desire, the +souls for God, and yet allowing the voices to be +trained only for the world.</p> +<p class="tb">But we must not run away with the idea that +singing sacred songs and singing for Jesus are +convertible terms. I know by sorrowful personal +experience that it is very possible to sing a sacred +song and <i>not</i> sing it for Jesus. It is easier to have +one’s portfolio all right than one’s heart, and the +repertory is more easily arranged than the motives. +<span class="pb" id="pg_62">[62]</span> +When we have taken our side, and the difficulties +of indecision are consequently swept away, we have +a new set of more subtle temptations to encounter. +And although the Master will keep, the servant +must watch and pray; and it is through the watching +and the praying that the keeping will be effectual. +We have, however, rather less excuse here +than even elsewhere. For we never have to sing +so very suddenly that we need be taken unawares. +We have to think what to sing, and perhaps find +the music, and the prelude has to be played, and all +this gives quite enough time for us to recollect +whose we are and whom we serve, and to arouse to +the watch. Quite enough, too, for quick, trustful +prayer that our singing may be kept free from that +wretched self-seeking or even self-consciousness, +and kept entirely for Jesus. Our best and happiest +singing will flow when there is a sweet, silent undercurrent +of prayerful or praiseful communion +with our Master all through the song. As for +nervousness, I am quite sure this is the best antidote +to that.</p> +<p>On the other hand, it is quite possible to sing +for Jesus without singing a sacred song. Do not +take an ell for the inch this seems to give, and run +off with the idea that it does not matter after all +what you sing, so that you sing in a good frame of +mind! No such thing! And the admission needs +very careful guarding, and must not be wrested into +an excuse for looking back to the world’s songs. +But cases may and do arise in which it may be right +to gratify a weary father, or win a wayward brother, +by trying to please them with music to which they +<span class="pb" id="pg_63">[63]</span> +will listen when they would not listen to the songs +you would rather sing. There are cases in which +this may be done most truly for the Lord’s sake, +and clearly under His guidance.</p> +<p>Sometimes cases arise in which we can only say, +‘Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are +upon Thee.’ And when we honestly say that, depend +upon it we shall find the promise true, ‘I +will guide thee with Mine eye.’ For God is faithful, +who will not suffer you to be tempted above +that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also +make a way (Gr. <i>the</i> way) to escape, that ye may +be able to bear it.</p> +<p>I do not know why it should be so, but it certainly +is a much rarer thing to find a young gentleman +singing for Jesus than a young lady,—a <i>very</i> +rare thing to find one with a cultivated voice consecrating +it to the Master’s use. I have met some +who were not ashamed to speak for Him, to whom +it never seemed even to occur to sing for Him. +They would go and teach a Bible class one day, +and the next they would be practising or performing +just the same songs as those who care nothing +for Christ and His blood-bought salvation. They +had left some things behind, but they had not left +any of their old songs behind. They do not seem +to think that being made new creatures in Christ +Jesus had anything to do with this department of +their lives. Nobody could gather whether they +were on the Lord’s side or not, as they stood and +sang their neutral songs. The banner that was +displayed in the class-room was furled in the drawing-room. +Now, my friends, you who have or may +<span class="pb" id="pg_64">[64]</span> +have far greater opportunities of displaying that +banner than we womenkind, why should you be +less brave and loyal than your sisters? We are +weak and you are strong naturally, but recollect +that want of decision always involves want of +power, and compromising Christians are always +weak Christians. You will never be mighty to the +pulling down of strongholds while you have one +foot in the enemy’s camp, or on the supposed +neutral ground, if such can exist (which I doubt), +between the camps. You will never be a terror to +the devil till you have enlisted every gift and +faculty on the Lord’s side. Here is a thing in +which you may practically carry out the splendid +motto, ‘All for Jesus.’ You cannot be all for Him +as long as your voice is not for Him. Which shall +it be? <i>All</i> for Him, or <i>partly</i> for Him? Answer +that to Him whom you call Master and Lord.</p> +<p>When once this drawing-room question is settled, +there is not much need to expatiate about other +forms of singing for Jesus. As we have opportunity +we shall be willing to do good with our pleasant +gift in any way or place, and it is wonderful what +nice opportunities He makes for us. Whether to +one little sick child or to a thousand listeners, according +to the powers and openings granted, we +shall take our happy position among those who +minister with singing (1 Chron. vi. 32). And in +so far as we really do this unto the Lord, I am +quite sure He gives the hundred-fold now in this +present time more than all the showy songs or self-gratifying +performances we may have left for His +sake. As we steadily tread this part of the path of +<span class="pb" id="pg_65">[65]</span> +consecration, we shall find the difficulties left behind, +and the real pleasantness of the way reached, +and it will be a delight to say to oneself, ‘I <i>cannot</i> +sing the old songs;’ and though you have thought +it quite enough to say, ‘With my song will I please +my friends,’ especially if they happen to be pleased +with a mildly sacred song or two, you will strike a +higher and happier, a richer and purer note, and +say with David, ‘With my song will I praise <i>Him</i>.’ +David said also, ‘My lips shall greatly rejoice <i>when</i> +I sing unto Thee, and my soul, which Thou hast +redeemed.’ And you will find that this comes true.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, our Saviour and King;</p> +<p class="t">Singing for Jesus, the Lord whom we love!</p> +<p class="t0">All adoration we joyously bring,</p> +<p class="t">Longing to praise as they praise Him above.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, our Master and Friend,</p> +<p class="t">Telling His love and His marvellous grace,—</p> +<p class="t0">Love from eternity, love to the end,</p> +<p class="t">Love for the loveless, the sinful, and base.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, and trying to win</p> +<p class="t">Many to love Him, and join in the song;</p> +<p class="t0">Calling the weary and wandering in,</p> +<p class="t">Rolling the chorus of gladness along.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, our Life and our Light;</p> +<p class="t">Singing for Him as we press to the mark;</p> +<p class="t0">Singing for Him when the morning is bright;</p> +<p class="t">Singing, still singing, for Him in the dark!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, our Shepherd and Guide;</p> +<p class="t">Singing for gladness of heart that He gives;</p> +<p class="t0">Singing for wonder and praise that He died;</p> +<p class="t">Singing for blessing and joy that He lives!</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_66">[66]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Singing for Jesus, oh, singing with joy;</p> +<p class="t">Thus will we praise Him, and tell out His love,</p> +<p class="t0">Till He shall call us to brighter employ,</p> +<p class="t">Singing for Jesus for ever above.</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c06" title="Our Lips kept for Jesus."> +<h2>Chapter VI. +<br /><span class="f">Our Lips kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my lips, that they may be</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Filled with messages from Thee.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>The days are past for ever when we said, +‘Our lips are our own.’ Now we know that +they are not our own.</p> +<p>And yet how many of my readers often have the +miserable consciousness that they have ‘spoken unadvisedly +with their lips’! How many pray, ‘Keep +the door of my lips,’ when the very last thing they +think of expecting is that they <i>will</i> be kept! They +deliberately make up their minds that hasty words, +or foolish words, or exaggerated words, according +to their respective temptations, must and will slip +out of that door, and that it can’t be helped. The +extent of the real meaning of their prayer was +merely that not quite so many might slip out. As +their faith went no farther, the answer went no +farther, and so the door was not kept.</p> +<p>Do let us look the matter straight in the face. +Either we have committed our lips to our Lord, or +<span class="pb" id="pg_67">[67]</span> +we have not. This question must be settled first. +If not, oh, do not let another hour pass! Take +them to Jesus, and ask Him to take them.</p> +<p>But when you <i>have</i> committed them to Him, it +comes to this,—is He able or is He not able to keep +that which you have committed to Him? If He is +not able, of course you may as well give up at +once, for your own experience has abundantly +proved that <i>you</i> are not able, so there is no help for +you. But if He is able—nay, thank God there is +no ‘<i>if</i>’ on this side!—say, rather, <i>as</i> He is able, +where was this inevitable necessity of perpetual +failure? You have been fancying yourself virtually +doomed and fated to it, and therefore you have +gone on in it, while all the time His arm was not +shortened that it could not save, but you have been +limiting the Holy One of Israel. Honestly, now, +have you trusted Him to keep your lips <i>this day?</i> +Trust necessarily implies expectation that what we +have entrusted will be kept. If you have not expected +Him to keep, you have not trusted. You +may have tried, and tried very hard, but you have +not <i>trusted</i>, and therefore you have not been kept, +and your lips have been the snare of your soul +(Prov. xviii. 7).</p> +<p>Once I heard a beautiful prayer which I can never +forget; it was this: ‘Lord, take my lips, and speak +through them; take my mind, and think through +it; take my heart, and set it on fire.’ And this is +the way the Master keeps the lips of His servants, +by so filling their hearts with His love that the outflow +cannot be unloving, by so filling their thoughts +that the utterance cannot be un-Christ-like. There +<span class="pb" id="pg_68">[68]</span> +must be filling before there <i>can</i> be pouring out; +and if there is filling, there <i>must</i> be pouring out, +for He hath said, ‘Out of the abundance of the +heart the mouth speaketh.’</p> +<p>But I think we should look for something more +direct and definite than this. We are not all called +to be the King’s ambassadors, but <i>all</i> who have +heard the messages of salvation for themselves are +called to be ‘the Lord’s messengers,’ and day by +day, as He gives us opportunity, we are to deliver +‘the Lord’s message unto the people.’ That message, +as committed to Haggai, was, ‘I am with you, +saith the Lord.’ Is there not work enough for any +lifetime in unfolding and distributing that one message +to His own people? Then, for those who are +still far off, we have that equally full message from +our Lord to give out, which He has condensed for +us into the one word, ‘Come!’</p> +<p>It is a specially sweet part of His dealings with +His messengers that He always gives us the message +for ourselves first. It is what He has first told us +in darkness—that is, in the secrecy of our own +rooms, or at least of our own hearts—that He bids +us speak in light. And so the more we sit at His +feet and watch to see what He has to say to ourselves, +the more we shall have to tell to others. He +does not send us out with sealed despatches, which +we know nothing about, and with which we have no +concern.</p> +<p>There seems a seven-fold sequence in His filling +the lips of His messengers. First, they must be +purified. The live coal from off the altar must be +laid upon them, and He must say, ‘Lo, this hath +<span class="pb" id="pg_69">[69]</span> +touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, +and thy sin is purged.’ Then He will create the +fruit of them, and this seems to be the great message +of peace, ‘Peace to him that is far off, and to +him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal +him’ (see Isa. lvii. 19). Then comes the prayer, +‘O Lord, open Thou my lips,’ and its sure fulfilment. +For then come in the promises, ‘Behold, I +have put My words in thy mouth,’ and, ‘They shall +withal be fitted in thy lips.’ Then, of course, ‘the +lips of the righteous feed many,’ for the food is the +Lord’s own giving. Everything leads up to praise, +and so we come next to ‘My mouth shall praise +Thee with joyful lips, when I remember Thee.’ +And lest we should fancy that ‘<i>when</i>’ rather implies +that it is not, or cannot be, exactly <i>always</i>, we find +that the meditation of Jesus throws this added light +upon it, ‘By <i>Him</i>, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice +of praise to God <i>continually</i>, that is, the fruit +of our lips, giving thanks to’ (margin, confessing) +‘His name.’</p> +<p>Does it seem a coming down from the mount to +glance at one of our King’s commandments, which +is specially needful and applicable to this matter of +our lips being kept for Him? ‘Watch and pray, +that ye enter not into temptation.’ None of His +commands clash with or supersede one another. +Trusting does not supersede watching; it does but +complete and effectuate it. Unwatchful trust is a +delusion, and untrustful watching is in vain. Therefore +let us not either wilfully or carelessly <i>enter</i> into +temptation, whether of place, or person, or topic, +which has any tendency to endanger the keeping of +<span class="pb" id="pg_70">[70]</span> +our lips for Jesus. Let us pray that grace may be +more and more poured into our lips as it was into +His, so that our speech may be <i>alway</i> with grace. +May they be pure, and sweet, and lovely, even as +‘His lips, like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling +myrrh.’</p> +<p class="tb">We can hardly consider the keeping of our lips +without recollecting that upon them, more than all +else (though not exclusively of all else), depends +that greatest of our responsibilities, our influence. +We have no choice in the matter; we cannot evade +or avoid it; and there is no more possibility of our +limiting it, or even tracing its limits, than there is +of setting a bound to the far-vibrating sound-waves, +or watching their flow through the invisible air. +Not one sentence that passes these lips of ours but +must be an invisibly prolonged influence, not dying +away into silence, but living away into the words +and deeds of others. The thought would not be quite +so oppressive if we could know what we have done +and shall be continuing to do by what we have +said. But we <i>never</i> can, as a matter of fact. We +may trace it a little way, and get a glimpse of some +results for good or evil; but we never can see any +more of it than we can see of a shooting star flashing +through the night with a momentary revelation +of one step of its strange path. Even if the next +instant plunges it into apparent annihilation as it +strikes the atmosphere of the earth, we know that +it is not really so, but that its mysterious material +and force must be added to the complicated materials +and forces with which it has come in contact, +<span class="pb" id="pg_71">[71]</span> +with a modifying power none the less real because +it is beyond our ken. And this is not comparing +a great thing with a small, but a small thing +with a great. For what is material force compared +with moral force? what are gases, and vapours, and +elements, compared with souls and the eternity for +which they are preparing?</p> +<p>We all know that there is influence exerted by a +person’s mere presence, without the utterance of a +single word. We are conscious of this every day. +People seem to carry an atmosphere with them, +which <i>must</i> be breathed by those whom they approach. +Some carry an atmosphere in which all +unkind thoughts shrivel up and cannot grow into +expression. Others carry one in which ‘thoughts +of Christ and things divine’ never seem able to +flourish. Have you not felt how a happy conversation +about the things we love best is checked, or +even strangled, by the entrance of one who is not +in sympathy? Outsiders have not a chance of +ever really knowing what delightful intercourse we +have one with another about these things, because +their very presence chills and changes it. On the +other hand, how another person’s incoming freshens +and develops it and warms us all up, and seems +to give us, without the least conscious effort, a sort +of <i>lift!</i></p> +<p>If even unconscious and involuntary influence is +such a power, how much greater must it be when +the recognised power of words is added!</p> +<p>It has often struck me as a matter of observation, +that open profession adds force to this influence, +on whichever side it weighs; and also that it +<span class="pb" id="pg_72">[72]</span> +has the effect of making many a word and act, +which might in other hands have been as nearly +neutral as anything can be, tell with by no means +neutral tendency on the wrong side. The question +of Eliphaz comes with great force when applied to +one who desires or professes to be consecrated altogether, +life <i>and</i> lips: ‘Should <i>he</i> reason with unprofitable +talk, and with speeches <i>wherewith one +can do no good?</i>’ There is our standard! Idle +words, which might have fallen comparatively +harmlessly from one who had never named the +Name of Christ, may be a stumbling-block to inquirers, +a sanction to thoughtless juniors, and a +grief to thoughtful seniors, when they come from +lips which are professing to feed many. Even intelligent +talk on general subjects by such a one may +be a chilling disappointment to some craving heart, +which had indulged the hope of getting help, comfort, +or instruction in the things of God by listening +to the conversation. It may be a lost opportunity +of giving and gaining no one knows <i>how</i> +much!</p> +<p>How well I recollect this disappointment to myself, +again and again, when a mere child! In +those early seeking days I never could understand +why, sometimes, a good man whom I heard preach +or speak as if he loved Christ very much, talked +about all sorts of other things when he came back +from church or missionary meeting. I did so wish he +would have talked about the Saviour, whom I wanted, +but had not found. It would have been so much +more interesting even to the apparently thoughtless +and merry little girl. How could he help it, I +<span class="pb" id="pg_73">[73]</span> +wondered, if he cared for that Pearl of Great Price +as I was sure I should care for it if I could only find +it! And oh, why didn’t they ever talk to me about +it, instead of about my lessons or their little girls +at home? They did not know how their conversation +was observed and compared with their sermon +or speech, and how a hungry little soul went empty +away from the supper table.</p> +<p>The lips of younger Christians may cause, in their +turn, no less disappointment. One sorrowful lesson +I can never forget; and I will tell the story in hope +that it may save others from causes of similar regret. +During a summer visit just after I had left +school, a class of girls about my own age came to +me a few times for an hour’s singing. It was very +pleasant indeed, and the girls were delighted with +the hymns. They listened to all I had to say about +time and expression, and not with less attention to +the more shyly-ventured remarks about the words. +Sometimes I accompanied them afterwards down +the avenue; and whenever I met any of them I had +smiles and plenty of kindly words for each, which +they seemed to appreciate immensely. A few years +afterwards I sat by the bedside of one of these girls—the +most gifted of them all with both heart and +head. She had been led by a wonderful way, and +through long and deep suffering, into far clearer +light than I enjoyed, and had witnessed for Christ +in more ways than one, and far more brightly than +I had ever done. She told me how sorrowfully and +eagerly she was seeking Jesus at the time of those +singing classes. And I never knew it, because +I never asked, and she was too shy to speak first! +<span class="pb" id="pg_74">[74]</span> +But she told me more, and every word was a pang +to me,—how she used to linger in the avenue on +those summer evenings, longing that I would speak +to her about the Saviour; how she hoped, week after +week, that I would just stretch out a hand to help +her, just say one little word that might be God’s +message of peace to her, instead of the pleasant, +general remarks about the nice hymns and tunes. +And I never did! And she went on for months, I +think for years, after, without the light and gladness +which it might have been my privilege to bring to +her life. God chose other means, for the souls that +He has given to Christ cannot be lost because of +the unfaithfulness of a human instrument. But she +said, and the words often ring in my ears when I am +tempted to let an opportunity slip, ‘Ah, Miss F., I +ought to have been <i>yours!</i>’</p> +<p>Yes, it is true enough that we should show forth +His praise not only with our lips, but in our lives; +but with very many Christians the other side of the +prayer wants praying—they want rousing up even to +<i>wish</i> to show it forth not only in their lives but with +their lips. I wonder how many, even of those who +read this, really pray, ‘O Lord, open Thou <i>my</i> lips, +and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.’</p> +<p>And when opened, oh, how much one <i>does</i> want +to have them so kept for Jesus that He may be free +to make the most of them, not letting them render +second-rate and indirect service when they might be +doing direct and first-rate service to His cause and +kingdom! It is terrible how much less is done for +Him than <i>might</i> be done, in consequence of the +specious notion that if what we are doing or saying +<span class="pb" id="pg_75">[75]</span> +is not bad, we are doing good in a certain way, and +therefore may be quite easy about it. We should +think a man rather foolish if he went on doing work +which earned five shillings a week, when he might +just as well do work in the same establishment and +under the same master which would bring him in +five pounds a week. But we should pronounce him +shamefully dishonest and dishonourable if he accepted +such handsome wages as the five pounds, and yet +chose to do work worth only five shillings, excusing +himself by saying that it was work all the same, and +somebody had better do it. Do we not act something +like this when we take the lower standard, +and spend our strength in just making ourselves +agreeable and pleasant, creating a general good impression +in favour of religion, showing that we can +be all things to all men, and that one who is supposed +to be a citizen of the other world can be very +well up in all that concerns this world? This may +be good, but is there nothing better? What does it +profit if we do make this favourable impression on +an outsider, if we go no farther and do not use the +influence gained to bring him right inside the fold, +inside the only ark of safety? People are not converted +by this sort of work; at any rate, <i>I</i> never +met or heard of any one. ‘He thinks it better for +his quiet influence to tell!’ said an affectionately +excusing relative of one who had plenty of special +opportunities of soul-winning, if he had only used +his lips as well as his life for his Master. ‘And how +many souls have been converted to God by his +“quiet influence” all these years?’ was my reply. +And to that there was no answer! For the silent +<span class="pb" id="pg_76">[76]</span> +shining was all very beautiful in theory, but not one +of the many souls placed specially under his influence +had been known to be brought out of darkness +into marvellous light. If they had, they must +have been known, for such light can’t help being +seen.</p> +<p>When one has even a glimmer of the tremendous +difference between having Christ and being without +Christ; when one gets but one shuddering glimpse +of what eternity is, and of what it must mean, as +well as what it may mean, without Christ; when +one gets but a flash of realization of the tremendous +fact that all these neighbours of ours, rich and poor +alike, will <i>have</i> to spend that eternity either with +Him or without Him,—it is hard, very hard indeed, +to understand how a man or woman can believe +these things at all, and make no effort for anything +beyond the temporal elevation of those around, +sometimes not even beyond their amusements! +‘People must have entertainment,’ they urge. I do +not find that <i>must</i> in the Bible, but I do find, ‘We +<i>must</i> all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.’ +And if you have any sort of belief in that, how can +you care to use those lips of yours, which might be +a fountain of life to the dying souls before you, +merely to ‘entertain’ them at your penny reading +or other entertainment? As you sow, so you reap. +The amusing paper is read, or the lively ballad recited, +or the popular song sung, and you reap your +harvest of laughter or applause, and of complacence +at your success in ‘entertaining’ the people. And +there it ends, when you might have sown words +from which you and they should reap fruit unto life +<span class="pb" id="pg_77">[77]</span> +eternal. Is this worthy work for one who has been +bought with such a price that he must say,</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Love so amazing, so divine,</p> +<p class="t0">Demands my soul, my life, my all’?</p> +</div></div> +<p>So far from yielding ‘all’ to that rightful demand +of amazing love, he does not even yield the fruit of +his lips to it, much less the lips themselves. I cannot +refrain from adding, that even this lower aim +of ‘entertaining’ is by no means so appreciated as +is supposed. As a cottager of no more than average +sense and intelligence remarked, ‘It was all so +<i>trifling</i> at the reading; I wish gentlefolks would +believe that poor people like something better than +what’s just to make them laugh.’ After all, nothing +really pays like direct, straightforward, uncompromising +words about God and His works and word. +Nothing else ever made a man say, as a poor Irishman +did when he heard the Good News for the first +time, ‘Thank ye, sir; you’ve taken the hunger off +us to-day!’</p> +<p class="tb">Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord; +what about ours? Well, they <i>are</i> all uttered before +the Lord in one sense, whether we will or no; for +there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, Thou, O +Lord, knowest it altogether! How solemn is this +thought, but how sweet does it become when our +words are uttered consciously before the Lord as +we walk in the light of His perpetual presence! +Oh that we may so walk, that we may so speak, with +kept feet and kept lips, trustfully praying, ‘Let the +meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth +<span class="pb" id="pg_78">[78]</span> +be alway acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my +Strength and my Redeemer!’</p> +<p class="tb">Bearing in mind that it is not only the words +which pass their lightly-hinged portal, but our literal +lips which are to be kept for Jesus, it cannot +be out of place, before closing this chapter, to suggest +that they open both ways. What passes in +should surely be considered as well as what passes +out. And very many of us are beginning to see +that the command, ‘Whether ye eat or drink, or +whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,’ is +not fully obeyed when we drink, merely because +we like it, what is the very greatest obstacle to that +glory in this realm of England. What matter that +we prefer taking it in a more refined form, if the +thing itself is daily and actively and mightily working +misery, and crime, and death, and destruction +to thousands, till the cry thereof seems as if it +must pierce the very heavens! And so it does—sooner, +a great deal, than it pierces the walls of our +comfortable dining-room! I only say here, you +who have said, ‘Take my lips,’ stop and repeat +that prayer next time you put that to your lips +which is binding men and women hand and foot, +and delivering them over, helpless, to Satan! Let +those words pass once more from your heart <i>out</i> +through your lips, and I do not think you will feel +comfortable in letting the means of such infernal +work pass <i>in</i> through them.</p> +</div> +<div id="c07" title="Our Silver and Gold Kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_79">[79]</div> +<h2>Chapter VII. +<br /><span class="f">Our Silver and Gold Kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my silver and my gold;</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Not a mite would I withhold.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>‘The silver and the gold is Mine, saith the +Lord of Hosts.’ Yes, every coin we have +is literally our ‘Lord’s money.’ Simple belief of +this fact is the stepping-stone to full consecration of +what He has given us, whether much or little.</p> +<p>‘Then you mean to say we are never to spend +anything on ourselves?’ Not so. Another fact +must be considered,—the fact that our Lord has +given us our bodies as a special personal charge, +and that we are responsible for keeping these bodies, +according to the means given and the work required, +in working order for Him. This is part of +our ‘own work.’ A master entrusts a workman +with a delicate machine, with which his appointed +work is to be done. He also provides him with a sum +of money with which he is to procure all that may be +necessary for keeping the machine in thorough repair. +Is it not obvious that it is the man’s distinct duty +to see to this faithfully? Would he not be failing in +<span class="pb" id="pg_80">[80]</span> +duty if he chose to spend it all on something for +somebody else’s work, or on a present for his master, +fancying that would please him better, while +the machine is creaking and wearing for want of a +little oil, or working badly for want of a new band +or screw? Just so, we are to spend what is really +needful <i>on</i> ourselves, because it is our charge to do +so; but not <i>for</i> ourselves, because we are not our +own, but our Master’s. He who knoweth our frame, +knows its needs of rest and medicine, food and +clothing; and the procuring of these for our own +entrusted bodies should be done just as much ‘for +Jesus’ as the greater pleasure of procuring them for +some one else. Therefore there need be no quibbling +over the assertion that consecration is not +real and complete while we are looking upon a +single shilling as our own to do what we like with. +Also the principle is exactly the same, whether we +are spending pence or pounds; it is our Lord’s +money, and must not be spent without reference to +Him.</p> +<p>When we have asked Him to take, and continually +trust Him to keep our money, ‘shopping’ becomes +a different thing. We look up to our Lord for +guidance to lay out His money prudently and +rightly, and as He would have us lay it out. The +gift or garment is selected consciously under His +eye, and with conscious reference to Him as our +own dear Master, for whose sake we shall give it, +or in whose service we shall wear it, and whose own +silver or gold we shall pay for it, and then it is all +right.</p> +<p>But have you found out that it is one of the secrets +<span class="pb" id="pg_81">[81]</span> +of the Lord, that when any of His dear children +turn aside a little bit after having once entered +the blessed path of true and conscious consecration, +He is sure to send them some little punishment? +He will not let us go back without a sharp, +even if quite secret, reminder. Go and spend ever +such a little without reference to Him after you have +once pledged the silver and gold entirely to Him, +and see if you are not in some way rebuked for it! +Very often by being permitted to find that you have +made a mistake in your purchase, or that in some +way it does not prosper. If you ‘observe these +things,’ you will find that the more closely we are +walking with our Lord, the more immediate and +unmistakeable will be His gracious rebukes when we +swerve in any detail of the full consecration to +which He has called us. And if you have already +experienced and recognised this part of His personal +dealing with us, you will know also how we +love and bless Him for it.</p> +<p class="tb">There is always a danger that just because we say +‘all,’ we may practically fall shorter than if we had +only said ‘some,’ but said it very definitely. God +recognises this, and provides against it in many departments. +For instance, though our time is to be +‘all’ for Him, yet He solemnly sets apart the one +day in seven which is to be specially for Him. +Those who think they know better than God, and +profess that every day is a Sabbath, little know +what floodgates of temptation they are opening by +being so very wise above what is written. God +knows best, and that should be quite enough for +<span class="pb" id="pg_82">[82]</span> +every loyal heart. So, as to money, though we +place it all at our Lord’s disposal, and rejoice to +spend it all for Him directly or indirectly, yet I am +quite certain it is a great help and safeguard, and, +what is more, a matter of simple obedience to the +spirit of His commands, to set aside a definite and +regular proportion of our income or receipts for +His direct service. It is a great mistake to suppose +that the law of giving the tenth to God is merely +Levitical. ‘Search and look’ for yourselves, and +you will find that it is, like the Sabbath, a far older +rule, running all through the Bible,<sup><a id="fr_1" href="#fn_1">[1]</a></sup> +and endorsed, not abrogated, by Christ Himself. For, speaking +of tithes, He said, ‘These <i>ought</i> ye to have done, +and not to leave the other undone.’ To dedicate the +tenth of whatever we have is mere duty; charity +begins beyond it; free-will offerings and thank-offerings +beyond that again.</p> +<p>First-fruits, also, should be thus specially set +apart. This, too, we find running all through the +Bible. There is a tacit appeal to our gratitude in +the suggestion of them,—the very word implies +bounty received and bounty in prospect. Bringing +‘the first of the first-fruits into the house of the Lord +thy God,’ was like ‘saying grace’ for all +the plenty He was going to bestow on the faithful Israelite. +Something of gladness, too, seems always implied. +‘The day of the first-fruits’ was to be a day of +rejoicing (compare Num. xxviii. 26 with +Deut. xvi. 10, 11). +<span class="pb" id="pg_83">[83]</span> +There is also an appeal to loyalty: we +are commanded to <i>honour</i> the Lord with the first-fruits +of all our increase. And <i>that</i> is the way +to prosper, for the next word is, ‘<i>So</i> shall thy +barns be filled with plenty.’ The friend who first +called my attention to this command, said that the +setting apart first-fruits—making a proportion for +God’s work a <i>first charge</i> upon the income—always +seemed to bring a blessing on the rest, +and that since this had been systematically done, it +actually seemed to go farther than when not thus +lessened.</p> +<p>Presenting our first-fruits should be a peculiarly +delightful act, as they are themselves the emblem +of our consecrated relationship to God. For of +His own will begat He us by the word of truth, +that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His +creatures. How sweet and hallowed and richly +emblematic our little acts of obedience in this matter +become, when we throw this light upon them! +And how blessedly they may remind us of the +heavenly company, singing, as it were, a new song +before the throne; for they are the first-fruits unto +God and to the Lamb.</p> +<p>Perhaps we shall find no better plan of detailed +and systematic setting apart than the New Testament +one: ‘Upon the first day of the week let +every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath +prospered him.’ The very act of literally fulfilling +this apostolic command seems to bring a blessing +with it, as all simple obedience does. I wish, dear +friends, you would try it! You will find it a sweet +reminder on His own day of this part of your consecration. +<span class="pb" id="pg_84">[84]</span> +You will find it an immense help in +making the most of your little charities. The +regular inflow will guide the outflow, and ensure +your always having <i>something</i> for any sudden call +for your Master’s poor or your Master’s cause. Do +not say you are ‘afraid you could not keep to it.’ +What has a consecrated life to do with being +‘afraid’? Some of us could tell of such sweet and +singular lessons of trust in this matter, that they +are written in golden letters of love on our memories. +Of course there will be trials of our faith in +this, as well as in everything else. But every trial +of our faith is but a trial of His faithfulness, and +is ‘much more precious than gold which perisheth.’</p> +<p>‘What about self-denial?’ some reader will say. +Consecration does not supersede this, but transfigures +it. Literally, a consecrated life is and must +be a life of denial of self. But all the effort and +pain of it is changed into very delight. We love +our Master; we know, surely and absolutely, that +He is listening and watching our every word and +way, and that He has called us to the privilege of +walking ‘worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.’ +And in so far as this is a reality to us, the identical +things which are still self-<i>denial</i> in one sense, become +actual self-<i>delight</i> in another. It may be +self-denial to us to turn away from something +within reach of our purse which it would be very +convenient or pleasant to possess. But if the +Master lifted the veil, and revealed Himself standing +at our side, and let us hear His audible voice +asking us to reserve the price of it for His treasury, +<span class="pb" id="pg_85">[85]</span> +should we talk about self-denial then? Should we +not be utterly ashamed to think of it? or rather, +should we, for one instant, think about self or self-denial +at all? Would it not be an unimaginable +joy to do what He asked us to do with that money? +But as long as His own unchangeable promise +stands written in His word for us, ‘Lo, I am with +you <i>alway</i>,’ we may be sure that He <i>is</i> with us, and +that His eye is as certainly on our opened or half-opened +purse as it was on the treasury, when He +sat over against it and saw the two mites cast in. +So let us do our shopping ‘as seeing Him who is +invisible.’</p> +<p>It is important to remember that there is no +much or little in God’s sight, except as relatively +to our means and willingness. ‘For if there be +first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that +a man hath, and not according to that he hath +not.’ He knows what we have <i>not</i>, as well as what +we have. He knows all about the low wages in +one sphere, and the small allowance, or the fixed +income with rising prices in another. And it is not +a question of paying to God what can be screwed +out of these, but of giving Him all, and then holding +all at His disposal, and taking His orders about +the disposal of all.</p> +<p>But I do not see at all how self-indulgence and +needless extravagance can possibly co-exist with +true consecration. If we really never do go <i>without</i> +anything for the Lord’s sake, but, just because +He has graciously given us means, always supply +for ourselves not only every need but ‘every +notion,’ I think it is high time we looked into +<span class="pb" id="pg_86">[86]</span> +the matter before God. Why should only those +who have limited means have the privilege of offering +to their Lord that which has really cost them +something to offer? Observe, it is not <i>merely</i> +going without something we would naturally like to +have or do, but going without it <i>for Jesus’ sake</i>. +Not, ‘I will go without it, because, after all, I can’t +very well afford it;’ or, ‘because I really ought to +subscribe to so and so;’ or, ‘because I daresay I +shall be glad I have not spent the money:’ but, ‘I +will do without it, because I <i>do</i> want to do a little +more for Him who so loves me—just that much +more than I could do if I did this other thing.’ I +fancy this is more often the heart language of those +who <i>have</i> to cut and contrive, than of those who +are able to give liberally without any cutting and +contriving at all. The very abundance of God’s +good gifts too often hinders from the privilege and +delight of really doing without something superfluous +or comfortable or usual, that they may give +just that much more to their Lord. What a pity!</p> +<p>The following quotation may (I hope it will), +touch some conscience:—‘A gentleman once told +us that his wine bill was £100 a year—more than +enough to keep a Scripture reader always at work +in some populous district. And it is one of the +countless advantages of total abstinence that it at +once sets free a certain amount of money for such +work. Smoking, too, is a habit not only injurious +to the health in a vast majority of cases, and, +to our mind, very unbecoming in a “temple of the +Holy Ghost,” but also one which squanders money +which might be used for the Lord. Expenses in +<span class="pb" id="pg_87">[87]</span> +dress might in most people be curtailed; expensive +tastes should be denied; and simplicity in all habits +of life should be a mark of the followers of Him +who had not where to lay His head.’</p> +<p>And again: ‘The self-indulgence of wealthy +Christians, who might largely support the Lord’s +work with what they lavish upon their houses, their +tables, or their personal expenditure, is very sad to +see.’<sup><a id="fr_2" href="#fn_2">[2]</a></sup></p> +<p>Here the question of jewellery seems to come in. +Perhaps it was an instance of the gradual showing +of the details of consecration, illustrated on page +21, but I will confess that when I wrote ‘Take my +silver and my gold,’ it never dawned on me that +anything was included beyond the coin of the +realm! But the Lord ‘leads on softly,’ and a good +many of us have been shown some capital bits of +unenclosed but easily enclosable ground, which +have yielded ‘pleasant fruit.’ Yes, <i>very</i> pleasant +fruit! It is wonderfully nice to light upon something +that we really never thought of as a possible +gift to our Lord, and just to give it, straight away, +to Him. I do not press the matter, but I do ask my +lady friends to give it fair and candid and prayerful +consideration. Which do you really care most +about—a diamond on your finger, or a star in the +Redeemer’s kingdom, shining for ever and ever? +That is what it comes to, and there I leave it.</p> +<p>On the other hand, it is very possible to be fairly +faithful in much, and yet unfaithful in that which +is least. We may have thought about our gold and +<span class="pb" id="pg_88">[88]</span> +silver, and yet have been altogether thoughtless +about our rubbish! Some have a habit of hoarding +away old garments, ‘pieces,’ remnants, and odds +and ends generally, under the idea that they ‘will +come in useful some day;’ very likely setting it up +as a kind of mild virtue, backed by that noxious +old saying, ‘Keep it by you seven years, and you’ll +find a use for it.’ And so the shabby things get +shabbier, and moth and dust doth corrupt, and +the drawers and places get choked and crowded; +and meanwhile all this that is sheer rubbish to +you might be made useful at once, to a degree +beyond what you would guess, to some poor +person.</p> +<p>It would be a nice variety for the clever fingers +of a lady’s maid to be set to work to do up old +things; or some tidy woman may be found in almost +every locality who knows how to contrive +children’s things out of what seems to you only fit +for the rag-bag, either for her own little ones or +those of her neighbours.</p> +<p>My sister trimmed 70 or 80 hats every spring for +several years with the contents of friends’ rubbish +drawers, thus relieving dozens of poor mothers who +liked their children to ‘go tidy on Sunday,’ and +also keeping down finery in her Sunday school. +Those who literally fulfilled her request for ‘rubbish’ +used to marvel at the results.</p> +<p>Little scraps of carpet, torn old curtains, faded +blinds, and all such gear, go a wonderfully long +way towards making poor cottagers and old or sick +people comfortable. I never saw anything in this +‘rubbish’ line yet that could not be turned to good +<span class="pb" id="pg_89">[89]</span> +account somehow, with a little <i>considering</i> of the +poor and their discomforts.</p> +<p>I wish my lady reader would just leave this book +now, and go straight up-stairs and have a good +rummage at once, and see what can be thus cleared +out. If she does not know the right recipients at +first hand, let her send it off to the nearest working +clergyman’s wife, and see how gratefully it will be +received! For it is a great trial to workers among +the poor not to be able to supply the needs they +see. Such supplies are far more useful than treble +their small money value.</p> +<p>Just a word of earnest pleading for needs, closely +veiled, but very sore, which might be wonderfully +lightened if this wardrobe over-hauling were systematic +and faithful. There are hundreds of poor +clergymen’s families to whom a few old garments +or any household oddments are as great a charity +as to any of the poor under their charge. There +are two Societies for aiding these with such gifts, +under initials which are explained in the Reports; +the P.P.C. Society—Secretary, Miss Breay, Battenhall +Place, Worcester; and the A.F.D. Society—Secretary, +Miss Hinton, 4 York Place, Clifton. I only +ask my lady friends to send for a report to either of +these devoted secretaries; and if their hearts are not +so touched by the cases of brave and bitter need that +they go forthwith to wardrobes and drawers to see +what can be spared and sent, they are colder and +harder than I give Englishwomen credit for.</p> +<p class="tb">There is no bondage in consecration. The two +things are opposites, and cannot co-exist, much less +<span class="pb" id="pg_90">[90]</span> +mingle. We should suspect our consecration, and +come afresh to our great Counsellor about it, directly +we have any sense of bondage. As long as +we have an unacknowledged feeling of fidget about +our account-book, and a smothered wondering what +and how much we ‘<i>ought</i>’ to give, and a hushed-up +wishing the thing had not been put quite so +strongly before us, depend upon it we have not said +unreservedly, ‘Take my silver and my gold.’ And +how can the Lord keep what He has not been sincerely +asked to take?</p> +<p>Ah! if we had stood at the foot of the Cross, and +watched the tremendous payment of our redemption +with the precious blood of Christ,—if we had +seen that awful price told out, drop by drop, from +His own dear patient brow and torn hands and feet, till it was +ALL paid, and the central word of eternity was uttered, +‘<i>It is finished!</i>’ should we not have been ready +to say, ‘<i>Not a mite will I withhold!</i>’</p> +<div id="h0" title="My Jewels"> +<h3 class="blockquote">My Jewels.</h3> +<div class="bq"> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Shall I hold them back—my jewels?</p> +<p class="t">Time has travelled many a day</p> +<p class="t0">Since I laid them by for ever,</p> +<p class="t">Safely locking them away;</p> +<p class="t0">And I thought them yielded wholly.</p> +<p class="t">When I dared no longer wear</p> +<p class="t0">Gems contrasting, oh, so sadly!</p> +<p class="t">With the adorning I would bear.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Shall I keep them still—my jewels?</p> +<p class="t">Shall I, can I yet withhold</p> +<p class="t0">From that living, loving Saviour</p> +<p class="t">Aught of silver or of gold?</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_91">[91]</div> +<p class="t0">Gold so needed, that His gospel</p> +<p class="t">May resound from sea to sea;</p> +<p class="t0">Can I know Christ’s service lacketh,</p> +<p class="t">Yet forget His “unto Me”!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘No; I lay them down—my jewels,</p> +<p class="t">Truly on the altar now.</p> +<p class="t0">Stay! I see a vision passing</p> +<p class="t">Of a gem-encircled brow:</p> +<p class="t0">Heavenly treasure worn by Jesus,</p> +<p class="t">Souls won through my gift outpoured;</p> +<p class="t0">Freely, gladly I will offer</p> +<p class="t">Jewels thus to crown my Lord!’</p> +</div> +</div> +<p class="author">From <i>Woman’s Work.</i></p> +<div class="fnblock"> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_1" href="#fr_1">[1]</a></sup>See +Gen. xiv. 20, xxviii. 22; +Lev. xxvii. 30, 32; +Num. xviii. 21; +Deut. xiv. 22; 2 Chron. xxxi. 5, 6, 12; +Neh. x. 37, xii. 44, xiii. 12; +Mal. iii. 8, 10; Matt. xxiii. 23; +Luke xi. 42; +1 Cor xvi. 2; Heb. vii. 8. +</div> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_2" href="#fr_2">[2]</a></sup><i>Christian Progress</i>, vol. iii. pp. 25, 26. +</div> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c08" title="Our Intellects kept for Jesus."> +<h2>Chapter VIII. +<br /><span class="f">Our Intellects kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my intellect, and use</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Every power as Thou shalt choose.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>There are two distinct sets of temptations +which assail those who have, or think they +have, rather less, and those who have, or think they +have, rather more than an average share of intellect; +while those who have neither less nor more +are generally open in some degree to both. The +refuge and very present help from both is the same. +The intellect, whether great or small, which is committed +to the Lord’s keeping, will be kept and will +be used by Him.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_92">[92]</div> +<p>The former class are tempted to think themselves +excused from effort to cultivate and use their small +intellectual gifts; to suppose they cannot or need +not seek to win souls, because they are not so clever +and apt in speech as So-and-so; to attribute to want +of gift what is really want of grace; to hide the one +talent because it is not five. Let me throw out a +thought or two for these.</p> +<p>Which is greatest, gifts or grace? <i>Gifts</i> are +given ‘to every man according to his several +ability.’ That is, we have just as much given as +God knows we are able to use, and what He knows +we can best use for Him. ‘But unto every one of us +is given <i>grace</i> according to the measure of the gift +of Christ.’ Claiming and using that royal measure +of grace, you may, and can, and will do more for +God than the mightiest intellect in the world without +it. For which, in the clear light of His Word, +is likely to be most effectual, the natural ability +which at its best and fullest, without Christ, ‘can +do <i>nothing</i>’ (observe and believe that word!), or +the grace of our Almighty God and the power of +the Holy Ghost, which is as free to you as it ever +was to any one?</p> +<p>If you are responsible for making use of your +limited gift, are you not equally responsible for +making use of the grace and power which are to be +had for the asking, which are already yours in +Christ, and which are not limited?</p> +<p>Also, do you not see that when there are great +natural gifts, people give the credit to <i>them</i>, instead +of to the grace which alone did the real work, and +thus God is defrauded of the glory? So that, to +<span class="pb" id="pg_93">[93]</span> +say it reverently, God can get more glory out of a +feeble instrument, because then it is more obvious +that the excellency of the power is of God and not +of us. Will you not henceforth say, ‘Most gladly, +therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that +the power of Christ may rest upon me’?</p> +<p>Don’t you really believe that the Holy Spirit is +just as able to draw a soul to Jesus, if He will, by +your whisper of the one word, ‘<i>Come</i>,’ as by an +eloquent sermon an hour long? <i>I</i> do! At the +same time, as it is evidently God’s way to work +through these intellects of ours, we have no more +right to expect Him to use a mind which we are +wilfully neglecting, and taking no pains whatever to +fit for His use, than I should have to expect you to +write a beautiful inscription with my pen, if I would +not take the trouble to wipe it and mend it.</p> +<p>The latter class are tempted to rely on their +natural gifts, and to act and speak in their own +strength; to go on too fast, without really looking +up at every step, and for every word; to spend +their Lord’s time in polishing up their intellects, +nominally for the sake of influence and power, and +so forth, while really, down at the bottom, it is for the +sake of the keen enjoyment of the process; and +perhaps, most of all, to spend the strength of these +intellects ‘for that which doth not profit,’ in yielding +to the specious snare of reading clever books +‘on both sides,’ and eating deliberately of the tree +of the knowledge of good <i>and evil</i>.</p> +<p>The mere mention of these temptations should +be sufficient appeal to conscience. If consecration +is to be a reality anywhere, should it not be in the +<span class="pb" id="pg_94">[94]</span> +very thing which you own as an extra gift from +God, and which is evidently closest, so to speak, to +His direct action, spirit upon spirit? And if the +very strength of your intellect has been your weakness, +will you not entreat Him to keep it henceforth +really and entirely for Himself? It is so good +of Him to have given you something to lay at His +feet; shall not this goodness lead you to lay it <i>all</i> +there, and never hanker after taking it back for +yourself or the world? Do you not feel that in +very proportion to the gift you need the special +keeping of it? He may lead you by a way you +know not in the matter; very likely He will show +you that you must be willing to be a fool for His +sake first, before He will condescend to use you +much for His glory. Will you look up into His +face and say, ‘<i>Not</i> willing’?</p> +<p class="tb">He who made every power can use every power—memory, +judgment, imagination, quickness of apprehension +or insight; specialties of musical, poetical, +oratorical, or artistic faculty; special tastes for +reasoning, philosophy, history, natural science, or +natural history,—all these may be dedicated to Him, +sanctified by Him, and used by Him. Whatever +He has given, He will use, if we will let Him. +Often, in the most unexpected ways, and at the +most unexpected turns, something read or acquired +long ago suddenly comes into use. We cannot foresee +what will thus ‘come in useful’; but He knew, +when He guided us to learn it, what it would be +wanted for in His service. So may we not ask Him +to bring His perfect foreknowledge to bear on all +<span class="pb" id="pg_95">[95]</span> +our mental training and storing? to guide us to +read or study exactly what He knows there will be use +for in the work to which He has called or will call us?</p> +<p>Nothing is more practically perplexing to a young +Christian, whose preparation time is not quite over, +or perhaps painfully limited, than to know what is +most worth studying, what is really the best investment +of the golden hours, while yet the time is not +come for the field of active work to be fully entered, +and the ‘thoroughly furnishing’ of the mind is the +evident path of present duty. Is not His name +called ‘Counsellor’? and will He not be faithful to +the promise of His name in this, as well as in all +else?</p> +<p>The same applies to every subsequent stage. Only +let us be perfectly clear about the principle that +our intellect is not our own, either to cultivate, or +to use, or to enjoy, and that Jesus Christ is our real +and ever-present Counsellor, and then there will be +no more worry about what to read and how much +to read, and whether to keep up one’s accomplishments, +or one’s languages, or one’s ‘<i>ologies’!</i> If +the Master has need of them, He will show us; and +if He has not, what need have we of them? If we +go forward without His leading, we may throw away +some talent, or let it get too rusty for use, which +would have been most valuable when other circumstances +arose or different work was given. We must +not think that ‘keeping’ means not using at all! +What we want is to have all our powers kept for +His <i>use</i>.</p> +<p>In this they will probably find far higher development +than in any other sort of use. I know cases +<span class="pb" id="pg_96">[96]</span> +in which the effect of real consecration on mere +mental development has been obvious and surprising +to all around. Yet it is only a confirmation of what +I believe to be a great principle, viz. that <i>the Lord +makes the most of whatever is unreservedly surrendered +to Him</i>. There will always be plenty of +waste in what we try to cut out for ourselves. But +He wastes no material!</p> +</div> +<div id="c09" title="Our Wills kept for Jesus."> +<h2>Chapter IX. +<br /><span class="f">Our Wills kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine,</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>For it is no longer mine.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>Perhaps there is no point in which expectation +has been so limited by experience as this. +We believe God is able to do for us just so much as +He has already done, and no more. We take it for +granted a line must be drawn somewhere; and so +we choose to draw it where experience ends, and +faith would have to begin. Even if we have trusted +and proved Him as to keeping our members and +our minds, faith fails when we would go deeper and +say, ‘Keep my will!’ And yet the only reason we +have to give is, that though we have asked Him to +take our will, we do not exactly find that it is altogether +His, but that self-will crops up again and +<span class="pb" id="pg_97">[97]</span> +again. And whatever flaw there might be in this +argument, we think the matter is quite settled by +the fact that some whom we rightly esteem, and +who are far better than ourselves, have the same +experience, and do not even seem to think it right +to hope for anything better. That is conclusive! +And the result of this, as of every other faithless +conclusion, is either discouragement and depression, +or, still worse, acquiescence in an unyielded +will, as something that can’t be helped.</p> +<p>Now let us turn from our thoughts to God’s +thoughts. Verily, they are not as ours! He says +He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all +that we ask or think. Apply this here. We ask +Him to take our wills and make them His. Does +He or does He not mean what He says? and if He +does, should we not trust Him to do this thing that +we have asked and longed for, and not less but +more? ‘Is <i>anything</i> too hard for the Lord?’ +‘Hath He said, and shall He not do it?’ and if He +gives us faith to believe that we have the petition +that we desired of Him, and with it the unspeakable +rest of leaning our will wholly upon His love, +what ground have we for imagining that this is +<i>necessarily</i> to be a mere fleeting shadow, which is +hardly to last an hour, but is <i>necessarily</i> to be exhausted +ere the next breath of trial or temptation +comes? Does He mock our longing by acting as I +have seen an older person act to a child, by accepting +some trifling gift of no intrinsic value, just to +please the little one, and then throwing it away as +soon as the child’s attention is diverted? Is not +the taking rather the pledge of the keeping, if we +<span class="pb" id="pg_98">[98]</span> +will but entrust Him fearlessly with it? We give +Him no opportunity, so to speak, of proving His +faithfulness to this great promise, because we <i>will</i> +not fulfil the condition of reception, believing it. +But we readily enough believe instead all that we +hear of the unsatisfactory experience of others! Or, +start from another word. Job said, ‘I know that +Thou canst do everything,’ and we turn round and +say, ‘Oh yes, everything <i>except</i> keeping my will!’ +Dare we add, ‘And I know that Thou canst not do +that’? Yet that is what is said every day, only in +other words; and if not said aloud, it is said in +faithless hearts, and God hears it. What <i>does</i> +‘Almighty’ mean, if it does not mean, as we teach +our little children, ‘able to do <i>everything’?</i></p> +<p>We have asked this great thing many a time, +without, perhaps, realizing how great a petition we +were singing, in the old morning hymn, ‘Guard +my first springs of thought and will!’ That goes +to the root of the matter, only it implies that the +will has been already surrendered to Him, that it +may be wholly kept and guarded.</p> +<p>It may be that we have not sufficiently realized +the sin of the only alternative. Our wills belong +either to self or to God. It may seem a small and +rather excusable sin in man’s sight to be self-willed, +but see in what a category of iniquity God puts it! +(2 Pet. ii. 10). And certainly we are without excuse +when we have such a promise to go upon as, +‘It is God that worketh in you both to <i>will</i> and to +do of His pleasure.’ How splendidly this meets our +very deepest helplessness,—‘worketh in you to +<i>will!</i>’ Oh, let us pray for ourselves and for each +<span class="pb" id="pg_99">[99]</span> +other, that we may know ‘what is the exceeding +greatness of His power to usward who believe.’ It +does not say, ‘to usward who fear and doubt;’ for +if we will not believe, neither shall we be established. +If we will not believe what God says He +can do, we shall see it with our eyes, but we shall +not eat thereof. ‘They <i>could</i> not enter in because +of unbelief.’</p> +<p>It is most comforting to remember that the grand +promise, ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of +Thy power,’ is made by the Father to Christ Himself. +The Lord Jesus holds this promise, and God +will fulfil it to Him. He will make us willing because +He has promised Jesus that He will do so. +And what is being made willing, but having our +will taken and kept?</p> +<p>All true surrender of the will is based upon love +and knowledge of, and confidence in, the one to +whom it is surrendered. We have the human +analogy so often before our eyes, that it is the more +strange we should be so slow to own even the possibility +of it as to God. Is it thought anything so +very extraordinary and high-flown, when a bride +deliberately <i>prefers</i> wearing a colour which was not +her own taste or choice, because her husband likes +to see her in it? Is it very unnatural that it is no +distress to her to do what he asks her to do, or to go +with him where he asks her to come, even without +question or explanation, instead of doing what or +going where she would undoubtedly have preferred +if she did not know and love him? Is it very surprising +if this lasts beyond the wedding day, and if +year after year she still finds it her greatest pleasure +<span class="pb" id="pg_100">[100]</span> +to please him, quite irrespective of what <i>used</i> to be +her own ways and likings? Yet in this case she is +not helped by any promise or power on his part to +make her wish what he wishes. But He who so +wonderfully condescends to call Himself the Bridegroom +of His church, and who claims our fullest +love and trust, has promised and has power to work +in us to will. Shall we not claim His promise and +rely on His mighty power, and say, not self-confidently, +but looking only unto Jesus—</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Keep my will, for it is Thine;</p> +<p class="t0">It shall be no longer mine!’</p> +</div></div> +<p>Only in proportion as our own will is surrendered, +are we able to discern the splendour of +God’s will.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">For oh! it is a splendour,</p> +<p class="t">A glow of majesty,</p> +<p class="t0">A mystery of beauty</p> +<p class="t">If we will only see;</p> +<p class="t0">A very cloud of glory</p> +<p class="t">Enfolding you and me.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">A splendour that is lighted</p> +<p class="t">At one transcendent flame,</p> +<p class="t0">The wondrous Love, the perfect Love,</p> +<p class="t">Our Father’s sweetest name;</p> +<p class="t0">For His Name and very Essence</p> +<p class="t">And His Will are all the same!</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>Conversely, in proportion as we see this splendour +of His will, we shall more readily or more +fully surrender our own. Not until we have presented +our bodies a living sacrifice can we prove +<span class="pb" id="pg_101">[101]</span> +what is that good, and perfect, and acceptable will +of God. But in thus proving it, this continual presentation +will be more and more seen to be our +reasonable service, and becomes more and more a +joyful sacrifice of praise.</p> +<p>The connection in Romans xii. 1, 2, +between our sacrifice which He so graciously calls acceptable +to Himself, and our finding out that His will is acceptable +to ourselves, is very striking. One reason +for this connection may be that only love can +really understand love, and love on both sides is at +the bottom of the whole transaction and its results. +First, He loves us. Then the discovery of this +leads us to love Him. Then, because He loves us, +He claims us, and desires to have us wholly yielded +to His will, so that the operations of love in and +for us may find no hindrance. Then, because we +love Him we recognise His claim and yield ourselves. +Then, being thus yielded, He draws us +nearer to Him,<sup><a id="fr_3" href="#fn_3">[3]</a></sup> +and admits us, so to speak, into +closer intimacy, so that we gain nearer and truer +views of His perfections. Then the unity of these +perfections becomes clearer to us. Now we not +only see His justice and mercy flowing in an undivided +stream from the cross of Christ, but we see +that they never were divided, though the strange +distortions of the dark, false glass of sin made them +appear so, but that both are but emanations of +God’s holy love. Then having known and believed +this holy love, we see further that His will +<span class="pb" id="pg_102">[102]</span> +is not a separate thing, but only love (and therefore +all His attributes) in action; love being the primary +essence of His being, and all the other attributes +manifestations and combinations of that +ineffable essence, for God <i>is</i> Love. Then this will +of God which has seemed in old far-off days a stern +and fateful power, is seen to be only love energized; +love saying, ‘I will.’ And when once we really +grasp this (hardly so much by faith as by love +itself), the will of God cannot be otherwise than +acceptable, for it is no longer a question of trusting +that somehow or other there is a hidden element of +love in it, but of understanding that it <i>is</i> love; no +more to be dissociated from it than the power of the +sun’s rays can be dissociated from their light and +warmth. And love recognised must surely be love +accepted and reciprocated. So, as the fancied +sternness of God’s will is lost in His love, the stubbornness +of our will becomes melted in that love, +and lost in our acceptance of it.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Take Thine own way with me, dear Lord,</p> +<p class="t">Thou canst not otherwise than bless;</p> +<p class="t0">I launch me forth upon a sea</p> +<p class="t">Of boundless love and tenderness.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘I could not choose a larger bliss</p> +<p class="t">Than to be wholly Thine; and mine</p> +<p class="t0">A will whose highest joy is this,</p> +<p class="t">To ceaselessly unclasp in Thine.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘I will not fear Thee, O my God!</p> +<p class="t">The days to come can only bring</p> +<p class="t0">Their perfect sequences of love,</p> +<p class="t">Thy larger, deeper comforting.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_103">[103]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Within the shadow of this love,</p> +<p class="t">Loss doth transmute itself to gain;</p> +<p class="t0">Faith veils earth’s sorrows in its light,</p> +<p class="t">And straightway lives above her pain.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘We are not losers thus; we share</p> +<p class="t">The perfect gladness of the Son,</p> +<p class="t0">Not conquered—for, behold, we reign;</p> +<p class="t">Conquered and Conqueror are one.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Thy wonderful grand will, my God!</p> +<p class="t">Triumphantly I make it mine;</p> +<p class="t0">And faith shall breathe her glad “Amen”</p> +<p class="t">To every dear command of Thine.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Beneath the splendour of Thy choice,</p> +<p class="t">Thy perfect choice for me, I rest;</p> +<p class="t0">Outside it now I dare not live,</p> +<p class="t">Within it I must needs be blest.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Meanwhile my spirit anchors calm</p> +<p class="t">In grander regions still than this;</p> +<p class="t0">The fair, far-shining latitudes</p> +<p class="t">Of that yet unexplorèd bliss.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Then may Thy perfect, glorious will</p> +<p class="t">Be evermore fulfilled in me,</p> +<p class="t0">And make my life an answ’ring chord</p> +<p class="t">Of glad, responsive harmony.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘Oh! it is life indeed to live</p> +<p class="t">Within this kingdom strangely sweet,</p> +<p class="t0">And yet we fear to enter in,</p> +<p class="t">And linger with unwilling feet.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘We fear this wondrous rule of Thine,</p> +<p class="t">Because we have not reached Thy heart;</p> +<p class="t0">Not venturing our all on Thee,</p> +<p class="t">We may not know how good Thou art.’</p> +</div> +</div> +<p class="author"><span class="sc">Jean Sophia Pigott.</span></p> +<div class="fnblock"> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_3" href="#fr_3">[3]</a></sup>‘Now ye <i>have</i> consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come +<i>near</i>’ (2 Chron. xxix. 31). +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c10" title="Our hearts kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_104">[104]</div> +<h2>Chapter X. +<br /><span class="f">Our hearts kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my heart; it is Thine own;</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>It is now Thy royal throne.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>‘It is a good thing that the heart be established +with grace,’ and yet some of us go on as if +it were not a good thing even to hope for it to +be so.</p> +<p>We should be ashamed to say that we had behaved +treacherously to a friend; that we had played +him false again and again; that we had said scores +of times what we did not really mean; that we had +professed and promised what, all the while, we had +no sort of purpose of performing. We should be +ready to go off by next ship to New Zealand rather +than calmly own to all this, or rather than ever +face our friends again after we had owned it. And +yet we are not ashamed (some of us) to say that we +are always dealing treacherously with our Lord; +nay, more, we own it with an inexplicable complacency, +as if there were a kind of virtue in saying +how fickle and faithless and desperately wicked +our hearts are; and we actually plume ourselves on +the easy confession, which we think proves our +<span class="pb" id="pg_105">[105]</span> +humility, and which does not lower us in the eyes +of others, nor in our own eyes, half so much as if +we had to say, ‘I have told a story,’ or, ‘I have +broken my promise.’ Nay, more, we have not the +slightest hope, and therefore not the smallest intention +of aiming at an utterly different state of +things. Well for us if we do not go a step farther, +and call those by hard and false names who do +seek to have an established heart, and who believe +that as the Lord meant what He said when He +promised, ‘<i>No</i> good thing will He withhold from +them that walk uprightly,’ so He will not withhold +<i>this</i> good thing.</p> +<p>Prayer must be based upon promise, but, thank +God, His promises are always broader than our +prayers. No fear of building inverted pyramids +here, for Jesus Christ is the foundation, and this +and all the other ‘promises of God in Him are +yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God by us.’ +So it shall be unto His glory to fulfil this one to us, +and to answer our prayer for a ‘kept’ or +‘established’ heart. And its fulfilment +shall work out His glory, not in spite of us, but +‘<i>by</i> us.’</p> +<p>We find both the means and the result of the +keeping in the 112th Psalm: +‘His heart is fixed.’ +Whose heart? An angel? A saint in glory? +No! Simply the heart of the man that feareth the +Lord, and delighteth greatly in His commandments. +Therefore yours and mine, as God would +have them be; just the normal idea of a God-fearing +heart, nothing extremely and hopelessly beyond +attainment.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_106">[106]</div> +<p>‘Fixed.’ How does that tally with the deceitfulness +and waywardness and fickleness about which +we really talk as if we were rather proud of them +than utterly ashamed of them?</p> +<p>Does our heavenly Bridegroom expect nothing +more of us? Does His mighty, all-constraining +love intend to do no more for us than to leave us +in this deplorable state, when He is undoubtedly +able to heal the desperately wicked heart (compare +verses 9 and 14 of Jeremiah xvii.), +to rule the wayward one with His peace, and to establish the fickle +one with His grace? Are we not ‘without excuse’?</p> +<p>‘Fixed, trusting in the Lord.’ Here is the +means of the fixing—trust. He works the trust in +us by sending the Holy Spirit to reveal God in +Christ to us as absolutely, infinitely worthy of our +trust. When we ‘see Jesus’ by Spirit-wrought +faith, we cannot but trust Him; we distrust our +hearts more truly than ever before, but we trust our +Lord entirely, because we trust Him <i>only</i>. For, +entrusting our trust to Him, we know that He is +able to keep that which we commit (<i>i. e.</i> entrust) +to Him. It is His own way of winning and fixing +our hearts for Himself. Is it not a beautiful one? +Thus ‘his heart is established.’ But we have not +quite faith enough to believe that. So what is the +very first doubting, and therefore sad thought that +crops up? ‘Yes, but I am <i>afraid</i> it will not remain +fixed.’</p> +<p>That is <i>your</i> thought. Now see what is God’s +thought about the case. ‘His heart is established, +he shall not be afraid.’</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_107">[107]</div> +<p>Is not that enough? What <i>is</i>, if such plain and +yet divine words are not? Well, the Gracious +One bears with us, and gives line upon line to His +poor little children. And so He says, ‘The peace +of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep +your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.’ And +again, ‘Thy thoughts shall be established.’ And +again, ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose +mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in +Thee.’</p> +<p>And to prove to us that these promises can be +realized in present experience, He sends down to +us through nearly 3000 years the words of the man +who prayed, ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God,’ +and lets us hear twice over the new song put by the +same Holy Spirit into his mouth: ‘My heart is +fixed, O God, my heart is fixed’ +(Ps. lvii. 7, cviii. 1).</p> +<p>The heart that is established in Christ is also established +for Christ. It becomes His royal throne, +no longer occupied by His foe, no longer tottering +and unstable. And then we see the beauty and +preciousness of the promise, ‘He shall be a Priest +upon His throne.’ Not only reigning, but atoning. +Not only ruling, but cleansing. Thus the throne is established +‘in mercy,’ but ‘by righteousness.’</p> +<p>I think we lose ground sometimes by parleying +with the tempter. We have no business to parley +with an usurper. The throne is no longer his +when we have surrendered it to our Lord Jesus. +And why should we allow him to argue with us for +one instant, as if it were still an open question? +<span class="pb" id="pg_108">[108]</span> +Don’t listen; simply tell him that Jesus Christ <i>is</i> +on the long-disputed throne, and no more about it, +but turn at once to your King and claim the glorious +protection of His sovereignty over you. It is +a splendid reality, and you will find it so. He will +not abdicate and leave you kingless and defenceless. +For verily, ‘The Lord <i>is</i> our King; He will +save us’ (Isa. xxxiii. 22).</p> +<table summary="Descriptions of human hearts, as they naturally are, and as God can make them."> +<tr><td colspan="2"> <i>Our hearts are naturally</i>— </td><td colspan="2"><i>God can make them</i>—</td></tr> +<tr><td> Evil, </td><td>Heb. iii. 12. </td><td>Clean, </td><td>Ps. li. 10.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Desperately wicked, </td><td>Jer. xvii. 9. </td><td>Good, </td><td>Luke viii. 15.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Weak, </td><td>Ezek. xvi. 30. </td><td>Fixed, </td><td>Ps. cxii. 7.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Deceitful, </td><td>Jer. xvii. 9. </td><td>Faithful, </td><td>Neh. ix. 8.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Deceived, </td><td>Isa. xliv. 20. </td><td>Understanding, </td><td>1 Kings iii. 9.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Double, </td><td>Ps. xii. 2. </td><td>Honest, </td><td>Luke viii. 15.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Impenitent, </td><td>Rom. ii. 5. </td><td>Contrite, </td><td>Ps. li. 17.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Rebellious, </td><td>Jer. v. 23. </td><td>True, </td><td>Heb. x. 22.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Hard, </td><td>Ezek. iii. 7. </td><td>Soft, </td><td>Job xxiii. 16.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Stony, </td><td>Ezek. xi. 19. </td><td>New, </td><td>Ezek. xviii. 31.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Froward, </td><td>Prov. xvii. 20. </td><td>Sound, </td><td>Ps. cxix. 80.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Despiteful, </td><td>Ezek. xxv. 15. </td><td>Glad, </td><td>Ps. xvi. 9.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Stout, </td><td>Isa. x. 12. </td><td>Established, </td><td>Ps. cxii. 8.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Haughty, </td><td>Prov. xviii. 12. </td><td>Tender, </td><td>Ephes. iv. 32.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Proud, </td><td>Prov. xxi. 4. </td><td>Pure, </td><td>Matt. v. 8.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Perverse, </td><td>Prov. xii. 8. </td><td>Perfect, </td><td>1 Chron. xxix. 9.</td></tr> +<tr><td> Foolish, </td><td>Rom. i. 21. </td><td>Wise, </td><td>Prov. xi. 29.</td></tr> +</table> +</div> +<div id="c11" title="Our love kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_109">[109]</div> +<h2>Chapter XI. +<br /><span class="f">Our love kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my love; my Lord, I pour</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>At Thy feet its treasure-store.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>Not as a mere echo from the morning-gilded +shore of Tiberias, but as an ever new, ever +sounding note of divinest power, come the familiar +words to each of us, ‘Lovest thou Me?’ He +says it who has loved us with an everlasting love. +He says it who has died for us. He says it who +has washed us from our sins in His own blood. He +says it who has waited for our love, waited patiently +all through our coldness.</p> +<p>And if by His grace we have said, ‘Take my +love,’ which of us has not felt that part of His very +answer has been to make us see how little there was +to take, and how little of that little has been kept +for Him? And yet we <i>do</i> love Him! He knows +that! The very mourning and longing to love +Him more proves it. But we want more than that, +and so does our Lord.</p> +<p>He has created us to love. We have a sealed +treasure of love, which either remains sealed, and +then gradually dries up and wastes away, or is unsealed +<span class="pb" id="pg_110">[110]</span> +and poured out, and yet is the fuller and not +the emptier for the outpouring. The more love we +give, the more we have to give. So far it is only +natural. But when the Holy Spirit reveals the love +of Christ, and sheds abroad the love of God in our +hearts, this natural love is penetrated with a new +principle as it discovers a new Object. Everything +that it beholds in that Object gives it new depth +and new colours. As it sees the holiness, the +beauty, and the glory, it takes the deep hues of +conscious sinfulness, unworthiness, and nothingness. +As it sees even a glimpse of the love that +passeth knowledge, it takes the glow of wonder and +gratitude. And when it sees that love drawing +close to its deepest need with blood-purchased pardon, +it is intensified and stirred, and there is no +more time for weighing and measuring; we must +pour it out, all there is of it, with our tears, at the +feet that were pierced for love of us.</p> +<p>And what then? Has the flow grown gradually +slower and shallower? Has our Lord reason to +say, ‘My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, +and as a stream of brooks they pass away’? It is +humiliating to have found that we could not keep +on loving Him, as we loved in that remembered +hour when ‘Thy time was the time of love.’ We +have proved that we were not able. Let this be +only the stepping-stone to proving that He is able!</p> +<p>There will have been a cause, as we shall see if +we seek it honestly. It was not that we really +poured out all our treasure, and so it naturally +came to an end. We let it be secretly diverted into +other channels. We began keeping back a little +<span class="pb" id="pg_111">[111]</span> +part of the price for something else. We looked +away from, instead of looking away unto Jesus. +We did not entrust Him with our love, and ask +Him to keep it for Himself.</p> +<p>And what has He to say to us? Ah, He upbraideth +not. Listen! ‘Thus saith the Lord, I +remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love +of thine espousals.’ Can any words be more tender, +more touching, to you, to me? Forgetting +all the sin, all the backsliding, all the coldness, +casting all that into the unreturning depths of the +sea, He says He remembers that hour when we first +said, ‘Take my love.’ He remembers it now, at +this minute. He has written it for ever on His infinite +memory, where the past is as the present.</p> +<p>His own love is unchangeable, so it could never +be His wish or will that we should thus drift away +from Him. Oh, ‘Come and let us return unto the +Lord!’ But is there any hope that, thus returning, +our flickering love may be kept from again failing? +Hear what He says: ‘And I will betroth thee unto +Me for ever’ And again: ‘Thou <i>shalt</i> abide <i>for +Me</i> many days; so will I also be for thee.’ Shall +we trust His word or not? Is it worthy of our acceptation +or not? Oh, rest on this word of the +King, and let Him from this day have the keeping +of your love, and He will keep it!</p> +<p class="tb">The love of Christ is not an absorbing, but a radiating +love. The more we love Him, the more +we shall most certainly love others. Some have not +much natural power of loving, but the love of Christ +will strengthen it. Some have had the springs of +<span class="pb" id="pg_112">[112]</span> +love dried up by some terrible earthquake. They +will find ‘fresh springs’ in Jesus, and the gentle +flow will be purer and deeper than the old torrent +could ever be. Some have been satisfied that it +should rush in a narrow channel, but He will cause +it to overflow into many another, and widen its +course of blessing. Some have spent it all on their +God-given dear ones. Now He is come whose +right it is; and yet in the fullest resumption of +that right, He is so gracious that He puts back an +even larger measure of the old love into our hand, +sanctified with His own love, and energized with +His blessing, and strengthened with His new commandment, +‘That ye love one another, as I have +loved you.’</p> +<p>In that always very interesting part, called a +‘Corner for Difficulties,’ of that always very +interesting magazine, <i>Woman’s Work</i>, the question +has been discussed, ‘When does love become idolatry? +Is it the experience of Christians that the coming +in of a new object of affection interferes with entire +consecration to God?’ I should like to quote the +many excellent answers in full, but must only refer +my readers to the number for March 1879. One +replies: ‘It seems to me that He who is love +would not give us an object for our love unless He +saw that our hearts needed expansion; and if the +love is consecrated, and the friendship takes its +stand in Christ, there is no need for the fear that it +will become idolatry. Let the love on both sides +<i>be given to God to keep</i>, and however much it may +grow, the source from which it springs must yet be +greater.’ Perhaps I may be pardoned for giving, +<span class="pb" id="pg_113">[113]</span> +at the same writer’s suggestion, a quotation from +<i>Under the Surface</i> on this subject. Eleanor says to +Beatrice:—</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t5">‘I tremble when I think</p> +<p class="t0">How much I love him; but I turn away</p> +<p class="t0">From thinking of it, just to love him more;—</p> +<p class="t0">Indeed, I fear, too much.’</p> +<p class="t11">‘Dear Eleanor,</p> +<p class="t0">Do you love him as much as Christ loves us?</p> +<p class="t0">Let your lips answer me.’</p> +<p class="t11">‘Why ask me, dear?</p> +<p class="t0">Our hearts are finite, Christ is infinite.’</p> +<p class="t">‘Then, till you reach the standard of that love,</p> +<p class="t0">Let neither fears nor well-meant warning voice</p> +<p class="t0">Distress you with “too much.” For He hath said</p> +<p class="t0"><i>How</i> much—and who shall dare to change His measure?</p> +<p class="t0">“<i>That ye should love <span class="sc">as</span> I have loved you.</i>”</p> +<p class="t0">O sweet command, that goes so far beyond</p> +<p class="t0">The mightiest impulse of the tenderest heart!</p> +<p class="t0">A bare permission had been much; but He</p> +<p class="t0">Who knows our yearnings and our fearfulness,</p> +<p class="t0">Chose graciously to <i>bid</i> us do the thing</p> +<p class="t0">That makes our earthly happiness,</p> +<p class="t0">A limit that we need not fear to pass,</p> +<p class="t0">Because we cannot. Oh, the breadth and length,</p> +<p class="t0">And depth and height of love that passeth knowledge!</p> +<p class="t0">Yet Jesus said, “As I have loved you.”’</p> +<p class="t">‘O Beatrice, I long to feel the sunshine</p> +<p class="t0">That this should bring; but there are other words</p> +<p class="t0">Which fall in chill eclipse. ‘Tis written, “Keep</p> +<p class="t0">Yourselves from idols.” How shall I obey?’</p> +<p class="t">‘Oh, not by loving less, but loving more.</p> +<p class="t0">It is not that we love our precious ones</p> +<p class="t0">Too much, but God too little. As the lamp</p> +<p class="t0">A miner bears upon his shadowed brow</p> +<p class="t0">Is only dazzling in the grimy dark,</p> +<p class="t0">And has no glare against the summer sky,</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_114">[114]</div> +<p class="t0">So, set the tiny torch of our best love</p> +<p class="t0">In the great sunshine of the love of God,</p> +<p class="t0">And, though full fed and fanned, it casts no shade</p> +<p class="t0">And dazzles not, o’erflowed with mightier light.’</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>There is no love so deep and wide as that which +is kept for Jesus. It flows both fuller and farther +when it flows only through Him. Then, too, it +will be a power for Him. It will always be unconsciously +working for Him. In drawing others to +ourselves by it, we shall be necessarily drawing them +nearer to the fountain of our love, never drawing +them away from it. It is the great magnet of His love +which alone can draw any heart to Him; but when +our own are thoroughly yielded to its mighty influence, +they will be so magnetized that He will +condescend to use them in this way.</p> +<p>Is it not wonderful to think that the Lord Jesus +will not only accept and keep, but actually <i>use</i> +our love?</p> +<p>‘Of Thine own have we given Thee,’ for ‘we love +Him because He first loved us.’</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t5">Set apart to love Him,</p> +<p class="t6">And His love to know;</p> +<p class="t5">Not to waste affection</p> +<p class="t6">On a passing show;</p> +<p class="t2">Called to give Him life and heart,</p> +<p class="t3">Called to pour the hidden treasure,</p> +<p class="t3">That none other claims to measure,</p> +<p class="t0">Into His belovèd hand! thrice blessèd ‘set apart’!</p> +</div></div> +</div> +<div id="c12" title="Our Selves kept for Jesus."> +<div class="pb" id="pg_115">[115]</div> +<h2>Chapter XII. +<br /><span class="f">Our Selves kept for Jesus.</span></h2> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>‘Keep my self, that I may be</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Ever, only, all for Thee.’</i></p> +</div></div> +<p>‘For Thee!’ That is the beginning and the +end of the whole matter of consecration.</p> +<p>There was a prelude to its ‘endless song,’—a +prelude whose theme is woven into every following +harmony in the new anthem of consecrated life: +‘The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself <i>for +me</i>.’ Out of the realized ‘for me,’ grows the +practical ‘for Thee!’ If the former is a living root, +the latter will be its living fruit.</p> +<p>‘For <i>Thee!</i>’ This makes the difference between +forced or formal, and therefore unreasonable service, +and the ‘reasonable service’ which is the beginning +of the perfect service where they see His +face. This makes the difference between slave work +and free work. For Thee, my Redeemer; for Thee +who hast spoken to my heart; for Thee, who hast +done for me—<i>what?</i> Let us each pause, and fill +up that blank with the great things the Lord hath +done for us. For Thee, who art to me—<i>what?</i> +<span class="pb" id="pg_116">[116]</span> +Fill that up too, before Him! For Thee, my +Saviour Jesus, my Lord and my God!</p> +<p>And what is to be for Him? My self. We talk +sometimes as if, whatever else could be subdued +unto Him, self could never be. Did St. Paul forget +to mention this important exception to the ‘all +things’ in Phil. iii. 21? David said: +‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, <i>and all that is within me</i>, +bless His Holy Name.’ Did he, too, unaccountably forget +to mention that he only meant all that was +within him, <i>except</i> self? If not, then self must be +among the ‘all things’ which the Lord Jesus Christ +is able to subdue unto Himself, and which are to +‘bless His Holy Name.’ It is Self which, once His +most treacherous foe, is now, by full and glad surrender, +His own soldier—coming over from the +rebel camp into the royal army. It is not some +one else, some temporarily possessing spirit, which +says within us, ‘Lord, Thou knowest that I love +Thee,’ but our true and very self, only changed +and renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost. +And when we do that we would not, we know that +‘it is no more <i>I</i> that do it, but sin that dwelleth +in me.’ Our true self is the new self, taken and +won by the love of God, and kept by the power +of God.</p> +<p>Yes, ‘<i>kept!</i>’ There is the promise on which we +ground our prayer; or, rather, one of the promises. +For, search and look for your own strengthening +and comfort, and you will find it repeated in every +part of the Bible, from ‘I am with thee, and will +keep thee,’ in Genesis, to ‘I also will keep thee +from the hour of temptation,’ in Revelation.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_117">[117]</div> +<p>And kept <i>for Him!</i> Why should it be thought a +thing incredible with you, when it is only the fulfilling +of His own eternal purpose in creating us? +‘This people have I formed <i>for Myself.</i>’ Not ultimately +only, but presently and continually; for He +says, ‘Thou shalt abide <i>for Me;</i>’ and, ‘He that +remaineth, even he shall be <i>for our God</i>.’ Are you +one of His people by faith in Jesus Christ? Then +see what you are to Him. You, personally and individually, +are part of the Lord’s portion (Deut. xxxii. 9) +and of His inheritance (1 Kings viii. 53, +and Eph. i. 18). His portion and inheritance +would not be complete without you; you are His +peculiar treasure (Ex. xix. 5); ‘a <i>special</i> people’ +(how warm, and loving, and natural that expression +is!) ‘<i>unto Himself</i>’ (Deut. vii. 6). Would you +call it ‘keeping,’ if you had a ‘special’ treasure, a +darling little child, for instance, and let it run wild +into all sorts of dangers all day long, sometimes at +your side, and sometimes out in the street, with +only the intention of fetching it safe home at night? +If ye then, being evil, would know better, and do +better, than that, how much more shall our Lord’s +keeping be true, and tender, and continual, and +effectual, when He declares us to be His peculiar +treasure, purchased (See 1 Pet. ii. 9, margin) for +Himself at such unknown cost!</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">He will keep what thus He sought,</p> +<p class="t0">Safely guard the dearly bought;</p> +<p class="t0">Cherish that which He did choose,</p> +<p class="t0">Always love and never lose.</p> +</div></div> +<p>I know what some of us are thinking. ‘Yes; I +<span class="pb" id="pg_118">[118]</span> +see it all plainly enough in theory, but in practice I +find I am not kept. Self goes over to the other +camp again and again. If is not all for Jesus, though I have +asked and wished for it to be so.’ Dear friends, the +‘all’ must be sealed with ‘only.’ +Are you willing to be ‘<i>only</i>’ for Jesus? You have +not given ‘all’ to Jesus while you are not quite +ready to be ‘<i>only</i>’ for Him. And it is no use to +talk about ‘ever’ while we have not settled the +‘only’ and the ‘all.’ You cannot be ‘for +Him,’ in the full and blessed sense, while you are partly +‘for’ anything or any one else. For ‘the Lord hath +<i>set apart</i> him that is godly for Himself.’ You see, the +‘for Himself’ hinges upon the ‘set apart.’ +There is no consecration without separation. If you are +mourning over want of realized consecration, will +you look humbly and sincerely into <i>this</i> point? +‘A garden <i>enclosed</i> is my sister, my spouse,’ saith +the Heavenly Bridegroom.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t5">Set apart for Jesus!</p> +<p class="t6">Is not this enough,</p> +<p class="t5">Though the desert prospect</p> +<p class="t6">Open wild and rough?</p> +<p class="t2">Set apart for His delight,</p> +<p class="t3">Chosen for His holy pleasure,</p> +<p class="t3">Sealed to be His special treasure!</p> +<p class="t0">Could we choose a nobler joy?—and would we, if we might?<sup><a id="fr_4" href="#fn_4">[4]</a></sup></p> +</div></div> +<p>But yielding, by His grace, to this blessed setting +apart for Himself, ‘The Lord shall <i>establish</i> thee an +holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto +thee.’ Can there be a stronger promise? Just +<span class="pb" id="pg_119">[119]</span> +obey and trust His word <i>now</i>, and yield yourselves +<i>now</i> unto God, ‘that He may establish thee <i>to-day</i> +for a people unto Himself.’ Commit the keeping +of your souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful +Creator, being persuaded that He is <span class="sc">able to +keep</span> that which you commit to Him.</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Now, Lord, I give myself to Thee,</p> +<p class="t">I would be wholly Thine,</p> +<p class="t0">As Thou hast given Thyself to me,</p> +<p class="t">And Thou art wholly mine;</p> +<p class="t0">O take me, seal me for Thine own,</p> +<p class="t0">Thine altogether, Thine alone.</p> +</div></div> +<p>Here comes in once more that immeasurably important +subject of our influence. For it is not what +we say or do, so much as what we <i>are</i>, that influences +others. We have heard this, and very likely +repeated it again and again, but have we seen it to +be inevitably linked with the great question of this +chapter? I do not know anything which, thoughtfully +considered, makes us realize more vividly the +need and the importance of our whole selves being +kept for Jesus. Any part not wholly committed, +and not wholly kept, must hinder and neutralize +the real influence for Him of all the rest. If we +ourselves are kept all for Jesus, then our influence +will be all kept for Him too. If not, then, however +much we may wish and talk and try, we cannot +throw our full weight into the right scale. And +just in so far as it is not in the one scale, it must be +in the other; weighing against the little which we +have tried to put in the right one, and making the +short weight still shorter.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_120">[120]</div> +<p>So large a proportion of it is entirely involuntary, +while yet the responsibility of it is so enormous, +that our helplessness comes out in exceptionally +strong relief, while our past debt in this matter +is simply incalculable. Are we feeling this a little? +getting just a glimpse, down the misty defiles of +memory, of the neutral influence, the wasted influence, +the mistaken influence, the actually wrong +influence which has marked the ineffaceable although +untraceable course? And all the while we +owed Him all that influence! It <i>ought</i> to have +been all for Him! We have nothing to say. But +what has our Lord to say? ‘I forgave thee all <i>that</i> +debt!’</p> +<p>Then, after that forgiveness which must come +first, there comes a thought of great comfort in our +freshly felt helplessness, rising out of the very thing +that makes us realize this helplessness. Just <i>because</i> +our influence is to such a great extent involuntary +and unconscious, we may rest assured that if we +ourselves are truly kept for Jesus, this will be, as a +quite natural result, kept for Him also. It cannot +be otherwise, for as is the fountain, so will be the +flow; as the spring, so the action; as the impulse, +so the communicated motion. Thus there may +be, and in simple trust there will be, a quiet rest +about it, a relief from all sense of strain and effort, +a fulfilling of the words, ‘For he that is entered +into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own +works, as God did from His.’ It will not be a +matter of <i>trying</i> to have good influence, but just of +<i>having</i> it, as naturally and constantly as the magnetized +bar.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_121">[121]</div> +<p>Another encouraging thought should follow. Of +ourselves we may have but little weight, no particular +talents or position or anything else to put into +the scale; but let us remember that again and again +God has shown that the influence of a very average +life, when once really consecrated to Him, may outweigh +that of almost any number of merely professing +Christians. Such lives are like Gideon’s three +hundred, carrying not even the ordinary weapons +of war, but only trumpets and lamps and empty +pitchers, by whom the Lord wrought great deliverance, +while He did not use the others at all. For +He hath chosen the weak things of the world to +confound the things which are mighty.</p> +<p>Should not all this be additional motive for desiring +that our <i>whole</i> selves should be taken and kept?</p> +<p class="tb">I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be +for ever. Therefore we may rejoicingly say ‘ever’ +as well as ‘only’ and ‘all for Thee!’ +For the Lord is our Keeper, and He is the Almighty and the +Everlasting God, with whom is no variableness, +neither shadow of turning. He will never change +His mind about keeping us, and no man is able to +pluck us out of His hand. Neither will Christ let +us pluck ourselves out of His hand, for He says, +‘Thou <i>shalt</i> abide for Me many days.’ And He +that keepeth us will not slumber. Once having +undertaken His vineyard, He will keep it night and +day, till all the days and nights are over, and we +know the full meaning of the salvation ready to be +revealed in the last time, unto which we are kept +by His power.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_122">[122]</div> +<p>And then, for ever for Him! passing from the +gracious keeping by faith for this little while, to +the glorious keeping in His presence for all eternity! +For ever fulfilling the object for which He +formed us and chose us, we showing forth His +praise, and He showing the exceeding riches of +His grace in His kindness towards us in the ages +to come! <i>He for us, and we for Him for ever!</i> +Oh, how little we can grasp this! Yet this is the +fruition of being ‘kept for Jesus!’</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t5">Set apart for ever</p> +<p class="t6">For Himself alone!</p> +<p class="t5">Now we see our calling</p> +<p class="t6">Gloriously shown.</p> +<p class="t2">Owning, with no secret dread,</p> +<p class="t3">This our holy separation,</p> +<p class="t3">Now the crown of consecration<sup><a id="fr_5" href="#fn_5">[5]</a></sup></p> +<p class="t0">Of the Lord our God shall rest upon our willing head.</p> +</div></div> +<div class="fnblock"> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_4" href="#fr_4">[4]</a></sup><i>Loyal Responses</i>, p. 11. +</div> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_5" href="#fr_5">[5]</a></sup>Num. vi. 7. +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c13" title="Christ for Us."> +<h2>Chapter XIII. +<br /><span class="f">Christ for Us.</span></h2> +<p class="bq"><i>‘So will I also be for Thee.</i>’—<span class="sc">Hos.</span> iii. 3.</p> +<p>The typical promise, ‘Thou shalt abide for Me +many days,’ is indeed a marvel of love. For +it is given to the most undeserving, described under +the strongest possible figure of utter worthlessness +<span class="pb" id="pg_123">[123]</span> +and treacherousness,—the woman beloved, yet an +adulteress.</p> +<p>The depth of the abyss shows the length of +the line that has fathomed it, yet only the length of +the line reveals the real depth of the abyss. The +sin shows the love, and the love reveals the sin. +The Bible has few words more touching, though seldom +quoted, than those just preceding this wonderful +promise: ‘The love of the Lord toward the children +of Israel, who look to other gods, and love +flagons of wine.’ Put that into the personal application +which no doubt underlies it, and say, ‘The +love of the Lord toward <i>me</i>, who have looked away +from Him, with wandering, faithless eyes, to other +helps and hopes, and have loved earthly joys and +sought earthly gratifications,—the love of the Lord +toward even me!’ And then hear Him saying in +the next verse, ‘So I bought her to Me;’ stooping +to do <i>that</i> in His unspeakable condescension of +love, not with the typical silver and barley, but +with the precious blood of Christ. Then, having +thus loved us, and rescued us, and bought us with +a price indeed, He says, still under the same figure, +‘Thou shalt abide for Me many days.’</p> +<p>This is both a command and a pledge. But the +very pledge implies our past unfaithfulness, and +the proved need of even our own part being undertaken +by the ever patient Lord. He Himself +has to guarantee our faithfulness, because there +is no other hope of our continuing faithful. Well +may such love win our full and glad surrender, +and such a promise win our happy and confident +trust!</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_124">[124]</div> +<p>But He says more. He says, ‘So will I also be +for thee!’ And this seems an even greater marvel +of love, as we observe how He meets every detail +of our consecration with this wonderful word.<sup><a id="fr_6" href="#fn_6">[6]</a></sup></p> +<p class="tb">1. <i>His Life</i> ‘for thee!’ ‘The Good Shepherd +giveth His life for the sheep.’ Oh, wonderful gift! +not promised, but <i>given</i>; not to friends, but to enemies. +Given without condition, without reserve, +without return. Himself unknown and unloved, +His gift unsought and unasked, He gave His life +for thee; a more than royal bounty—the greatest +gift that Deity could devise. Oh, grandeur of love! +‘I lay down My life for the sheep!’ And we for +whom He gave it have held back, and hesitated to +give our lives, not even <i>for</i> Him (He has not asked +us to do that), but <i>to</i> Him! But that is past, and +He has tenderly pardoned the unloving, ungrateful +reserve, and has graciously accepted the poor little +fleeting breath and speck of dust which was all we +had to offer. And now His precious death and His +glorious life are all ‘for thee.’</p> +<p class="tb">2. <i>His Eternity</i> ‘for thee.’ All we can ask Him +to take are days and moments—the little span given +us as it is given, and of this only the present in deed +and the future in will. As for the past, in so far as +we did not give it to Him, it is too late; we can +never give it now! But His past was given to us, +<span class="pb" id="pg_125">[125]</span> +though ours was not given to Him. Oh, what a +tremendous debt does this show us!</p> +<p>Away back in the dim depths of past eternity, +‘or ever the earth and the world were made,’ His +divine existence in the bosom of His Father was +all ‘for thee,’ purposing and planning ‘for thee,’ +receiving and holding the promise of eternal life +‘for thee.’</p> +<p>Then the thirty-three years among sinners on this +sinful earth: do we think enough of the slowly-wearing +days and nights, the heavy-footed hours, +the never-hastening minutes, that went to make up +those thirty-three years of trial and humiliation? +We all know how slowly time passes when suffering +and sorrow are near, and there is no reason to suppose +that our Master was exempted from this part +of our infirmities.</p> +<p>Then His present is ‘for thee.’ Even now He +‘liveth to make intercession;’ even now He +‘thinketh upon me;’ even now He ‘knoweth,’ He +‘careth,’ He ‘loveth.’</p> +<p>Then, only to think that His whole eternity will +be ‘for thee!’ Millions of ages of unfoldings of all +His love, and of ever new declarings of His Father’s +name to His brethren. Think of it! and can we +ever hesitate to give <i>all</i> our poor little hours to His +service?</p> +<p class="tb">3. <i>His Hands</i> ‘for thee.’ Literal hands; literally +pierced, when the whole weight of His quivering +frame hung from their torn muscles and bared +nerves; literally uplifted in parting blessing. Consecrated, +priestly hands; ‘filled’ hands +(Ex. xxviii. 41, xxix. 9, +<span class="pb" id="pg_126">[126]</span> +etc., margin)—filled once with His +great offering, and now with gifts and blessings ‘for +thee.’ Tender hands, touching and healing, lifting +and leading with gentlest care. Strong hands, upholding +and defending. Open hands, filling with +good and satisfying desire +(Ps. civ. 28, and cxlv. 16). +Faithful hands, restraining and sustaining. ‘His +left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth +embrace me.’</p> +<p class="tb">4. <i>His Feet</i> ‘for thee.’ They were weary very +often, they were wounded and bleeding once. They +made clear footprints as He went about doing good, +and as He went up to Jerusalem to suffer; and +these ‘blessed steps of His most holy life,’ both as +substitution and example, were ‘for thee.’ Our +place of waiting and learning, of resting and loving, +is at His feet. And still those ‘blessed feet’ are +and shall be ‘for thee,’ until He comes again to +receive us unto Himself, until and when the word +is fulfilled, ‘They shall walk with Me in white.’</p> +<p class="tb">5. <i>His Voice</i> ‘for thee.’ The ‘Voice of my beloved +that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, +my love;’ the Voice that His sheep ‘hear’ and +‘know,’ and that calls out the fervent response, +‘Master, say on!’ This is not all. It was the literal +voice of the Lord Jesus which uttered that one +echoless cry of desolation on the Cross ‘for thee,’ +and it will be His own literal voice which will say, +‘Come, ye blessed!’ to thee. And that same tender +and ‘glorious Voice’ has literally sung and will +sing ‘for thee.’ I think He consecrated song for +<span class="pb" id="pg_127">[127]</span> +us, and made it a sweet and sacred thing for ever, +when He Himself ‘sang an hymn,’ the very last +thing before He went forth to consecrate suffering +for us. That was not His last song. ‘The Lord +thy God ... will joy over thee with singing.’ +And the time is coming when He will not only sing ‘for +thee’ or ‘over thee,’ but with thee. He says +He will! ‘In the midst of the church will I sing +praise unto Thee.’ Now what a magnificent glimpse +of joy this is! ‘Jesus Himself leading the praises of His +brethren,’<sup><a id="fr_7" href="#fn_7">[7]</a></sup> and +we ourselves singing not +merely in such a chorus, but with such a leader! +If ‘singing for Jesus’ is such delight here, what +will this ‘singing <i>with</i> Jesus’ be? Surely song may +well be a holy thing to us henceforth.</p> +<p class="tb">6. <i>His Lips</i> ‘for thee.’ Perhaps there is no part +of our consecration which it is so difficult practically +to realize, and in which it is, therefore, so needful +to recollect?—‘I also for thee.’ It is often helpful +to read straight through one or more of the Gospels +with a special thought on our mind, and see how +much bears upon it. When we read one through +with this thought—‘His <i>lips</i> for me!’—wondering, +verse by verse, at the grace which was poured into +them, and the gracious words which fell from them, +wondering more and more at the cumulative force +and infinite wealth of tenderness and power and +wisdom and love flowing from them, we cannot but +desire that our lips and all the fruit of them should +<span class="pb" id="pg_128">[128]</span> +be wholly for Him. ‘For thee’ they were opened +in blessing; ‘for thee’ they were closed when He +was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And whether +teaching, warning, counsel, comfort, or encouragement, +commandments in whose keeping there is +a great reward, or promises which exceed all we ask +or think—all the precious fruit of His lips is ‘for +thee,’ really and truly <i>meant</i> ‘for thee.’</p> +<p class="tb">7. <i>His Wealth</i> ‘for thee.’ ‘Though He was rich, +yet for our sakes He became poor, that ye through +His poverty might be made rich.’ Yes, ‘through +His poverty’ the unsearchable riches of Christ are +‘for thee.’ Seven-fold riches are mentioned; and +these are no unminted treasure or sealed reserve, +but all ready coined for our use, and stamped with +His own image and superscription, and poured +freely into the hand of faith. The mere list is wonderful. +‘Riches of goodness,’ ‘riches of forbearance +and long-suffering,’ ‘riches both of wisdom +and knowledge,’ ‘riches of mercy,’ ‘exceeding +riches of grace,’ and ‘riches of glory.’ And His +own Word says, ‘All are yours!’ Glance on in +faith, and think of eternity flowing on and on beyond +the mightiest sweep of imagination, and realize +that all ‘His riches in glory’ and ‘the riches of +His glory’ are and shall be ‘for thee!’ In view of +this, shall we care to reserve anything that rust doth +corrupt for ourselves?</p> +<p class="tb">8. <i>His ‘treasures of wisdom and knowledge’</i> ‘for +thee.’ First, used for our behalf and benefit. Why +did He expend such immeasurable might of mind +<span class="pb" id="pg_129">[129]</span> +upon a world which is to be burnt up, but that He +would fit it perfectly to be, not the home, but the +school of His children? The infinity of His skill +is such that the most powerful intellects find a lifetime +too short to penetrate a little way into a few +secrets of some one small department of His working. +If we turn to Providence, it is quite enough +to take only one’s own life, and look at it microscopically +and telescopically, and marvel at the +treasures of wisdom lavished upon its details, ordering +and shaping and fitting the tiny confused bits +into the true mosaic which He means it to be. Many +a little thing in our lives reveals the same Mind +which, according to a well-known and very beautiful +illustration, adjusted a perfect proportion in the +delicate hinges of the snowdrop and the droop of its +bell, with the mass of the globe and the force of +gravitation. How kind we think it if a very talented +friend spends a little of his thought and +power of mind in teaching us or planning for us! +Have we been grateful for the infinite thought and +wisdom which our Lord has expended upon us and +our creation, preservation, and redemption?</p> +<p>Secondly, to be shared with us. He says, ‘All +that I have is thine.’ He holds nothing back, reserves +nothing from His dear children, and what we +cannot receive now He is keeping for us. He +gives us ‘hidden riches of secret places’ now, but +by and by He will give us more, and the glorified +intellect will be filled continually out of His treasures +of wisdom and knowledge. But the sanctified +intellect will be, must be, used for Him, and only +for Him, now!</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_130">[130]</div> +<p class="tb">9. <i>His Will</i> ‘for thee.’ Think first of the +<i>infinite might</i> of that will; the first great law and the +first great force of the universe, from which alone +every other law and every other force has sprung, +and to which all are subordinate. ‘He worketh all +things after the counsel of His own will.’ ‘He +doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, +and among the inhabitants of the earth.’ Then +think of the <i>infinite mysteries</i> of that will. For +ages and generations the hosts of heaven have +wonderingly watched its vouchsafed unveilings and +its sublime developments, and still they are waiting, +watching, and wondering.</p> +<p>Creation and Providence are but the whisper of +its power, but Redemption is its music, and praise +is the echo which shall yet fill His temple. The +whisper and the music, yes, and ‘the thunder of +His power,’ are all ‘for thee.’ For what <i>is</i> ‘the +good pleasure of His will’? (Eph. i. 5.) Oh, what +a grand list of blessings purposed, provided, purchased, +and possessed, all flowing to us out of it! +And nothing but blessings, nothing but privileges, +which we never should have imagined, and which, +even when revealed, we are ‘slow of heart to believe;’ +nothing but what should even now fill us +‘with joy unspeakable and full of glory!’</p> +<p>Think of this will as always and altogether on our +side—always working for us, and in us, and with +us, if we will only let it; think of it as always and +only synonymous with infinitely wise and almighty +love; think of it as undertaking all for us, from the +great work of our eternal salvation down to the +momentary details of guidance and supply, and do +<span class="pb" id="pg_131">[131]</span> +we not feel utter shame and self-abhorrence at <i>ever</i> +having hesitated for an instant to give up our tiny, +feeble, blind will, to be—not crushed, not even +bent, but <i>blent</i> with His glorious and perfect +Will?</p> +<p class="tb">10. <i>His Heart</i> ‘for thee.’ ‘Behold +... He is mighty ... in heart,’ said Job +(Job xxxvi. 5, margin). And this mighty and +tender heart is ‘for thee!’ If He had only stretched +forth His hand to save us from bare destruction, and said, +‘My hand for thee!’ how could we have praised +Him enough? But what shall we say of the unspeakably +marvellous condescension which says, +‘Thou hast ravished (margin, <i>taken away</i>) my +heart, my sister, my spouse!’ The very fountain +of His divine life, and light, and love, the very +centre of His being, is given to His beloved ones, +who are not only ‘set as a seal upon His heart,’ but +taken into His heart, so that our life is hid there, +and we dwell there in the very centre of all safety, +and power, and love, and glory. What will be the +revelation of ‘that day,’ when the Lord Jesus promises, +‘Ye shall know that I am in My Father, and +<i>ye in Me’?</i> For He implies that we do not yet +know it, and that our present knowledge of this +dwelling in Him is not knowledge at all compared +with what He is going to show us about it.</p> +<p>Now shall we, can we, reserve any corner of our +hearts from Him?</p> +<p class="tb">11. <i>His Love</i> ‘for thee.’ Not a passive, possible +love, but outflowing, yes, <i>outpouring</i> of the real, +<span class="pb" id="pg_132">[132]</span> +glowing, personal love of His mighty and tender +heart. Love not as an attribute, a quality, a latent +force, but an acting, moving, reaching, touching, +and grasping power. Love, not a cold, beautiful, +far-off star, but a sunshine that comes and enfolds +us, making us warm and glad, and strong and bright +and fruitful.</p> +<p><i>His</i> love! What manner of love is it? What +should be quoted to prove or describe it? First +the whole Bible with its mysteries and marvels of +redemption, then the whole book of Providence +and the whole volume of creation. Then add to +these the unknown records of eternity past and the +unknown glories of eternity to come, and then let +the immeasurable quotation be sung by ‘angels and +archangels, and all the company of heaven,’ with all +the harps of God, and still that love will be untold, +still it will be ‘the love of Christ that passeth +knowledge.’</p> +<p>But it is ‘for thee!’</p> +<p class="tb">12. <i>Himself</i> ‘for thee.’ ‘Christ also +hath loved us, and given Himself for us.’ ‘The Son of +God ... loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ Yes, +Himself! What is the Bride’s true and central +treasure? What calls forth the deepest, brightest, +sweetest thrill of love and praise? Not the Bridegroom’s +priceless gifts, not the robe of His resplendent +righteousness, not the dowry of unsearchable +riches, not the magnificence of the palace +home to which He is bringing her, not the glory +which she shall share with Him, but <span class="sc">Himself</span>! +Jesus Christ, ‘who His own self bare our sins in +<span class="pb" id="pg_133">[133]</span> +His own body on the tree;’ ‘this same Jesus,’ +‘whom having not seen, ye love;’ the Son of God, +and the Man of Sorrows; my Saviour, my Friend, my Master, +my King, my Priest, my Lord and my God—<span class="sc">He</span> says, +‘<i>I</i> also for thee!’ What an ‘<i>I’!</i> +What power and sweetness we feel in it, so different +from any human ‘<i>I</i>,’ for all His Godhead and +all His manhood are concentrated in it, and all +‘for thee!’</p> +<p>And not only ‘all,’ but ‘<i>ever</i>’ +for thee. His unchangeableness is the seal upon every attribute; +He will be ‘this same Jesus’ for ever. How can +mortal mind estimate this enormous promise? How +can mortal heart conceive what is enfolded in these +words, ‘I also for thee’?</p> +<p>One glimpse of its fulness and glory, and we feel +that henceforth it must be, shall be, and by His +grace <i>will</i> be our true-hearted, whole-hearted cry—</p> +<div class="bq"><div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take <i>myself</i>, and I will be</p> +<p class="t0"><i>Ever</i>, <span class="small">ONLY</span>, ALL for Thee!</p> +</div></div> +<div class="fnblock"> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_6" href="#fr_6">[6]</a></sup>The +remainder of this chapter is printed in a little penny +book, entitled, <i>I also for Thee</i>, by F. R. H., published by +Caswell, Birmingham, and by Nisbet & Co. +</div> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_7" href="#fr_7">[7]</a></sup>See A. Newton on the +Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. ii. ver. 12. +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="c14" title=""> +<div class="pb" id="pg_135">[135]</div> +<h2>SELECTIONS FROM +<br />MISS HAVERGAL’S LATEST POEMS.</h2> +<div id="h1" title="An Interlude"> +<h3>An Interlude.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0"><i>That</i> part is finished! I lay down my pen,</p> +<p class="t">And wonder if the thoughts will flow as fast</p> +<p class="t0">Through the more difficult defile. For the last</p> +<p class="t">Was easy, and the channel deeper then.</p> +<p class="t0">My Master, I will trust Thee for the rest;</p> +<p class="t0">Give me just what Thou wilt, and that will be my best!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">How can <i>I</i> tell the varied, hidden need</p> +<p class="t">Of Thy dear children, all unknown to me,</p> +<p class="t0">Who at some future time may come and read</p> +<p class="t">What I have written! All are known to Thee.</p> +<p class="t0">As Thou hast helped me, help me to the end;</p> +<p class="t0">Give me Thy own sweet messages of love to send.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">So now, I pray Thee, keep my hand in Thine;</p> +<p class="t">And guide it as Thou wilt. I do not ask</p> +<p class="t0">To understand the ‘wherefore’ of each line;</p> +<p class="t">Mine is the sweeter, easier, happier task,</p> +<p class="t0">Just to look up to Thee for every word,</p> +<p class="t0">Rest in Thy love, and trust, and know that I am heard.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h2" title="The Thoughts of God"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_136">[136]</div> +<h3>The Thoughts of God.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">They say there is a hollow, safe and still,</p> +<p class="t3">A point of coolness and repose</p> +<p class="t0">Within the centre of a flame, where life might dwell</p> +<p class="t0">Unharmed and unconsumed, as in a luminous shell,</p> +<p class="t2">Which the bright walls of fire enclose</p> +<p class="t">In breachless splendour, barrier that no foes</p> +<p class="t8">Could pass at will.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t7">There is a point of rest</p> +<p class="t">At the great centre of the cyclone’s force,</p> +<p class="t2">A silence at its secret source;—</p> +<p class="t">A little child might slumber undistressed,</p> +<p class="t0">Without the ruffle of one fairy curl,</p> +<p class="t0">In that strange central calm amid the mighty whirl.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t">So, in the centre of these thoughts of God,</p> +<p class="t">Cyclones of power, consuming glory-fire,—</p> +<p class="t5">As we fall o’erawed</p> +<p class="t">Upon our faces, and are lifted higher</p> +<p class="t">By His great gentleness, and carried nigher</p> +<p class="t">Than unredeemèd angels, till we stand</p> +<p class="t2">Even in the hollow of His hand,</p> +<p class="t2">Nay, more! we lean upon His breast—</p> +<p class="t"><i>There</i>, there we find a point of perfect rest</p> +<p class="t2">And glorious safety. There we see</p> +<p class="t2">His thoughts to usward, thoughts of peace</p> +<p class="t">That stoop in tenderest love; that still increase</p> +<p class="t">With increase of our need; that never change,</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_137">[137]</div> +<p class="t">That never fail, or falter, or forget</p> +<p class="t5">O pity infinite!</p> +<p class="t5">O royal mercy free!</p> +<p class="t">O gentle climax of the depth and height</p> +<p class="t0">Of God’s most precious thoughts, most wonderful, most strange!</p> +<p class="t2">‘For I am poor and needy, yet</p> +<p class="t0">The Lord Himself, Jehovah, <i>thinketh upon me</i>!’</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h3" title="‘Free to Serve.’"> +<h3>‘Free to Serve.’</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">She chose His service. For the Lord of Love</p> +<p class="t0">Had chosen her, and paid the awful price</p> +<p class="t0">For her redemption; and had sought her out,</p> +<p class="t0">And set her free, and clothed her gloriously,</p> +<p class="t0">And put His royal ring upon her hand,</p> +<p class="t0">And crowns of loving-kindness on her head.</p> +<p class="t0">She chose it. Yet it seemed she could not yield</p> +<p class="t0">The fuller measure other lives could bring;</p> +<p class="t0">For He had given her a precious gift,</p> +<p class="t0">A treasure and a charge to prize and keep,</p> +<p class="t0">A tiny hand, a darling hand, that traced</p> +<p class="t0">On her heart’s tablet words of golden love.</p> +<p class="t0">And there was not much room for other lines,</p> +<p class="t0">For time and thought were spent (and rightly spent,</p> +<p class="t0">For He had given the charge), and hours and days</p> +<p class="t0">Were concentrated on the one dear task.</p> +<p class="t0">But He had need of her. Not one new gem</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_138">[138]</div> +<p class="t0">But many for His crown;—not one fair sheaf,</p> +<p class="t0">But many, she should bring. And she should have</p> +<p class="t0">A richer, happier harvest-home at last.</p> +<p class="t0">Because more fruit, more glory and more praise</p> +<p class="t0">Her life should yield to Him. And so He came,</p> +<p class="t0">The Master came Himself, and gently took</p> +<p class="t0">The little hand in His, and gave it room</p> +<p class="t0">Among the angel-harpers. Jesus came</p> +<p class="t0">And laid His own hand on the quivering heart,</p> +<p class="t0">And made it very still, that He might write</p> +<p class="t0">Invisible words of power—‘Free to serve!’</p> +<p class="t0">Then through the darkness and the chill He sent</p> +<p class="t0">A heat-ray of His love, developing</p> +<p class="t0">The mystic writing, till it glowed and shone</p> +<p class="t0">And lit up all her life with radiance new,—</p> +<p class="t0">The happy service of a yielded heart.</p> +<p class="t0">With comfort that He never ceased to give</p> +<p class="t0">(Because her need could never cease) she filled</p> +<p class="t0">The empty chalices of other lives,</p> +<p class="t0">And time and thought were thenceforth spent for Him</p> +<p class="t0">Who loved her with His everlasting love.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Let Him write what He will upon our hearts,</p> +<p class="t0">With His unerring pen. They are His own,</p> +<p class="t0">Hewn from the rock by His selecting grace,</p> +<p class="t0">Prepared for His own glory. Let Him write!</p> +<p class="t0">Be sure He will not cross out one sweet word</p> +<p class="t0">But to inscribe a sweeter,—but to grave</p> +<p class="t0">One that shall shine for ever to His praise,</p> +<p class="t0">And thus fulfil our deepest heart-desire.</p> +<p class="t0">The tearful eye at first may read the line,</p> +<p class="t0">‘Bondage to grief!’ But He shall wipe away</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_139">[139]</div> +<p class="t0">The tears, and clear the vision, till it read</p> +<p class="t0">In ever-brightening letters, ‘Free to serve!’</p> +<p class="t0">For whom the Son makes free is free indeed.</p> +<p class="t0">Nor only by reclaiming His good gifts,</p> +<p class="t0">But by withholding, doth the Master write</p> +<p class="t0">These words upon the heart. Not always needs</p> +<p class="t0">Erasure of some blessèd line of love</p> +<p class="t0">For this more blest inscription. Where He finds</p> +<p class="t0">A tablet empty for the ‘lines left out,’</p> +<p class="t0">That ‘might have been’ engraved with human love</p> +<p class="t0">And sweetest human cares, yet never bore</p> +<p class="t0">That poetry of life, His own dear hand</p> +<p class="t0">Writes ‘Free to serve!’ And these clear characters</p> +<p class="t0">Fill with fair colours all the unclaimed space,</p> +<p class="t0">Else grey and colourless.</p> +<p class="t11">Then let it be</p> +<p class="t0">The motto of our lives until we stand</p> +<p class="t0">In the great freedom of Eternity,</p> +<p class="t0">Where we ‘<i>shall</i> serve Him’ while we see His face,</p> +<p class="t0">For ever and for ever ‘Free to serve.’</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h4" title="Coming to the King"> +<h3>Coming to the King.</h3> +<p class="center"><span class="sc">2 Chronicles</span> ix. 1-12.</p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I came from very far away to see</p> +<p class="t">The King of Salem; for I had been told</p> +<p class="t">Of glory and of wisdom manifold,</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_140">[140]</div> +<p class="t0">And condescension infinite and free.</p> +<p class="t0">How could I rest, when I had heard His fame,</p> +<p class="t0">In that dark lonely land of death from whence I came?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I came (but not like Sheba’s queen), alone!</p> +<p class="t">No stately train, no costly gifts to bring;</p> +<p class="t">No friend at court, save One, that One the King!</p> +<p class="t0">I had requests to spread before His throne,</p> +<p class="t0">And I had questions none could solve for me,</p> +<p class="t0">Of import deep, and full of awful mystery.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I came and communed with that mighty King,</p> +<p class="t">And told Him all my heart; I cannot say,</p> +<p class="t">In mortal ear, what communings were they.</p> +<p class="t0">But wouldst thou know, go too, and meekly bring</p> +<p class="t0">All that is in thy heart, and thou shalt hear</p> +<p class="t0">His voice of love and power, His answers sweet and clear.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">O happy end of every weary quest!</p> +<p class="t">He told me all I needed, graciously;—</p> +<p class="t">Enough for guidance, and for victory</p> +<p class="t0">O’er doubts and fears, enough for quiet rest;</p> +<p class="t0">And when some veiled response I could not read,</p> +<p class="t0">It was not hid from Him,—this was enough indeed.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">His wisdom and His glories passed before</p> +<p class="t">My wondering eyes in gradual revelation;</p> +<p class="t">The house that He had built, its strong foundation,</p> +<p class="t0">Its living stones; and, brightening more and more,</p> +<p class="t0">Fair glimpses of that palace far away,</p> +<p class="t0">Where all His loyal ones shall dwell with Him for aye.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_141">[141]</div> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">True the report that reached my far-off land</p> +<p class="t">Of all His wisdom and transcendent fame;</p> +<p class="t">Yet I believed not until I came,—</p> +<p class="t0">Bowed to the dust till raised by royal hand.</p> +<p class="t0">The half was never told by mortal word;</p> +<p class="t0">My King exceeded all the fame that I had heard!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Oh, happy are His servants! happy they</p> +<p class="t">Who stand continually before His face,</p> +<p class="t">Ready to do His will of wisest grace!</p> +<p class="t0">My King! is mine such blessedness to-day?</p> +<p class="t0">For I too hear Thy wisdom, line by line,</p> +<p class="t0">Thy ever brightening words in holy radiance shine.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Oh, blessèd be the Lord thy God, who set</p> +<p class="t">Our King upon His throne! Divine delight</p> +<p class="t">In the Beloved crowning Thee with might,</p> +<p class="t0">Honour, and majesty supreme; and yet</p> +<p class="t0">The strange and Godlike secret opening thus,—</p> +<p class="t0">The kingship of His Christ ordained through love to us!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What shall I render to my glorious King?</p> +<p class="t">I have but that which I receive from Thee;</p> +<p class="t">And what I give, Thou givest back to me,</p> +<p class="t0">Transmuted by Thy touch; each worthless thing</p> +<p class="t0">Changed to the preciousness of gem or gold,</p> +<p class="t0">And by Thy blessing multiplied a thousand fold.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">All my desire Thou grantest, whatsoe’er</p> +<p class="t">I ask! Was ever mythic tale or dream</p> +<p class="t">So bold as this reality,—this stream</p> +<p class="t0">Of boundless blessings flowing full and free?</p> +<p class="t0">Yet more than I have thought or asked of Thee,</p> +<p class="t0">Out of Thy royal bounty still Thou givest me.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_142">[142]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Now I will turn to my own land, and tell</p> +<p class="t">What I myself have seen and heard of Thee.</p> +<p class="t">And give Thine own sweet message, ‘Come and see!’</p> +<p class="t0">And yet in heart and mind for ever dwell</p> +<p class="t0">With Thee, my King of Peace, in loyal rest,</p> +<p class="t0">Within the fair pavilion of Thy presence blest.</p> +</div> +<hr /> +<p class="bq">‘Surely in what place my Lord the King shall be, whether +in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.’—2 <i>Sam.</i> +xv. 21.</p> +<p class="bq">‘Where I am, there shall also my servant be.’—<i>John</i> xii. 26.</p> +</div> +<div id="h5" title="The Two Paths"> +<h3>The Two Paths.</h3> +<p class="center"><span class="small"><span class="sc">Via Dolorosa and Via Giojosa.</span></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">[<i>Suggested by a Picture.</i>]</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">My Master, they have wronged Thee and Thy love!</p> +<p class="t0">They only told me I should find the path</p> +<p class="t0">A Via Dolorosa all the way!</p> +<p class="t0">Even Thy sweetest singers only sang</p> +<p class="t0">Of pressing onward through the same sharp thorns,</p> +<p class="t0">With bleeding footsteps, through the chill dark mist,</p> +<p class="t0">Following and struggling till they reach the light,</p> +<p class="t0">The rest, the sunshine of the far beyond.</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_143">[143]</div> +<p class="t0">The anthems of the pilgrimage were set</p> +<p class="t0">In most pathetic minors, exquisite,</p> +<p class="t0">Yet breathing sadness more than any praise;</p> +<p class="t0">Thy minstrels let the fitful breezes make</p> +<p class="t0">Æolian moans on their entrusted harps,</p> +<p class="t0">Until the listeners thought that this was all</p> +<p class="t0">The music Thou hadst given. And so the steps</p> +<p class="t0">That halted where the two ways met and crossed,</p> +<p class="t0">The broad and narrow, turned aside in fear,</p> +<p class="t0">Thinking the radiance of their youth must pass</p> +<p class="t0">In sombre shadows if they followed Thee;</p> +<p class="t0">Hearing afar such echoes of one strain,</p> +<p class="t0">The cross, the tribulation, and the toil,</p> +<p class="t0">The conflict, and the clinging in the dark.</p> +<p class="t0">What wonder that the dancing feet are stayed</p> +<p class="t0">From entering the only path of peace!</p> +<p class="t0">Master, forgive them! Tune their harps anew,</p> +<p class="t0">And put a new song in their mouths for Thee,</p> +<p class="t0">And make Thy chosen people joyful in Thy love.</p> +</div> +<hr /> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t">Lord Jesus, Thou hast trodden once for all</p> +<p class="t0">The Via Dolorosa,—and for us!</p> +<p class="t0">No artist power or minstrel gift may tell</p> +<p class="t0">The cost to Thee of each unfaltering step,</p> +<p class="t0">When love that passeth knowledge led Thee on,</p> +<p class="t0">Faithful and true to God, and true to us.</p> +<p class="t">And now, belovèd Lord, Thou callest us</p> +<p class="t0">To follow Thee, and we will take Thy word</p> +<p class="t0">About the path which Thou hast marked for us.</p> +<p class="t0">Narrow indeed it is! Who does not choose</p> +<p class="t0">The narrow track upon the mountain side,</p> +<p class="t0">With ever-widening view, and freshening air,</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_144">[144]</div> +<p class="t0">And honeyed heather, rather than the road,</p> +<p class="t0">With smoothest breadth of dust and loss of view,</p> +<p class="t0">Soiled blossoms not worth gathering, and the noise</p> +<p class="t0">Of wheels instead of silence of the hills,</p> +<p class="t0">Or music of the waterfalls? Oh, why</p> +<p class="t0">Should they misrepresent Thy words, and make</p> +<p class="t0">‘Narrow’ synonymous with ‘very hard’?</p> +<p class="t">For Thou, Divinest Wisdom, Thou hast said</p> +<p class="t0">Thy ways are ways of pleasantness, and all</p> +<p class="t0">Thy paths are peace; and that the path of him</p> +<p class="t0">Who wears Thy perfect robe of righteousness</p> +<p class="t0">Is as the light that shineth more and more</p> +<p class="t0">Unto the perfect day. And Thou hast given</p> +<p class="t0">An olden promise, rarely quoted now,<sup><a id="fr_8" href="#fn_8">[8]</a></sup></p> +<p class="t0">Because it is too bright for our weak faith:</p> +<p class="t0">‘If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend</p> +<p class="t0">Days in prosperity, and they shall spend</p> +<p class="t0">Their years in pleasures.’ All because Thy days</p> +<p class="t0">Were full of sorrow, and Thy lonely years</p> +<p class="t0">Were passed in grief’s acquaintance—all for us!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Master, I set my seal that Thou art true,</p> +<p class="t0">Of Thy good promise not one thing hath failed!</p> +<p class="t0">And I would send a ringing challenge forth,</p> +<p class="t0">To all who know Thy name, to tell it out,</p> +<p class="t0">Thy faithfulness to every written word,</p> +<p class="t0">Thy loving-kindness crowning all the days,—</p> +<p class="t0">To say and sing with me: ‘The Lord is good,</p> +<p class="t0">His mercy is for ever, and His truth</p> +<p class="t0">Is written on each page of all my life!’</p> +<p class="t0">Yes! there <i>is</i> tribulation, but Thy power</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_145">[145]</div> +<p class="t0">Can blend it with rejoicing. There <i>are</i> thorns,</p> +<p class="t0">But they have kept us in the narrow way,</p> +<p class="t0">The King’s Highway of holiness and peace.</p> +<p class="t0">And there <i>is</i> chastening, but the Father’s love</p> +<p class="t0">Flows through it; and would any trusting heart</p> +<p class="t0">Forego the chastening and forego the love?</p> +<p class="t0">And every step leads on to ‘more and more,’</p> +<p class="t0">From strength to strength Thy pilgrims pass and sing</p> +<p class="t0">The praise of Him who leads them on and on,</p> +<p class="t0">From glory unto glory, even here!</p> +</div> +<div class="fnblock"> +<div class="fndef"><sup><a id="fn_8" href="#fr_8">[8]</a></sup>Job xxvi. 15. +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h6" title="Only for Jesus"> +<h3>Only for Jesus.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Only for Jesus! Lord, keep it for ever</p> +<p class="t0">Sealed on the heart and engraved on the life!</p> +<p class="t0">Pulse of all gladness and nerve of endeavour,</p> +<p class="t0">Secret of rest, and the strength of our strife.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h7" title="‘Vessels of Mercy, Prepared unto Glory.’"> +<h3>‘Vessels of Mercy, Prepared unto Glory.’</h3> +<p class="center"><span class="small">(<span class="sc">Rom.</span> ix. 23.)</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Vessels of mercy, prepared unto glory!</p> +<p class="t">This is your calling and this is your joy!</p> +<p class="t0">This, for the new year unfolding before ye,</p> +<p class="t">Tells out the terms of your blessed employ.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_146">[146]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Vessels, it may be, all empty and broken,</p> +<p class="t">Marred in the Hand of inscrutable skill;</p> +<p class="t0">(Love can accept the mysterious token!)</p> +<p class="t">Marred but to make them more beautiful still.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">Jer.</span> xviii. 4.</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Vessels, it may be, not costly or golden;</p> +<p class="t">Vessels, it may be, of quantity small,</p> +<p class="t0">Yet by the Nail in the Sure Place upholden,</p> +<p class="t">Never to shiver and never to fall.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">Isa.</span> xxii. 23, 24.</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Vessels to honour, made sacred and holy,</p> +<p class="t">Meet for the use of the Master we love,</p> +<p class="t0">Ready for service, all simple and lowly,</p> +<p class="t">Ready, one day, for the temple above.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">2 Tim.</span> ii. 21.</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Yes, though the vessels be fragile and earthen,</p> +<p class="t">God hath commanded His glory to shine;</p> +<p class="t0">Treasure resplendent henceforth is our burthen,</p> +<p class="t">Excellent power, not ours but Divine.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">2 Cor.</span> iv. 5, 6.</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Chosen in Christ ere the dawn of Creation,</p> +<p class="t">Chosen for Him, to be filled with His grace,</p> +<p class="t0">Chosen to carry the streams of salvation</p> +<p class="t">Into each thirsty and desolate place.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">Acts</span> ix. 15.</span></p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Take all Thy vessels, O glorious Finer,</p> +<p class="t">Purge all the dross, that each chalice may be</p> +<p class="t0">Pure in Thy pattern, completer, diviner,</p> +<p class="t">Filled with Thy glory and shining for Thee.</p> +</div> +<p class="jr"><span class="small"><span class="sc">Prov.</span> xxv. 4.</span></p> +</div> +<div id="h8" title="The Turned Lesson"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_147">[147]</div> +<h3>The Turned Lesson.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘I thought I knew it!’ she said,</p> +<p class="t">‘I thought I had learnt it quite!’</p> +<p class="t0">But the gentle Teacher shook her head,</p> +<p class="t">With a grave yet loving light</p> +<p class="t0">In the eyes that fell on the upturned face,</p> +<p class="t2">As she gave the book</p> +<p class="t0">With the mark still set in the self-same place.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">‘I thought I knew it!’ she said;</p> +<p class="t">And a heavy tear fell down,</p> +<p class="t0">As she turned away with bending head,</p> +<p class="t">Yet not for reproof or frown,</p> +<p class="t0">Not for the lesson to learn again,</p> +<p class="t2">Or the play hour lost;—</p> +<p class="t0">It was something else that gave the pain.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">She could not have put it in words,</p> +<p class="t">But her Teacher understood,</p> +<p class="t0">As God understands the chirp of the birds</p> +<p class="t">In the depth of an autumn wood.</p> +<p class="t0">And a quiet touch on the reddening cheek</p> +<p class="t2">Was quite enough;</p> +<p class="t0">No need to question, no need to speak.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Then the gentle voice was heard,</p> +<p class="t">‘Now I will try you again!’</p> +<p class="t0">And the lesson was mastered,—every word!</p> +<p class="t">Was it not worth the pain?</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_148">[148]</div> +<p class="t0">Was it not kinder the task to turn,</p> +<p class="t2">Than to let it pass,</p> +<p class="t0">As a lost, lost leaf that she did not learn?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Is it not often so,</p> +<p class="t">That we only learn in part,</p> +<p class="t0">And the Master’s testing-time may show</p> +<p class="t">That it was not quite ‘by heart’?</p> +<p class="t0">Then He gives, in His wise and patient grace,</p> +<p class="t2">That lesson again</p> +<p class="t0">With the mark still set in the self-same place.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Only, stay by His side</p> +<p class="t">Till the page is really known.</p> +<p class="t0">It may be we failed because we tried</p> +<p class="t">To learn it all alone,</p> +<p class="t0">And now that He would not let us lose</p> +<p class="t2">One lesson of love</p> +<p class="t0">(For He knows the loss),—can we refuse?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">But oh! how could we dream</p> +<p class="t">That we knew it all so well!</p> +<p class="t0">Reading so fluently, as we deem,</p> +<p class="t">What we could not even spell!</p> +<p class="t0">And oh! how could we grieve once more</p> +<p class="t2">That Patient One</p> +<p class="t0">Who has turned so many a task before!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">That waiting One, who now</p> +<p class="t">Is letting us try again;</p> +<p class="t0">Watching us with the patient brow,</p> +<p class="t">That bore the wreath of pain;</p> +<p class="t0">Thoroughly teaching what He would teach,</p> +<p class="t2">Line upon line,</p> +<p class="t0">Thoroughly doing His work in each.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_149">[149]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Then let our hearts ‘be still,’</p> +<p class="t">Though our task is turned to-day;</p> +<p class="t0">Oh let Him teach us what He will,</p> +<p class="t">In His own gracious way.</p> +<p class="t0">Till, sitting only at Jesus’ feet,</p> +<p class="t2">As we learn each line</p> +<p class="t0">The hardest is found all clear and sweet!</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h9" title="Sunday Night"> +<h3>Sunday Night.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Rest him, O Father! Thou didst send him forth</p> +<p class="t0">With great and gracious messages of love;</p> +<p class="t0">But Thy ambassador is weary now,</p> +<p class="t0">Worn with the weight of his high embassy.</p> +<p class="t0">Now care for him as Thou hast cared for us</p> +<p class="t0">In sending him; and cause him to lie down</p> +<p class="t0">In Thy fresh pastures, by Thy streams of peace.</p> +<p class="t0">Let Thy left hand be now beneath his head,</p> +<p class="t0">And Thine upholding right encircle him,</p> +<p class="t0">And, underneath, the Everlasting arms</p> +<p class="t0">Be felt in full support. So let him rest,</p> +<p class="t0">Hushed like a little child, without one care;</p> +<p class="t0">And so give Thy belovèd sleep to-night.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t">Rest him, dear Master! He hath poured for us</p> +<p class="t0">The wine of joy, and we have been refreshed.</p> +<p class="t0">Now fill <i>his</i> chalice, give him sweet new draughts</p> +<div class="pb" id="pg_150">[150]</div> +<p class="t0">Of life and love, with Thine own hand; be Thou</p> +<p class="t0">His ministrant to-night; draw very near</p> +<p class="t0">In all Thy tenderness and all Thy power.</p> +<p class="t0">Oh speak to him! Thou knowest how to speak</p> +<p class="t0">A word in season to Thy weary ones,</p> +<p class="t0">And he is weary now. Thou lovest him—</p> +<p class="t0">Let Thy disciple lean upon Thy breast,</p> +<p class="t0">And, leaning, gain new strength to ‘rise and shine.’</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t">Rest him, O loving Spirit! Let Thy calm</p> +<p class="t0">Fall on his soul to-night. O holy Dove,</p> +<p class="t0">Spread Thy bright wing above him, let him rest</p> +<p class="t0">Beneath its shadow; let him know afresh</p> +<p class="t0">The infinite truth and might of Thy dear name—</p> +<p class="t0">‘Our Comforter!’ As gentlest touch will stay</p> +<p class="t0">The strong vibrations of a jarring chord,</p> +<p class="t0">So lay Thy hand upon his heart, and still</p> +<p class="t0">Each overstraining throb, each pulsing pain.</p> +<p class="t0">Then, in the stillness, breathe upon the strings,</p> +<p class="t0">And let thy holy music overflow</p> +<p class="t0">With soothing power his listening, resting soul.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h10" title="A Song in the Night"> +<h3>A Song in the Night.</h3> +<p class="bq">[Written in severe pain, Sunday afternoon, +October 8th, 1876, at the Pension Wengen, Alps.]</p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I take this pain, Lord Jesus,</p> +<p class="t">From Thine own hand,</p> +<p class="t0">The strength to bear it bravely</p> +<p class="t">Thou wilt command.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_151">[151]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I am too weak for effort,</p> +<p class="t">So let me rest,</p> +<p class="t0">In hush of sweet submission,</p> +<p class="t">On Thine own breast.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I take this pain, Lord Jesus,</p> +<p class="t">As proof indeed</p> +<p class="t0">That Thou art watching closely</p> +<p class="t">My truest need;</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">That Thou, my Good Physician,</p> +<p class="t">Art watching still;</p> +<p class="t0">That all Thine own good pleasure</p> +<p class="t">Thou wilt fulfil.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I take this pain, Lord Jesus;</p> +<p class="t">What Thou dost choose</p> +<p class="t0">The soul that really loves Thee</p> +<p class="t">Will not refuse.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">It is not for the first time</p> +<p class="t">I trust to-day;</p> +<p class="t0">For Thee my heart has never</p> +<p class="t">A trustless ‘Nay!’</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I take this pain, Lord Jesus;</p> +<p class="t">But what beside?</p> +<p class="t0">‘Tis no unmingled portion</p> +<p class="t">Thou dost provide.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">In every hour of faintness</p> +<p class="t">My cup runs o’er</p> +<p class="t0">With faithfulness and mercy,</p> +<p class="t">And love’s sweet store.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_152">[152]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I take this pain, Lord Jesus,</p> +<p class="t">As Thine own gift;</p> +<p class="t0">And true though tremulous praises</p> +<p class="t">I now uplift.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I am too weak to sing them,</p> +<p class="t">But Thou dost hear</p> +<p class="t0">The whisper from the pillow,</p> +<p class="t">Thou art so near!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">’Tis Thy dear hand, O Saviour,</p> +<p class="t">That presseth sore,</p> +<p class="t0">The hand that bears the nail-prints</p> +<p class="t">For evermore.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">And now beneath its shadow,</p> +<p class="t">Hidden by Thee,</p> +<p class="t0">The pressure only tells me</p> +<p class="t">Thou lovest me!</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h11" title="What will You do without Him?"> +<h3>What will You do without Him?</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">I could not do without Him!</p> +<p class="t">Jesus is more to me</p> +<p class="t0">Than all the richest, fairest gifts</p> +<p class="t">Of earth could ever be.</p> +<p class="t0">But the more I find Him precious—</p> +<p class="t">And the more I find Him true—</p> +<p class="t0">The more I long for you to find</p> +<p class="t">What He can be to you.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_153">[153]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">You need not do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">For He is passing by,</p> +<p class="t0">He is waiting to be gracious,</p> +<p class="t">Only waiting for your cry:</p> +<p class="t0">He is waiting to receive you—</p> +<p class="t">To make you all His own!</p> +<p class="t0">Why will you do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">And wander on alone?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Why will you do without Him?</p> +<p class="t">Is He not kind indeed?</p> +<p class="t0">Did He not die to save you?</p> +<p class="t">Is He not all you need?</p> +<p class="t0">Do you not want a Saviour?</p> +<p class="t">Do you not want a Friend?</p> +<p class="t0">One who will love you faithfully,</p> +<p class="t">And love you to the end?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Why will you do without Him?</p> +<p class="t">The Word of God is true!</p> +<p class="t0">The world is passing to its doom—</p> +<p class="t">And you are passing too.</p> +<p class="t0">It may be no to-morrow</p> +<p class="t">Shall dawn on you or me;</p> +<p class="t0">Why will you run the awful risk</p> +<p class="t">Of all eternity?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What will you do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">In the long and dreary day</p> +<p class="t0">Of trouble and perplexity,</p> +<p class="t">When you do not know the way,</p> +<p class="t0">And no one else can help you,</p> +<p class="t">And no one guides you right,</p> +<p class="t0">And hope comes not with morning,</p> +<p class="t">And rest comes not with night?</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_154">[154]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">You could not do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">If once He made you see</p> +<p class="t0">The fetters that enchain you,</p> +<p class="t">Till He hath set you free.</p> +<p class="t0">If once you saw the fearful load</p> +<p class="t">Of sin upon your soul;</p> +<p class="t0">The hidden plague that ends in death,</p> +<p class="t">Unless He makes you whole!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What will you do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">When death is drawing near?</p> +<p class="t0">Without His love—the only love</p> +<p class="t">That casts out every fear;</p> +<p class="t0">When the shadow-valley opens,</p> +<p class="t">Unlighted and unknown,</p> +<p class="t0">And the terrors of its darkness</p> +<p class="t">Must all be passed alone!</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What will you do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">When the great white throne is set,</p> +<p class="t0">And the Judge who never can mistake,</p> +<p class="t">And never can forget,—</p> +<p class="t0">The Judge whom you have never here</p> +<p class="t">As Friend and Saviour sought,</p> +<p class="t0">Shall summon you to give account</p> +<p class="t">Of deed and word and thought?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What will you do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">When He hath shut the door,</p> +<p class="t0">And you are left outside, because</p> +<p class="t">You would not come before?</p> +<p class="t0">When it is no use knocking,</p> +<p class="t">No use to stand and wait;</p> +<p class="t0">For the word of doom tolls through your heart</p> +<p class="t">That terrible ‘Too late!’</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_155">[155]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">You cannot do without Him!</p> +<p class="t">There is no other name</p> +<p class="t0">By which you ever <i>can</i> be saved,</p> +<p class="t">No way, no hope, no claim!</p> +<p class="t0">Without Him—everlasting loss</p> +<p class="t">Of love, and life, and light!</p> +<p class="t0">Without Him—everlasting woe,</p> +<p class="t">And everlasting night.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">But with Him—oh! <i>with Jesus</i>!</p> +<p class="t">Are any words so blest?</p> +<p class="t0">With Jesus, everlasting joy</p> +<p class="t">And everlasting rest!</p> +<p class="t0">With Jesus—all the empty heart</p> +<p class="t">Filled with His perfect love;</p> +<p class="t0">With Jesus—perfect peace below,</p> +<p class="t">And perfect bliss above.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Why should you do without Him?</p> +<p class="t">It is not yet too late;</p> +<p class="t0">He has not closed the day of grace,</p> +<p class="t">He has not shut the gate.</p> +<p class="t0">He calls you! hush! He calls you!</p> +<p class="t">He would not have you go</p> +<p class="t0">Another step without Him,</p> +<p class="t">Because He loves you so.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Why will you do without Him?</p> +<p class="t">He calls and calls again—</p> +<p class="t0">‘Come unto Me! Come unto Me!’</p> +<p class="t">Oh, shall He call in vain?</p> +<p class="t0">He wants to have you with Him;</p> +<p class="t">Do you not want Him too?</p> +<p class="t0">You cannot do without Him,</p> +<p class="t">And He wants—even you.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h12" title="Church Missionary Jubilee Hymn"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_156">[156]</div> +<h3>Church Missionary Jubilee Hymn.</h3> +<p class="bq">‘He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be +satisfied.’—<span class="sc">Isa.</span> liii. 11.</p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Rejoice with Jesus Christ to-day,</p> +<p class="t0">All ye who love His holy sway!</p> +<p class="t0">The travail of His soul is past,</p> +<p class="t0">He shall be satisfied at last.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Rejoice with Him, rejoice indeed!</p> +<p class="t0">For He shall see His chosen seed.</p> +<p class="t0">But ours the trust, the grand employ,</p> +<p class="t0">To work out this divinest joy.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Of all His own He loseth none,</p> +<p class="t0">They shall be gathered one by one;</p> +<p class="t0">He gathereth the smallest grain,</p> +<p class="t0">His travail shall not be in vain.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Arise and work! arise and pray</p> +<p class="t0">That He would haste the dawning day!</p> +<p class="t0">And let the silver trumpet sound,</p> +<p class="t0">Wherever Satan’s slaves are found.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">The vanquished foe shall soon be stilled,</p> +<p class="t0">The conquering Saviour’s joy fulfilled,</p> +<p class="t0">Fulfilled in us, fulfilled in them,</p> +<p class="t0">His crown, His royal diadem.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Soon, soon our waiting eyes shall see</p> +<p class="t0">The Saviour’s mighty Jubilee!</p> +<p class="t0">His harvest joy is filling fast,</p> +<p class="t0">He shall be satisfied at last.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h13" title="A Happy New Year to You!"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_157">[157]</div> +<h3>A Happy New Year to You!</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">New mercies, new blessings, new light on thy way;</p> +<p class="t0">New courage, new hope, and new strength for each day;</p> +<p class="t0">New notes of thanksgiving, new chords of delight,</p> +<p class="t0">New praise in the morning, new songs in the night,</p> +<p class="t0">New wine in thy chalice, new altars to raise;</p> +<p class="t0">New fruits for thy Master, new garments of praise;</p> +<p class="t0">New gifts from His treasures, new smiles from His face;</p> +<p class="t0">New streams from the Fountain of infinite grace;</p> +<p class="t0">New stars for thy crown, and new tokens of love;</p> +<p class="t0">New gleams of the glory that waits thee above;</p> +<p class="t0">New light of His countenance, full and unpriced;</p> +<p class="t0">All this be the joy of thy new life in Christ!</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h14" title="Another Year"> +<h3>Another Year.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year is dawning!</p> +<p class="t">Dear Master, let it be</p> +<p class="t0">In working or in waiting,</p> +<p class="t">Another year with Thee.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_158">[158]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year of leaning</p> +<p class="t">Upon Thy loving breast,</p> +<p class="t0">Of ever-deepening trustfulness,</p> +<p class="t">Of quiet, happy rest.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year of mercies,</p> +<p class="t">Of faithfulness and grace;</p> +<p class="t0">Another year of gladness</p> +<p class="t">In the shining of Thy face.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year of progress,</p> +<p class="t">Another year of praise;</p> +<p class="t0">Another year of proving</p> +<p class="t">Thy presence ‘all the days.’</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year of service,</p> +<p class="t">Of witness for Thy love;</p> +<p class="t0">Another year of training</p> +<p class="t">For holier work above.</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Another year is dawning!</p> +<p class="t">Dear Master, let it be</p> +<p class="t0">On earth, or else in heaven,</p> +<p class="t">Another year for Thee!</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h15" title="New Year’s Wishes"> +<div class="pb" id="pg_159">[159]</div> +<h3>New Year’s Wishes.</h3> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What shall I wish thee?</p> +<p class="t">Treasures of earth?</p> +<p class="t0">Songs in the springtime,</p> +<p class="t">Pleasure and mirth?</p> +<p class="t0">Flowers on thy pathway,</p> +<p class="t">Skies ever clear?</p> +<p class="t0">Would this ensure thee</p> +<p class="t">A Happy New Year?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">What shall I wish thee?</p> +<p class="t">What can be found</p> +<p class="t0">Bringing thee sunshine</p> +<p class="t">All the year round?</p> +<p class="t0">Where is the treasure,</p> +<p class="t">Lasting and dear,</p> +<p class="t0">That shall ensure thee</p> +<p class="t">A Happy New Year?</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Faith that increaseth,</p> +<p class="t">Walking in light;</p> +<p class="t0">Hope that aboundeth,</p> +<p class="t">Happy and bright;</p> +<p class="t0">Love that is perfect,</p> +<p class="t">Casting out fear;</p> +<p class="t0">These shall ensure thee</p> +<p class="t">A Happy New Year.</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="pg_160">[160]</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Peace in the Saviour,</p> +<p class="t">Rest at His feet,</p> +<p class="t0">Smile of His countenance</p> +<p class="t">Radiant and sweet,</p> +<p class="t0">Joy in His presence!</p> +<p class="t">Christ ever near!</p> +<p class="t0">This will ensure thee</p> +<p class="t">A Happy New Year!</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="h16" title="‘Most Blessed For Ever.’"> +<h3>‘Most Blessed For Ever.’</h3> +<p class="bq">(<i>Though the date of these lines is uncertain, they are chosen as a +closing chord to her songs on earth.</i>)</p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">The prayer of many a day is all fulfilled,</p> +<p class="t0">Only by full fruition stayed and stilled;</p> +<p class="t0">You asked for blessing as your Father willed,</p> +<p class="t">Now He hath answered: ‘Most blessed for ever!’</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">Lost is the daily light of mutual smile,</p> +<p class="t0">You therefore sorrow now a little while;</p> +<p class="t0">But floating down life’s dimmed and lonely aisle</p> +<p class="t">Comes the clear music: ‘Most blessed for ever!’</p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">From the great anthems of the Crystal Sea,</p> +<p class="t0">Through the far vistas of Eternity,</p> +<p class="t0">Grand echoes of the word peal on for thee,</p> +<p class="t">Sweetest and fullest: ‘Most blessed for ever.’</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Kept for the 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/31647-h/images/p1.png b/31647-h/images/p1.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a857203 --- /dev/null +++ b/31647-h/images/p1.png diff --git a/31647.txt b/31647.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f7714d --- /dev/null +++ b/31647.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4666 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Kept for the Master's Use, by Frances Ridley Havergal + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Kept for the Master's Use + +Author: Frances Ridley Havergal + +Release Date: March 15, 2010 [EBook #31647] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE *** + + + + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Hutcheson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + Kept for + the Master's + Use + + + By + Frances Ridley + Havergal + + Philadelphia + Henry Altemus Company + + Copyrighted 1895, by Henry Altemus. + + HENRY ALTEMUS, MANUFACTURER, + PHILADELPHIA. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + + + I. Our Lives kept for Jesus, 9 + II. Our Moments kept for Jesus, 26 + III. Our Hands kept for Jesus, 34 + IV. Our Feet kept for Jesus, 46 + V. Our Voices kept for Jesus, 51 + VI. Our Lips kept for Jesus, 66 + VII. Our Silver and Gold kept for Jesus, 79 + VIII. Our Intellects kept for Jesus, 91 + IX. Our Wills kept for Jesus, 96 + X. Our Hearts kept for Jesus, 104 + XI. Our Love kept for Jesus, 109 + XII. Our Selves kept for Jesus, 115 + XIII. Christ for us, 122 + + + + + PREFATORY NOTE. + + +My beloved sister Frances finished revising the proofs of this book +shortly before her death on Whit Tuesday, June 3, 1879, but its +publication was to be deferred till the Autumn. + +In appreciation of the deep and general sympathy flowing in to her +relatives, they wish that its publication should not be withheld. Knowing +her intense desire that Christ should be magnified, whether by her life +or in her death, may it be to His glory that in these pages she, being +dead, + + 'Yet speaketh!' + + MARIA V. G. HAVERGAL. + +Oakhampton, Worchestershire. + + + + + KEPT + FOR + The Master's Use. + + + Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. + + Take my moments and my days; + Let them flow in ceaseless praise. + + Take my hands, and let them move + At the impulse of Thy love. + + Take my feet, and let them be + Swift and 'beautiful' for Thee. + + Take my voice, and let me sing + Always, only, for my King. + + Take my lips and let them be + Filled with messages from Thee. + + Take my silver and my gold; + Not a mite would I withhold. + + Take my intellect, and use + Every power as Thou shalt choose. + + Take my will and make it Thine; + It shall be no longer mine. + + Take my heart; it _is_ Thine own; + It shall be Thy royal throne. + + Take my love; my Lord, I pour + At Thy feet its treasure-store. + + Take myself, and I will be + Ever, _only_, ALL for Thee. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + Our Lives kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my life, that it may be_ + _Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.'_ + +Many a heart has echoed the little song: + + 'Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!' + +And yet those echoes have not been, in every case and at all times, so +clear, and full, and firm, so continuously glad as we would wish, and +perhaps expected. Some of us have said: + + 'I launch me forth upon a sea + Of boundless love and tenderness;' + +and after a little we have found, or fancied, that there is a hidden leak +in our barque, and though we are doubtless still afloat, yet we are not +sailing with the same free, exultant confidence as at first. What is it +that has dulled and weakened the echo of our consecration song? what is +the little leak that hinders the swift and buoyant course of our +consecrated life? Holy Father, let Thy loving spirit guide the hand that +writes, and strengthen the heart of every one who reads what shall be +written, for Jesus' sake. + +While many a sorrowfully varied answer to these questions may, and +probably will, arise from touched and sensitive consciences, each being +shown by God's faithful Spirit the special sin, the special yielding to +temptation which has hindered and spoiled the blessed life which they +sought to enter and enjoy, it seems to me that one or other of two things +has lain at the outset of the failure and disappointment. + + +First, it may have arisen from want of the simplest belief in the +simplest fact, as well as want of trust in one of the simplest and +plainest words our gracious Master ever uttered! The unbelieved fact +being simply that He hears us; the untrusted word being one of those +plain, broad foundation-stones on which we rested our whole weight, it +may be many years ago, and which we had no idea we ever doubted, or were +in any danger of doubting now,--'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise +cast out.' + +'Take my life!' We have said it or sung it before the Lord, it may be +many times; but if it were only once whispered in His ear with full +purpose of heart, should we not believe that He heard it? And if we know +that He heard it, should we not believe that He has answered it, and +fulfilled this, our heart's desire? For with Him hearing means heeding. +Then why should we doubt that He did verily take our lives when we +offered them--our bodies when we presented them? Have we not been +wronging His faithfulness all this time by practically, even if +unconsciously, doubting whether the prayer ever really reached Him? And +if so, is it any wonder that we have not realized all the power and joy +of full consecration? By some means or other He has to teach us to trust +implicitly at every step of the way. And so, if we did not really trust +in this matter, He has had to let us find out our want of trust by +withholding the sensible part of the blessing, and thus stirring us up to +find out why it is withheld. + +An offered gift must be either accepted or refused. Can He have refused +it when He has said, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out'? +If not, then it must have been accepted. It is just the same process as +when we came to Him first of all, with the intolerable burden of our +sins. There was no help for it but to come with them to Him, and take His +word for it that He would not and did not cast us out. And so coming, so +believing, we found rest to our souls; we found that His word was true, +and that His taking away our sins was a reality. + +Some give their lives to Him then and there, and go forth to live +thenceforth not at all unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them. +This is as it should be, for conversion and consecration ought to be +simultaneous. But practically it is not very often so, except with those +in whom the bringing out of darkness into marvellous light has been +sudden and dazzling, and full of deepest contrasts. More frequently the +work resembles the case of the Hebrew servant described in Exodus xxi., +who, after six years' experience of a good master's service, dedicates +himself voluntarily, unreservedly, and irrevocably to it, saying, 'I love +my master; I will not go out free;' the master then accepting and sealing +him to a life-long service, free in law, yet bound in love. This seems to +be a figure of later consecration founded on experience and love. + +And yet, as at our first coming, it is less than nothing, worse than +nothing that we have to bring; for our lives, even our redeemed and +pardoned lives, are not only weak and worthless, but defiled and sinful. +But thanks be to God for the Altar that sanctifieth the gift, even our +Lord Jesus Christ Himself! By Him we draw nigh unto God; to Him, as one +with the Father, we offer our living sacrifice; in Him, as the Beloved of +the Father, we know it is accepted. So, dear friends, when once He has +wrought in us the desire to be altogether His own, and put into our +hearts the prayer, 'Take my life,' let us go on our way rejoicing, +believing that He _has_ taken our lives, our hands, our feet, our voices, +our intellects, our wills, our whole selves, to be ever, only, all for +Him. Let us consider that a blessedly settled thing; not because of +anything we have felt, or said, or done, but because we know that He +heareth us, and because we know that He is true to His word. + + +But suppose our hearts do not condemn us in this matter, our +disappointment may arise from another cause. It may be that we have not +received, because we have not asked a fuller and further blessing. +Suppose that we did believe, thankfully and surely, that the Lord heard +our prayer, and that He did indeed answer and accept us, and set us apart +for Himself; and yet we find that our consecration was not merely +miserably incomplete, but that we have drifted back again almost to where +we were before. Or suppose things are not quite so bad as that, still we +have not quite all we expected; and even if we think we can truly say, 'O +God, my heart is fixed,' we find that, to our daily sorrow, somehow or +other the details of our conduct do not seem to be fixed, something or +other is perpetually slipping through, till we get perplexed and +distressed. Then we are tempted to wonder whether after all there was not +some mistake about it, and the Lord did not really take us at our word, +although we took Him at His word. And then the struggle with one doubt, +and entanglement, and temptation only seems to land us in another. What +is to be done then? + +First, I think, very humbly and utterly honestly to search and try our +ways before our God, or rather, as we shall soon realize our helplessness +to make such a search, ask Him to do it for us, praying for His promised +Spirit to show us unmistakably if there is any secret thing with us that +is hindering both the inflow and outflow of His grace to us and through +us. Do not let us shrink from some unexpected flash into a dark corner; +do not let us wince at the sudden touching of a hidden plague-spot. The +Lord always does His own work thoroughly if we will only let Him do it; +if we put our case into His hands, He will search and probe fully and +firmly, though very tenderly. Very painfully, it may be, but only that He +may do the very thing we want,--cleanse us and heal us thoroughly, so +that we may set off to walk in real newness of life. But if we do not put +it unreservedly into His hands, it will be no use thinking or talking +about our lives being consecrated to Him. The heart that is not entrusted +to Him for searching, will not be undertaken by Him for cleansing; the +life that fears to come to the light lest any deed should be reproved, +can never know the blessedness and the privileges of walking in the +light. + +But what then? When He has graciously again put a new song in our mouth, +and we are singing, + + 'Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, + Who like me His praise should sing?' + +and again with fresh earnestness we are saying, + + 'Take my life, and let it be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!' + +are we only to look forward to the same disappointing experience over +again? are we always to stand at the threshold? Consecration is not so +much a step as a course; not so much an act, as a position to which a +course of action inseparably belongs. In so far as it is a course and a +position, there must naturally be a definite entrance upon it, and a +time, it may be a moment, when that entrance is made. That is when we +say, 'Take'; but we do not want to go on taking a first step over and +over again. What we want now is to be maintained in that position, and to +fulfil that course. So let us go on to another prayer. Having already +said, 'Take my life, for I cannot give it to Thee,' let us now say, with +deepened conviction, that without Christ we really can do nothing,--'Keep +my life, for I cannot keep it for Thee.' + +Let us ask this with the same simple trust to which, in so many other +things, He has so liberally and graciously responded. For this is the +confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His +will, He heareth us; and if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, +we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. There can be +no doubt that this petition is according to His will, because it is based +upon many a promise. May I give it to you just as it floats through my +own mind again and again, knowing whom I have believed, and being +persuaded that He is _able to keep_ that which I have committed unto Him? + + Keep my life, that it may be + Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. + + Keep my moments and my days; + Let them flow in ceaseless praise. + + Keep my hands, that they may move + At the impulse of Thy love. + + Keep my feet, that they may be + Swift and 'beautiful' for Thee. + + Keep my voice, that I may sing + Always, only, for my King. + + Keep my lips, that they may be + Filled with messages from Thee. + + Keep my silver and my gold; + Not a mite would I withhold. + + Keep my intellect, and use + Every power as Thou shalt choose. + + Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine! + For it is no longer mine. + + Keep my heart; it _is_ Thine own; + It is now Thy royal throne. + + Keep my love; my Lord, I pour + At Thy feet its treasure-store. + + Keep myself, that I may be + Ever, _only_, ALL for Thee. + +Yes! He who is able and willing to take unto Himself, is no less able and +willing to keep for Himself. Our willing offering has been made by His +enabling grace, and this our King has 'seen with joy.' And now we pray, +'Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of +Thy people' (1 Chron. xxix. 17, 18). + +This blessed 'taking,' once for all, which we may quietly believe as an +accomplished fact, followed by the continual 'keeping,' for which He will +be continually inquired of by us, seems analogous to the great washing by +which we have part in Christ, and the repeated washing of the feet for +which we need to be continually coming to Him. For with the deepest and +sweetest consciousness that He has indeed taken our lives to be His very +own, the need of His active and actual keeping of them in every detail +and at every moment is most fully realized. But then we have the promise +of our faithful God, 'I the Lord _do_ keep it, I will keep it night and +day.' The only question is, will we trust this promise, or will we not? +If we do, we shall find it come true. If not, of course it will not be +realized. For unclaimed promises are like uncashed cheques; they will +keep us from bankruptcy, but not from want. But if not, _why_ not? What +right have we to pick out one of His faithful sayings, and say we don't +expect Him to fulfil that? What defence can we bring, what excuse can we +invent, for so doing? + +If you appeal to experience against His faithfulness to His word, I will +appeal to experience too, and ask you, did you ever _really trust_ Jesus +to fulfil any word of His to you, and find your trust deceived? As to the +past experience of the details of your life not being kept for Jesus, +look a little more closely at it, and you will find that though you may +have asked, you did not trust. Whatever you did really trust Him to keep, +He has kept, and the unkept things were never really entrusted. +Scrutinize this past experience as you will, and it will only bear +witness against your unfaithfulness, never against His absolute +faithfulness. + +Yet this witness must not be unheeded. We must not forget the things that +are behind till they are confessed and forgiven. Let us now bring all +this unsatisfactory past experience, and, most of all, the want of trust +which has been the poison-spring of its course, to the precious blood of +Christ, which cleanseth us, even us, from all sin, even this sin. Perhaps +we never saw that we were not trusting Jesus as He deserves to be +trusted; if so, let us wonderingly hate ourselves the more that we could +be so trustless to such a Saviour, and so sinfully dark and stupid that +we did not even see it. And oh, let us wonderingly love Him the more that +He has been so patient and gentle with us, upbraiding not, though in our +slow-hearted foolishness we have been grieving Him by this subtle +unbelief, and then, by His grace, may we enter upon a new era of +experience, our lives kept for Him more fully than ever before, because +we trust Him more simply and unreservedly to keep them! + + +Here we must face a question, and perhaps a difficulty. Does it not +almost seem as if we were at this point led to trusting to our trust, +making everything hinge upon it, and thereby only removing a subtle +dependence upon ourselves one step farther back, disguising instead of +renouncing it? If Christ's keeping depends upon our trusting, and our +continuing to trust depends upon ourselves, we are in no better or safer +position than before, and shall only be landed in a fresh series of +disappointments. The old story, something for the sinner to _do_, crops +up again here, only with the ground shifted from 'works' to trust. Said a +friend to me, 'I see now! I did trust Jesus to do everything else for me, +but I thought that this trusting was something that _I_ had got to do.' +And so, of course, what she 'had got to do' had been a perpetual effort +and frequent failure. We can no more trust and keep on trusting than we +can do anything else of ourselves. Even in this it must be 'Jesus only'; +we are not to look to Him only to be the Author and Finisher of our +faith, but we are to look to Him for all the intermediate fulfilment of +the work of faith (2 Thess. i. 11); we must ask Him to go on fulfilling +it in us, committing even this to His power. + + For we both may and must + Commit our very faith to Him, + Entrust to him our trust. + +What a long time it takes us to come down to the conviction, and still +more to the realization of the fact that without Him we can do _nothing_, +but that He must work _all_ our works in us! This is the work of God, +that ye believe in Him whom He has sent. And no less must it be the work +of God that we go on believing, and that we go on trusting. Then, dear +friends, who are longing to trust Him with unbroken and unwavering trust, +cease the effort and drop the burden, and _now_ entrust your trust to +Him! He is just as well able to keep that as any other part of the +complex lives which we want Him to take and keep for Himself. And oh, do +not pass on content with the thought, 'Yes, that is a good idea; perhaps +I should find that a great help!' But, 'Now, then, _do it_.' It is no +help to the sailor to see a flash of light across a dark sea, if he does +not instantly steer accordingly. + + +Consecration is not a religiously selfish thing. If it sinks into that, +it ceases to be consecration. We want our lives kept, not that we may +feel happy, and be saved the distress consequent on wandering, and get +the power with God and man, and all the other privileges linked with it. +We shall have all this, because the lower is included in the higher; but +our true aim, if the love of Christ constraineth us, will be far beyond +this. Not for 'me' at all but 'for Jesus'; not for my safety, but for His +glory; not for my comfort, but for His joy; not that I may find rest, but +that He may see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied! Yes, for _Him_ +I want to be kept. Kept for His sake; kept for His use; kept to be His +witness; kept for His joy! Kept for Him, that in me He may show forth +some tiny sparkle of His light and beauty; kept to do His will and His +work in His own way; kept, it may be, to suffer for His sake; kept for +Him, that He may do just what seemeth Him good with me; kept, so that no +other lord shall have any more dominion over me, but that Jesus shall +have all there is to have;--little enough, indeed, but not divided or +diminished by any other claim. Is not this, O you who love the Lord--is +not this worth living for, worth asking for, worth trusting for? + +This is consecration, and I cannot tell you the blessedness of it. It is +not the least use arguing with one who has had but a taste of its +blessedness, and saying to him, 'How can these things be?' It is not the +least use starting all sorts of difficulties and theoretical suppositions +about it with such a one, any more than it was when the Jews argued with +the man who said, 'One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I +see.' The Lord Jesus does take the life that is offered to Him, and He +does keep the life for Himself that is entrusted to Him; but until the +life is offered we cannot know the taking, and until the life is +entrusted we cannot know or understand the keeping. All we can do is to +say, 'O taste and see!' and bear witness to the reality of Jesus Christ, +and set to our seal that we have found Him true to His every word, and +that we have proved Him able even to do exceeding abundantly above all we +asked or thought. Why should we hesitate to bear this testimony? We have +done nothing at all; we have, in all our efforts, only proved to +ourselves, and perhaps to others, that we had no power either to give or +keep our lives. Why should we not, then, glorify His grace by +acknowledging that we have found Him so wonderfully and tenderly gracious +and faithful in both taking and keeping as we never supposed or imagined? +I shall never forget the smile and emphasis with which a poor working man +bore this witness to his Lord. I said to him, 'Well, H., we have a good +Master, have we not?' 'Ah,' said he, 'a deal better than ever _I_ +thought!' That summed up his experience, and so it will sum up the +experience of every one who will but yield their lives wholly to the same +good Master. + + +I cannot close this chapter without a word with those, especially my +younger friends, who, although they have named the name of Christ, are +saying, 'Yes, this is all very well for some people, or for older people, +but I am not ready for it; I can't say I see my way to this sort of +thing.' I am going to take the lowest ground for a minute, and appeal to +_your_ 'past experience.' Are you satisfied with your experience of the +other 'sort of thing'? Your pleasant pursuits, your harmless recreations, +your nice occupations, even your improving ones, what fruit are you +having from them? Your social intercourse, your daily talks and walks, +your investments of all the time that remains to you over and above the +absolute duties God may have given you, what fruit that shall remain have +you from all this? Day after day passes on, and year after year, and what +shall the harvest be? What is even the present return? Are you getting +any real and lasting satisfaction out of it all? Are you not finding that +things lose their flavour, and that you are spending your strength day +after day for nought? that you are no more satisfied than you were a year +ago--rather less so, if anything? Does not a sense of hollowness and +weariness come over you as you go on in the same round, perpetually +getting through things only to begin again? It cannot be otherwise. Over +even the freshest and purest earthly fountains the Hand that never makes +a mistake has written, 'He that drinketh of this water shall thirst +again.' Look into your own heart and you will find a copy of that +inscription already traced, '_Shall thirst again_.' And the characters +are being deepened with every attempt to quench the inevitable thirst and +weariness in life, which can only be satisfied and rested in full +consecration to God. For 'Thou hast made us _for Thyself_, and the heart +never resteth till it findeth rest in Thee.' To-day I tell you of a +brighter and happier life, whose inscription is, '_Shall never +thirst_,'--a life that is no dull round-and-round in a circle of +unsatisfactorinesses, but a life that has found its true and entirely +satisfactory centre, and set itself towards a shining and entirely +satisfactory goal, whose brightness is cast over every step of the way. +Will you not seek it? + +Do not shrink, and suspect, and hang back from what it may involve, with +selfish and unconfiding and ungenerous half-heartedness. Take the word of +any who have willingly offered themselves unto the Lord, that the life of +consecration is 'a deal better than they thought!' Choose this day whom +you will serve with real, thorough-going, whole-hearted service, and He +will receive you; and you will find, as we have found, that He is such a +good Master that you are satisfied with His goodness, and that you will +never want to go out free. Nay, rather take His own word for it; see what +He says: 'If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in +prosperity, and their years in pleasures.' You cannot possibly understand +that till you are really _in_ His service! For He does not give, nor even +show, His wages before you enter it. And He says, 'My servants shall sing +for joy of heart.' But you cannot try over that song to see what it is +like, you cannot even read one bar of it, till your nominal or even +promised service is exchanged for real and undivided consecration. But +when He can call you 'My servant,' then you will find yourself singing +for joy of heart, because He says you shall. + +'And who, then, is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the +Lord?' + +'Do not startle at the term, or think, because you do not understand all +it may include, you are therefore not qualified for it. I dare say it +comprehends a great deal more than either you or I understand, but we can +both enter into the spirit of it, and the detail will unfold itself as +long as our probation shall last. Christ demands a hearty consecration in +_will_, and He will teach us what that involves in _act_.' + +This explains the paradox that 'full consecration' may be in one sense +the act of a moment, and in another the work of a lifetime. It must be +complete to be real, and yet if real, it is always incomplete; a point of +rest, and yet a perpetual progression. + +Suppose you make over a piece of ground to another person. You give it +up, then and there, entirely to that other; it is no longer in your own +possession; you no longer dig and sow, plant and reap, at your discretion +or for your own profit. His occupation of it is total; no other has any +right to an inch of it; it is his affair thenceforth what crops to +arrange for and how to make the most of it. But his practical occupation +of it may not appear all at once. There may be waste land which he will +take into full cultivation only by degrees, space wasted for want of +draining or by over fencing, and odd corners lost for want of enclosing; +fields yielding smaller returns than they might because of hedgerows too +wide and shady, and trees too many and spreading, and strips of good soil +trampled into uselessness for want of defined pathways. + +Just so is it with our lives. The transaction of, so to speak, making +them over to God is definite and complete. But then begins the practical +development of consecration. And here He leads on 'softly, according as +the children be able to endure.' I do not suppose any one sees anything +like all that it involves at the outset. We have not a notion what an +amount of waste of power there has been in our lives; we never measured +out the odd corners and the undrained bits, and it never occurred to us +what good fruit might be grown in our straggling hedgerows, nor how the +shade of our trees has been keeping the sun from the scanty crops. And +so, season by season, we shall be sometimes not a little startled, yet +always very glad, as we find that bit by bit the Master shows how much +more may be made of our ground, how much more He is able to make of it +than we did; and we shall be willing to work under Him and do exactly +what He points out, even if it comes to cutting down a shady tree, or +clearing out a ditch full of pretty weeds and wild-flowers. + +As the seasons pass on, it will seem as if there was always more and more +to be done; the very fact that He is constantly showing us something more +to be done in it, proving that it is really His ground. Only let Him +_have_ the ground, no matter how poor or overgrown the soil may be, and +then 'He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the +garden of the Lord.' Yes, even _our_ 'desert'! And then we shall sing, +'My beloved has gone down into _His_ garden, to the beds of spices, to +feed in the gardens and to gather lilies.' + + Made for Thyself, O God! + Made for Thy love, Thy service, Thy delight; + Made to show forth Thy wisdom, grace, and might; + Made for Thy praise, whom veiled archangels laud: + Oh, strange and glorious thought, that we may be + A joy to Thee! + + Yet the heart turns away + From this grand destiny of bliss, and deems + 'Twas made for its poor self, for passing dreams, + Chasing illusions melting day by day, + Till for ourselves we read on this world's best, + 'This is not rest!' + + + + + CHAPTER II. + Our Moments kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my moments and my days;_ + _Let them flow in ceaseless praise.'_ + +It may be a little help to writer and reader if we consider some of the +practical details of the life which we desire to have 'kept for Jesus' in +the order of the little hymn at the beginning of this book, with the one +word 'take' changed to 'keep.' So we will take a couplet for each +chapter. + +The first point that naturally comes up is that which is almost +synonymous with life--our time. And this brings us at once face to face +with one of our past difficulties, and its probable cause. + +When we take a wide sweep, we are so apt to be vague. When we are aiming +at generalities we do not hit the practicalities. We forget that +faithfulness to principle is only proved by faithfulness in detail. Has +not this vagueness had something to do with the constant ineffectiveness +of our feeble desire that our time should be devoted to God? + +In things spiritual, the greater does not always include the less, but, +paradoxically, the less more often includes the greater. So in this case, +time is entrusted to us to be traded with for our Lord. But we cannot +grasp it as a whole. We instinctively break it up ere we can deal with it +for any purpose. So when a new year comes round, we commit it with +special earnestness to the Lord. But as we do so, are we not conscious of +a feeling that even a year is too much for us to deal with? And does not +this feeling, that we are dealing with a larger thing than we can grasp, +take away from the sense of reality? Thus we are brought to a more +manageable measure; and as the Sunday mornings or the Monday mornings +come round, we thankfully commit the opening week to Him, and the sense +of help and rest is renewed and strengthened. But not even the six or +seven days are close enough to our hand; even to-morrow exceeds our tiny +grasp, and even to-morrow's grace is therefore not given to us. So we +find the need of considering our lives as a matter of day by day, and +that any more general committal and consecration of our time does not +meet the case so truly. Here we have found much comfort and help, and if +results have not been entirely satisfactory, they have, at least, been +more so than before we reached this point of subdivision. + +But if we have found help and blessing by going a certain distance in one +direction, is it not probable we shall find more if we go farther in the +same? And so, if we may commit the days to our Lord, why not the hours, +and why not the moments? And may we not expect a fresh and special +blessing in so doing? + +We do not realize the importance of moments. Only let us consider those +two sayings of God about them, 'In a moment shall they die,' and, 'We +shall all be changed in a moment,' and we shall think less lightly of +them. Eternal issues may hang upon any one of them, but it has come and +gone before we can even think about it. Nothing seems less within the +possibility of our own keeping, yet nothing is more inclusive of all +other keeping. Therefore let us ask Him to keep them for us. + +Are they not the tiny joints in the harness through which the darts of +temptation pierce us? Only give us time, we think, and we should not be +overcome. Only give us time, and we could pray and resist, and the devil +would flee from us! But he comes all in a moment; and in a moment--an +unguarded, unkept one--we utter the hasty or exaggerated word, or think +the un-Christ-like thought, or feel the un-Christ-like impatience or +resentment. + +But even if we have gone so far as to say, 'Take my moments,' have we +gone the step farther, and really _let_ Him take them--really entrusted +them to Him? It is no good saying 'take,' when we do not let go. How can +another keep that which we are keeping hold of? So let us, with full +trust in His power, first commit these slippery moments to Him,--put them +right into His hand,--and then we may trustfully and happily say, 'Lord, +keep them for me! Keep every one of the quick series as it arises. I +cannot keep them for Thee; do Thou keep them for Thyself!' + + +But the sanctified and Christ-loving heart cannot be satisfied with only +negative keeping. We do not want only to be kept from displeasing Him, +but to be kept always pleasing Him. Every 'kept _from_' should have its +corresponding and still more blessed 'kept _for_.' We do not want our +moments to be simply kept from Satan's use, but kept for His use; we want +them to be not only kept from sin, but kept for His praise. + +Do you ask, 'But what use can he make of mere moments?' I will not stay +to prove or illustrate the obvious truth that, as are the moments so will +be the hours and the days which they build. You understand that well +enough. I will answer your question as it stands. + +Look back through the history of the Church in all ages, and mark how +often a great work and mighty influence grew out of a mere moment in the +life of one of God's servants; a mere moment, but overshadowed and filled +with the fruitful power of the Spirit of God. The moment may have been +spent in uttering five words, but they have fed five thousand, or even +five hundred thousand. Or it may have been lit by the flash of a thought +that has shone into hearts and homes throughout the land, and kindled +torches that have been borne into earth's darkest corners. The rapid +speaker or the lonely thinker little guessed what use his Lord was making +of that single moment. There was no room in it for even a thought of +that. If that moment had not been, though perhaps unconsciously, 'kept +for Jesus,' but had been otherwise occupied, what a harvest to His praise +would have been missed! + +The same thing is going on every day. It is generally a moment--either an +opening or a culminating one--that really does the work. It is not so +often a whole sermon as a single short sentence in it that wings God's +arrow to a heart. It is seldom a whole conversation that is the means of +bringing about the desired result, but some sudden turn of thought or +word, which comes with the electric touch of God's power. Sometimes it is +less than that; only a look (and what is more momentary?) has been used +by Him for the pulling down of strongholds. Again, in our own quiet +waiting upon God, as moment after moment glides past in the silence at +His feet, the eye resting upon a page of His Word, or only looking up to +Him through the darkness, have we not found that He can so irradiate one +passing moment with His light that its rays never die away, but shine on +and on through days and years? Are not such moments proved to have been +kept for Him? And if some, why not all? + +This view of moments seems to make it clearer that it is impossible to +serve two masters, for it is evident that the service of a moment cannot +be divided. If it is occupied in the service of self, or any other +master, it is not at the Lord's disposal; He cannot make use of what is +already occupied. + +Oh, how much we have missed by not placing them at his disposal! What +might He not have done with the moments freighted with self or loaded +with emptiness, which we have carelessly let drift by! Oh, what might +have been if they had all been kept for Jesus! How He might have filled +them with His light and life, enriching our own lives that have been +impoverished by the waste, and using them in far-spreading blessing and +power! + + +While we have been undervaluing these fractions of eternity, what has our +gracious God been doing in them? How strangely touching are the words, +'What is man, that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him, and that Thou +shouldest visit him every morning, and _try him every moment?_' Terribly +solemn and awful would be the thought that He has been trying us every +moment, were it not for the yearning gentleness and love of the Father +revealed in that wonderful expression of wonder, 'What is man, that Thou +shouldest set Thine heart upon him?' Think of that ceaseless setting of +His heart upon us, careless and forgetful children as we have been! And +then think of those other words, none the less literally true because +given under a figure: 'I, the Lord, do keep it; _I will water it every +moment._' + +We see something of God's infinite greatness and wisdom when we try to +fix our dazzled gaze on infinite space. But when we turn to the marvels +of the microscope, we gain a clearer view and more definite grasp of +these attributes by gazing on the perfection of His infinitesimal +handiworks. Just so, while we cannot realize the infinite love which +fills eternity, and the infinite vistas of the great future are 'dark +with excess of light' even to the strongest telescopes of faith, we see +that love magnified in the microscope of the moments, brought very close +to us, and revealing its unspeakable perfection of detail to our +wondering sight. + +But we do not see this as long as the moments are kept in our own hands. +We are like little children closing our fingers over diamonds. How can +they receive and reflect the rays of light, analyzing them into all the +splendour of their prismatic beauty, while they are kept shut up tight in +the dirty little hands? Give them up; let our Father hold them for us, +and throw His own great light upon them, and then we shall see them full +of fair colours of His manifold loving-kindnesses; and let Him always +keep them for us, and then we shall always see His light and His love +reflected in them. + +And then, surely, they shall be filled with praise. Not that we are to be +always singing hymns, and using the expressions of other people's praise, +any more than the saints in glory are always literally singing a new +song. But praise will be the tone, the colour, the atmosphere in which +they flow; none of them away from it or out of it. + +Is it a little too much for them all to 'flow in ceaseless praise'? Well, +where will you stop? What proportion of your moments do you think enough +for Jesus? How many for the spirit of praise, and how many for the spirit +of heaviness? Be explicit about it, and come to an understanding. If He +is not to have all, then _how much?_ Calculate, balance, and apportion. +You will not be able to do this in heaven--you know it will be all praise +there; but you are free to halve your service of praise here, or to make +the proportion what you will. + +Yet,--He made you for His glory. + +Yet,--He chose you that you should be to the praise of His glory. + +Yet,--He loves you every moment, waters you every moment, watches you +unslumberingly, cares for you unceasingly. + +Yet,--He died for you! + +Dear friends, one can hardly write it without tears. Shall you or I +remember all this love, and hesitate to give all our moments up to Him? +Let us entrust Him with them, and ask Him to keep them all, every single +one, for His own beloved self, and fill them _all_ with His praise, and +let them _all_ be to His praise! + + + + + Chapter III. + Our Hands Kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my hands, that they may move_ + _At the impulse of Thy love.'_ + +When the Lord has said to us, 'Is thine heart right, as My heart is with +thy heart?' the next word seems to be, 'If it be, give Me thine hand.' + +What a call to confidence, and love, and free, loyal, happy service is +this! and how different will the result of its acceptance be from the old +lamentation: 'We labour and have no rest; we have given the hand to the +Egyptians and to the Assyrians.' In the service of these 'other lords,' +under whatever shape they have presented themselves, we shall have known +something of the meaning of having 'both the hands full with travail and +vexation of spirit.' How many a thing have we 'taken in hand,' as we say, +which we expected to find an agreeable task, an interest in life, a +something towards filling up that unconfessed 'aching void' which is +often most real when least acknowledged; and after a while we have found +it change under our hands into irksome travail, involving perpetual +vexation of spirit! The thing may have been of the earth and for the +world, and then no wonder it failed to satisfy even the instinct of work, +which comes natural to many of us. Or it may have been right enough in +itself, something for the good of others so far as we understood their +good, and unselfish in all but unravelled motive, and yet we found it +full of tangled vexations, because the hands that held it were not simply +consecrated to God. Well, if so, let us bring these soiled and +tangle-making hands to the Lord, 'Let us lift up our heart with our +hands' to Him, asking Him to clear and cleanse them. + +If He says, 'What is that in thine hand?' let us examine honestly whether +it is something which He can use for His glory or not. If not, do not let +us hesitate an instant about dropping it. It may be something we do not +like to part with; but the Lord is able to give thee much more than this, +and the first glimpse of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus +your Lord will enable us to count those things loss which were gain to +us. + +But if it is something which He can use, He will make us do ever so much +more with it than before. Moses little thought what the Lord was going to +make him do with that 'rod in his hand'! The first thing he had to do +with it was to 'cast it on the ground,' and see it pass through a +startling change. After this he was commanded to take it up again, hard +and terrifying as it was to do so. But when it became again a rod in his +hand, it was no longer what it was before, the simple rod of a wandering +desert shepherd. Henceforth it was 'the rod of God in his hand' (Ex. iv. +20), wherewith he should do signs, and by which God Himself would do +'marvellous things' (Ps. lxxviii. 12). + + +If we look at any Old Testament text about consecration, we shall see +that the marginal reading of the word is, 'fill the hand' (_e. g._ Ex. +xxviii. 41; 1 Chron. xxix. 5). Now, if our hands are full of 'other +things,' they cannot be filled with 'the things that are Jesus Christ's'; +there must be emptying before there can be any true filling. So if we are +sorrowfully seeing that our hands have not been kept for Jesus, let us +humbly begin at the beginning, and ask Him to empty them thoroughly, that +He may fill them completely. + +For they _must_ be emptied. Either we come to our Lord willingly about +it, letting Him unclasp their hold, and gladly dropping the glittering +weights they have been carrying, or, in very love, He will have to force +them open, and wrench from the reluctant grasp the 'earthly things' which +are so occupying them that He cannot have His rightful use of them. There +is only one other alternative, a terrible one,--to be let alone till the +day comes when not a gentle Master, but the relentless king of terrors +shall empty the trembling hands as our feet follow him out of the busy +world into the dark valley, for 'it is certain we can carry nothing out.' + + +Yet the emptying and the filling are not all that has to be considered. +Before the hands of the priests could be filled with the emblems of +consecration, they had to be laid upon the emblem of atonement (Lev. +viii. 14, etc.). That came first. 'Aaron and his sons laid their hands +upon the head of the bullock for the sin-offering.' So the transference +of guilt to our Substitute, typified by that act, must precede the +dedication of ourselves to God. + + 'My faith would lay her hand + On that dear head of Thine, + While like a penitent I stand, + And there confess my sin.' + +The blood of that Holy Substitute was shed 'to make reconciliation upon +the altar.' Without that reconciliation we cannot offer and present +ourselves to God; but this being made, Christ Himself presents us. And +you, that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked +works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, +to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight. + +Then Moses 'brought the ram for the burnt-offering; and Aaron and his +sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram, and Moses burnt the whole +ram upon the altar; it was a burnt-offering for a sweet savour, and an +offering made by fire unto the Lord.' Thus Christ's offering was indeed a +whole one, body, soul, and spirit, each and all suffering even unto +death. These atoning sufferings, accepted by God for us, are, by our own +free act, accepted by us as the ground of our acceptance. + +Then, reconciled and accepted, we are ready for consecration; for then +'he brought the other ram; the ram of consecration; and Aaron and his +sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.' Here we see Christ, 'who +is consecrated for evermore.' We enter by faith into union with Him who +said, 'For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be +sanctified through the truth.' + +After all this, their hands were filled with 'consecrations for a sweet +savour,' so, after laying the hand of our faith upon Christ, suffering +and dying for us, we are to lay that very same hand of faith, and in the +very same way, upon Him as consecrated for us, to be the source and life +and power of our consecration. And then our hands shall be filled with +'consecrations,' filled with Christ, and filled with all that is a sweet +savour to God in Him. + +'And who then is willing to fill his hand this day unto the Lord?' Do you +want an added motive? Listen again: 'Fill your hands to-day to the Lord, +that He may bestow upon you a blessing this day.' Not a long time hence, +not even to-morrow, but 'this day.' Do you not want a blessing? Is not +your answer to your Father's 'What wilt thou?' the same as Achsah's, +'Give me a blessing!' Here is His promise of just what you so want; will +you not gladly fulfil His condition? A blessing shall immediately follow. +He does not specify what it shall be; He waits to reveal it. You will +find it such a blessing as you had not supposed could be for you--a +blessing that shall verily make you rich, with no sorrow added--a +blessing _this day_. + + +All that has been said about consecration applies to our literal members. +Stay a minute, and look at your hand, the hand that holds this little +book as you read it. See how wonderfully it is made; how perfectly fitted +for what it has to do; how ingeniously connected with the brain, so as to +yield that instantaneous and instinctive obedience without which its +beautiful mechanism would be very little good to us! _Your_ hand, do you +say? Whether it is soft and fair with an easy life, or rough and strong +with a working one, or white and weak with illness, it is the Lord Jesus +Christ's. It is not your own at all; it belongs to Him. He made it, for +without Him was not anything made that was made, not even your hand. And +He has the added right of purchase--He has bought it that it might be one +of His own instruments. We know this very well, but have we realized it? +Have we really let Him have the use of these hands of ours? and have we +ever simply and sincerely asked Him to keep them for His own use? + +Does this mean that we are always to be doing some definitely 'religious' +work, as it is called? No, but that _all that we do_ is to be always +definitely done _for Him_. There is a great difference. If the hands are +indeed moving 'at the impulse of His love,' the simplest little duties +and acts are transfigured into holy service to the Lord. + + 'A servant with this clause + Makes drudgery divine; + Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws, + Makes that and the action fine.' + + George Herbert. + +A Christian school-girl loves Jesus; she wants to please Him all day +long, and so she practices her scales carefully and conscientiously. It +is at the impulse of His love that her fingers move so steadily through +the otherwise tiresome exercises. Some day her Master will find a use for +her music; but meanwhile it may be just as really done unto Him as if it +were Mr. Sankey at his organ, swaying the hearts of thousands. The hand +of a Christian lad traces his Latin verses, or his figures, or his +copying. He is doing his best, because a banner has been given him that +it may be displayed, not so much by talk as by continuance in well-doing. +And so, for Jesus' sake, his hand moves accurately and perseveringly. + +A busy wife, or daughter, or servant has a number of little manual duties +to perform. If these are done slowly and leisurely, they may be got +through, but there will not be time left for some little service to the +poor, or some little kindness to a suffering or troubled neighbour, or +for a little quiet time alone with God and His word. And so the hands +move quickly, impelled by the loving desire for service or communion, +kept in busy motion for Jesus' sake. Or it may be that the special aim is +to give no occasion of reproach to some who are watching, but so to adorn +the doctrine that those may be won by the life who will not be won by the +word. Then the hands will have their share to do; they will move +carefully, neatly, perhaps even elegantly, making every thing around as +nice as possible, letting their intelligent touch be seen in the details +of the home, and even of the dress, doing or arranging all the little +things decently and in order for Jesus' sake. And so on with every duty +in every position. + +It may seem an odd idea, but a simple glance at one's hand, with the +recollection, 'This hand is not mine; it has been given to Jesus, and it +must be kept for Jesus,' may sometimes turn the scale in a doubtful +matter, and be a safeguard from certain temptations. With that thought +fresh in your mind as you look at your hand, can you let it take up +things which, to say the very least, are not 'for Jesus'? things which +evidently cannot be used, as they most certainly are not used, either for +Him or by Him? Cards, for instance! Can you deliberately hold in it books +of a kind which you know perfectly well, by sadly repeated experience, +lead you farther from instead of nearer to Him? books which must and do +fill your mind with those 'other things' which, entering in, choke the +word? books which you would not care to read at all, if your heart were +burning within you at the coming of His feet to bless you? Next time any +temptation of this sort approaches, just _look at your hand!_ + +It was of a literal hand that our Lord Jesus spoke when He said, 'Behold, +the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table;' and, 'He that +dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me.' A hand +so near to Jesus, with Him on the table, touching His own hand in the +dish at that hour of sweetest, and closest, and most solemn intercourse, +and yet betraying Him! That same hand taking the thirty pieces of silver! +What a tremendous lesson of the need of keeping for our hands! Oh that +every hand that is with Him at His sacramental table, and that takes the +memorial bread, may be kept from any faithless and loveless motion! And +again, it was by literal 'wicked hands' that our Lord Jesus was crucified +and slain. Does not the thought that human hands have been so treacherous +and cruel to our beloved Lord make us wish the more fervently that our +hands may be totally faithful and devoted to Him? + + +Danger and temptation to let the hands move at other impulses is every +bit as great to those who have nothing else to do but to render direct +service, and who think they are doing nothing else. Take one practical +instance--our letter-writing. Have we not been tempted (and fallen before +the temptation), according to our various dispositions, to let the hand +that holds the pen move at the impulse to write an unkind thought of +another; or to say a clever and sarcastic thing, or a slightly coloured +and exaggerated thing, which will make our point more telling; or to let +out a grumble or a suspicion; or to let the pen run away with us into +flippant and trifling words, unworthy of our high and holy calling? Have +we not drifted away from the golden reminder, 'Should he reason with +unprofitable talk, and with speeches wherewith he can do no good?' Why +has this been, perhaps again and again? Is it not for want of putting our +hands into our dear Master's hand, and asking and trusting Him to keep +them? He _could_ have kept; He _would_ have kept! + +Whatever our work or our special temptations may be, the principle +remains the same, only let us apply it for ourselves. + +Perhaps one hardly needs to say that the kept hands will be very gentle +hands. Quick, angry motions of the heart will sometimes force themselves +into expression by the hand, though the tongue may be restrained. The +very way in which we close a door or lay down a book may be a victory or +a defeat, a witness to Christ's keeping or a witness that we are not +truly being kept. How can we expect that God will use this member as an +instrument of righteousness unto Him, if we yield it thus as an +instrument of unrighteousness unto sin? Therefore let us see to it, that +it is at once yielded to Him whose right it is; and let our sorrow that +it should have been even for an instant desecrated to Satan's use, lead +us to entrust it henceforth to our Lord, to be kept by the power of God +through faith 'for the Master's use.' + +For when the gentleness of Christ dwells in us, He can use the merest +touch of a finger. Have we not heard of one gentle touch on a wayward +shoulder being the turning-point of a life? I have known a case in which +the Master made use of less than that--only the quiver of a little finger +being made the means of touching a wayward heart. + +What must the touch of the Master's own hand have been! One imagines it +very gentle, though so full of power. Can He not communicate both the +power and the gentleness? When He touched the hand of Peter's wife's +mother, she arose and ministered unto them. Do you not think the hand +which Jesus had just touched must have ministered very excellently? As we +ask Him to 'touch our lips with living fire,' so that they may speak +effectively for Him, may we not ask Him to touch our hands, that they may +minister effectively, and excel in all that they find to do for Him? Then +our hands shall be made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob. + + +It is very pleasant to feel that if our hands are indeed our Lord's, we +may ask Him to guide them, and strengthen them, and teach them. I do not +mean figuratively, but quite literally. In everything they do for Him +(and that should be _everything we ever undertake_) we want to do it +well--better and better. 'Seek that ye may excel.' We are too apt to +think that He has given us certain natural gifts, but has nothing +practically to do with the improvement of them, and leaves us to +ourselves for that. Why not ask him to make these hands of ours more +handy for His service, more skilful in what is indicated as the 'next +thynge' they are to do? The 'kept' hands need not be clumsy hands. If the +Lord taught David's hands to war and his fingers to fight, will He not +teach our hands, and fingers too, to do what He would have them do? + +The Spirit of God must have taught Bezaleel's hands as well as his head, +for he was filled with it not only that he might devise cunning works, +but also in cutting of stones and carving of timber. And when all the +women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, the hands must +have been made skilful as well as the hearts made wise to prepare the +beautiful garments and curtains. + +There is a very remarkable instance of the hand of the Lord, which I +suppose signifies in that case the power of His Spirit, being upon the +hand of a man. In 1 Chron. xxviii. 19, we read: 'All this, said David, +the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the +works of this pattern.' This cannot well mean that the Lord gave David a +miraculously written scroll, because, a few verses before, it says that +he had it all by the Spirit. So what else can it mean but that as David +wrote, the hand of the Lord was upon his hand, impelling him to trace, +letter by letter, the right words of description for all the details of +the temple that Solomon should build, with its courts and chambers, its +treasuries and vessels? Have we not sometimes sat down to write, feeling +perplexed and ignorant, and wishing some one were there to tell us what +to say? At such a moment, whether it were a mere note for post, or a +sheet for press, it is a great comfort to recollect this mighty laying of +a Divine hand upon a human one, and ask for the same help from the same +Lord. It is sure to be given! + + +And now, dear friend, what about your own hands? Are they consecrated to +the Lord who loves you? And if they are, are you trusting Him to keep +them, and enjoying all that is involved in that keeping? Do let this be +settled with your Master before you go on to the next chapter. + +After all, this question will hinge on another, Do you love Him? If you +really do, there can surely be neither hesitation about yielding them to +Him, nor about entrusting them to Him to be kept. _Does He love you?_ +That is the truer way of putting it; for it is not our love to Christ, +but the love of Christ to us which constraineth us. And this is the +impulse of the motion and the mode of the keeping. The steam-engine does +not move when the fire is not kindled, nor when it is gone out; no matter +how complete the machinery and abundant the fuel, cold coals will neither +set it going nor keep it working. Let us ask Him so to shed abroad His +love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, that it may +be the perpetual and only impulse of every action of our daily life. + + + + + Chapter IV. + Our Feet kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my feet, that they may be_ + _Swift and beautiful for Thee.'_ + +The figurative keeping of the feet of His saints, with the promise that +when they run they shall not stumble, is a most beautiful and helpful +subject. But it is quite distinct from the literal keeping for Jesus of +our literal feet. + +There is a certain homeliness about the idea which helps to make it very +real. These very feet of ours are purchased for Christ's service by the +precious drops which fell from His own torn and pierced feet upon the +cross. They are to be His errand-runners. How can we let the world, the +flesh, and the devil have the use of what has been purchased with such +payment? + +Shall 'the world' have the use of them? Shall they carry us where the +world is paramount, and the Master cannot be even named, because the +mention of His Name would be so obviously out of place? I know the +apparent difficulties of a subject which will at once occur in connection +with this, but they all vanish when our bright banner is loyally +unfurled, with its motto, '_All_ for Jesus!' Do you honestly want your +very feet to be 'kept for Jesus'? Let these simple words, '_Kept for +Jesus_,' ring out next time the dancing difficulty or any other +difficulty of the same kind comes up, and I know what the result will be! + +Shall 'the flesh' have the use of them? Shall they carry us hither and +thither merely because we like to go, merely because it pleases ourselves +to take this walk or pay this visit? And after all, what a failure it is! +If people only _would_ believe it, self-pleasing is always a failure in +the end. Our good Master gives us a reality and fulness of _pleasure_ in +pleasing Him which we never get out of pleasing ourselves. + +Shall 'the devil' have the use of them? Oh no, of course not! We start +back at this, as a highly unnecessary question. Yet if Jesus has not, +Satan has. For as all are serving either the Prince of Life or the prince +of this world, and as no man can serve two masters, it follows that if we +are not serving the one, we are serving the other. And Satan is only too +glad to disguise this service under the less startling form of the world, +or the still less startling one of self. All that is not 'kept for +Jesus,' is left for self or the world, and therefore for Satan. + + +There is no fear but that our Lord will have many uses for what is kept +by Him for Himself. 'How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad +tidings of good things!' That is the best use of all; and I expect the +angels think those feet beautiful, even if they are cased in muddy boots +or goloshes. + +Once the question was asked, 'Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing +that thou hast no tidings ready?' So if we want to have these beautiful +feet, we must have the tidings ready which they are to bear. Let us ask +Him to keep our hearts so freshly full of His good news of salvation, +that our mouths may speak out of their abundance. 'If the clouds be full +of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.' The 'two olive branches +empty the golden oil out of themselves.' May we be so filled with the +Spirit that we may thus have much to pour out for others! + +Besides the great privilege of carrying water from the wells of +salvation, there are plenty of cups of cold water to be carried in all +directions; not to the poor only,--ministries of love are often as much +needed by a rich friend. But the feet must be kept for these; they will +be too tired for them if they are tired out for self-pleasing. In such +services we are treading in the blessed steps of His most holy life, who +'went about doing good.' + +Then there is literal errand-going,--just to fetch something that is +needed for the household, or something that a tired relative wants, +whether asked or unasked. Such things should come first instead of last, +because these are clearly indicated as our Lord's will for us to do, by +the position in which He has placed us; while what _seems_ more direct +service, may be after all not so directly apportioned by Him. 'I have to +go and buy some soap,' said one with a little sigh. The sigh was waste of +breath, for her feet were going to do her Lord's will for that next +half-hour much more truly than if they had carried her to her well-worked +district, and left the soap to take its chance. + +A member of the Young Women's Christian Association wrote a few words on +this subject, which, I think, will be welcome to many more than she +expected them to reach:-- + +'May it not be a comfort to those of us who feel we have not the mental +or spiritual power that others have, to notice that the living sacrifice +mentioned in Rom. xii. 1 is our "bodies"? Of course, that includes the +mental power, but does it not also include the loving, sympathizing +glance, the kind, encouraging word, _the ready errand for another_, the +work of our hands, opportunities for all of which come oftener in the day +than for the mental power we are often tempted to envy? May we be enabled +to offer willingly that which we have. For if there be first a willing +mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to +that he hath not.' + +If our feet are to be kept at His disposal, our eyes must be ever toward +the Lord for guidance. We must look to Him for our orders where to go. +Then He will be sure to give them. 'The steps of a good man are ordered +by the Lord.' Very often we find that they have been so very literally +ordered for us that we are quite astonished,--just as if He had not +promised! + +Do not smile at a _very_ homely thought! If our feet are not our own, +ought we not to take care of them for Him whose they are? Is it quite +right to be reckless about 'getting wet feet,' which might be guarded +against either by forethought or afterthought, when there is, at least, a +risk of hindering our service thereby? Does it please the Master when +even in our zeal for His work we annoy anxious friends by carelessness in +little things of this kind? + +May every step of our feet be more and more like those of our beloved +Master. Let us continually consider Him in this, and go where He would +have gone, on the errands which He would have done, 'following hard' +after Him. And let us look on to the time when our feet shall stand in +the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, when holy feet shall tread the +streets of the holy city; no longer pacing any lonely path, for He hath +said, 'They shall walk with Me in white.' + + 'And He hath said, "How beautiful the feet!" + The "feet" so weary, travel-stained, and worn-- + The "feet" that humbly, patiently have borne + The toilsome way, the pressure, and the heat. + + 'The "feet," not hasting on with winged might, + Nor strong to trample down the opposing foe; + So lowly, and so human, they must go + By painful steps to scale the mountain height. + + 'Not unto all the tuneful lips are given, + The ready tongue, the words so strong and sweet; + Yet all may turn, with humble, willing "feet," + And bear to darkened souls the light from heaven. + + 'And fall they while the goal far distant lies, + With scarce a word yet spoken for their Lord-- + His sweet approval He doth yet accord; + Their "feet" are beauteous in the Master's eyes. + + 'With weary human "feet" He, day by day, + Once trod this earth to work His acts of love; + And every step is chronicled above + His servants take to follow in His way.' + + Sarah Geraldina Stock. + + + + + Chapter V. + Our Voices kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my voice, and let me sing_ + _Always, only, for my King.'_ + +I have wondered a little at being told by an experienced worker, that in +many cases the voice seems the last and hardest thing to yield entirely +to the King; and that many who think and say they have consecrated all to +the Lord and His service, 'revolt' when it comes to be a question of +whether they shall sing 'always, only,' for their King. They do not mind +singing a few general sacred songs, but they do not see their way to +really singing always and only unto and for Him. They want to bargain and +balance a little. They question and argue about what proportion they may +keep for self-pleasing and company-pleasing, and how much they must 'give +up'; and who will and who won't like it; and what they 'really _must_ +sing,' and what they 'really must _not_ sing' at certain times and +places; and what 'won't do,' and what they 'can't very well help,' and so +on. And so when the question, 'How much owest thou unto my Lord?' is +applied to this particularly pleasant gift, it is not met with the loyal, +free-hearted, happy response, 'All! yes, _all_ for Jesus!' + +I know there are special temptations around this matter. Vain and selfish +ones--whispering how much better a certain song suits your voice, and how +much more likely to be admired. Faithless ones--suggesting doubts whether +you can make the holy song 'go.' Specious ones--asking whether you ought +not to please your neighbours, and hushing up the rest of the precept, +'Let every one of you please his neighbour _for his good to edification_' +(Rom. xv. 2). Cowardly ones--telling you that it is just a little too +much to expect of you, and that you are not called upon to wave your +banner in people's very faces, and provoke surprise and remark, as this +might do. And so the banner is kept furled, the witness for Jesus is not +borne, and you sing for others and not for your King. + +The words had passed your lips, 'Take my voice!' And yet you will not let +Him have it; you will not let Him have that which costs you something, +just _because_ it costs you something! And yet He lent you that pleasant +voice that you might use it for Him. And yet He, in the sureness of His +perpetual presence, was beside you all the while, and heard every note as +you sang the songs which were, as your inmost heart knew, _not_ for Him. + +Where is your faith? Where is the consecration you have talked about? The +voice has not been kept for Him, because it has not been truly and +unreservedly given to Him. Will you not now say, 'Take my voice, for I +had not given it to Thee; keep my voice, for I cannot keep it for Thee'? + +And He will keep it! You cannot tell, till you have tried, how surely all +the temptations flee when it is no longer your battle but the Lord's; nor +how completely and _curiously_ all the difficulties vanish, when you +simply and trustfully go forward in the path of full consecration in this +matter. You will find that the keeping is most wonderfully real. Do not +expect to lay down rules and provide for every sort of contingency. If +you could, you would miss the sweetness of the continual guidance in the +'kept' course. Have only one rule about it--just to look up to your +Master about every single song you are asked or feel inclined to sing. If +you are 'willing and obedient,' you will always meet His guiding eye. He +will always keep the voice that is wholly at His disposal. Soon you will +have such experience of His immediate guidance that you will be utterly +satisfied with it, and only sorrowfully wonder you did not sooner thus +simply lean on it. + +I have just received a letter from one who has laid her special gift at +the feet of the Giver, yielding her voice to Him with hearty desire that +it might be kept for His use. She writes: 'I had two lessons on singing +while in Germany from our Master. One was very sweet. A young girl wrote +to me, that when she had heard me sing, "O come, every one that +thirsteth," she went away and prayed that she might come, and she _did_ +come, too. Is not He good? The other was: I had been tempted to join the +_Gesang Verein_ in N----. I prayed to be shown whether I was right in so +doing or not. I did not see my way clear, so I went. The singing was all +secular. The very first night I went I caught a bad cold on my chest, +which prevented me from singing again at all till Christmas. Those were +better than any lessons from a singing master!' Does not this illustrate +both the keeping _from_ and the keeping _for?_ In the latter case I +believe she honestly wished to know her Lord's will,--whether the +training and practice were needed for His better service with her music, +and that, therefore, she might take them for His sake; or whether the +concomitants and influence would be such as to hinder the close communion +with Him which she had found so precious, and that, therefore, she was to +trust Him to give her 'much more than this.' And so, at once, He showed +her unmistakeably what He would have her _not_ do, and gave her the sweet +consciousness that He Himself was teaching her and taking her at her +word. I know what her passionate love for music is, and how very real and +great the compensation from Him must have been which could thus make her +right down _glad_ about what would otherwise have been an immense +disappointment. And then, as to the former of these two 'lessons,' the +song she names was one substituted when she said, 'Take my voice,' for +some which were far more effective for her voice. But having freely +chosen to sing what might glorify the Master rather than the singer, see +how, almost immediately, He gave her a reward infinitely outweighing all +the drawing-room compliments or concert-room applause! That one +consecrated song found echoes in heaven, bringing, by its blessed result, +joy to the angels and glory to God. And the memory of that song is +immortal; it will live through ages to come, never lost, never dying +away, when the vocal triumphs of the world's greatest singers are past +and forgotten for ever. Now you who have been taking a half-and-half +course, do _you_ get such rewards as this? You may well envy them! But +why not take the same decided course, and share the same blessed keeping +and its fulness of hidden reward? + +If you only knew, dear hesitating friends, what strength and gladness the +Master gives when we loyally 'sing forth the honour of His Name,' you +would not forego it! Oh, if you only knew the difficulties it saves! For +when you sing 'always and only for your King,' you will not get much +entangled by the King's enemies, Singing an out-and-out sacred song often +clears one's path at a stroke as to many other things. If you only knew +the rewards He gives--very often then and there; the recognition that you +are one of the King's friends by some lonely and timid one; the openings +which you quite naturally gain of speaking a word for Jesus to hearts +which, without the song, would never have given you the chance of the +word! If you only knew the joy of believing that His sure promise, 'My +Word shall not return unto Me void,' will be fulfilled as you _sing_ that +word for Him! If you only tasted the solemn happiness of knowing that you +have indeed a royal audience, that the King Himself is listening as you +sing! If you only knew--and why should you not know? Shall not the time +past of your life suffice you for the miserable, double-hearted, +calculating service? Let Him have the _whole_ use of your voice at any +cost, and see if He does not put many a totally unexpected new song into +your mouth! + +I am not writing all this to great and finished singers, but to everybody +who can sing at all. Those who think they have only a very small talent, +are often most tempted not to trade with it for their Lord. Whether you +have much or little natural voice, there is reason for its cultivation +and room for its use. Place it at your Lord's disposal, and He will show +you how to make the most of it for Him; for not seldom His multiplying +power is brought to bear on a consecrated voice. A puzzled singing +master, very famous in his profession, said to one who tried to sing for +Jesus, 'Well, you have not much voice; but, mark my words, you will +always beat anybody with four times your voice!' He was right, though he +did not in the least know why. + + +A great many so-called 'sacred songs' are so plaintive and pathetic that +they help to give a gloomy idea of religion. Now _don't_ sing these; come +out boldly, and sing definitely and unmistakeably for your King, and of +your King, and to your King. You will soon find, and even outsiders will +have to own, that it is a _good_ thing thus to show forth His +loving-kindness and His faithfulness (see Ps. xcii. 1-3). + +Here I am usually met by the query, 'But what would you advise me to +sing?' I can only say that I never got any practical help from asking any +one but the Master Himself, and so I would advise you to do the same! He +knows exactly what will best suit your voice and enable you to sing best +for Him; for He made it, and gave it just the pitch and tone He pleased, +so, of course, He is the best counsellor about it. Refer your question in +simplest faith to Him, and I am perfectly sure you will find it answered. +He will direct you, and in some way or other the Lord will provide the +right songs for you to sing. That is the very best advice I can possibly +give you on the subject, and you will prove it to be so if you will act +upon it. + +Only one thing I would add: I believe there is nothing like singing His +own words. The preacher claims the promise, 'My word shall not return +unto Me void,' and why should not the singer equally claim it? Why should +we use His own inspired words, with faith in their power, when speaking +or writing, and content ourselves with human words put into rhyme (and +sometimes very feeble rhyme) for our singing? + +What a vista of happy work opens out here! What is there to prevent our +using this mightiest of all agencies committed to human agents, the Word, +which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, +whenever we are asked to sing? By this means, even a young girl may be +privileged to make that Word sound in the ears of many who would not +listen to it otherwise. By this, the incorruptible seed may be sown in +otherwise unreachable ground. + +It is a remarkable fact that it is actually the easiest way thus to take +the very highest ground. You will find that singing Bible words does not +excite the prejudice or contempt that any other words, sufficiently +decided to be worth singing, are almost sure to do. For very decency's +sake, a Bible song will be listened to respectfully; and for very shame's +sake, no adverse whisper will be ventured against the words in ordinary +English homes. The singer is placed on a vantage-ground, certain that at +least the words of the song will be outwardly respected, and the possible +ground of unfriendly criticism thus narrowed to begin with. + +But there is much more than this. One feels the power of His words for +oneself as one sings. One loves them and rejoices in them, and what can +be greater help to any singer than that? And one knows they are true, and +that they cannot really return void, and what can give greater confidence +than that? God _may_ bless the singing of any words, but He _must_ bless +the singing of His own Word, if that promise means what it says! + +The only real difficulty in the matter is that Scripture songs, as a +rule, require a little more practice than others. Then practise them a +little more! You think nothing of the trouble of learning, for instance, +a sonata, which takes you many a good hour's practice before you can +render it perfectly and expressively. But you shrink from a song, the +accompaniment of which you cannot read off without any trouble at all. +And you never think of such a thing as taking one-tenth the pains to +learn that accompaniment that you took to learn that sonata! Very likely, +too, you take the additional pains to learn the sonata off by heart, so +that you may play it more effectively. But you do not take pains to learn +your accompaniment by heart, so that you may throw all your power into +the expression of the words, undistracted by reading the notes and +turning over the leaves. It is far more useful to have half a dozen +Scripture songs thoroughly learnt and made your own, than to have in your +portfolios several dozen easy settings of sacred poetry which you get +through with your eyes fixed on the notes. And every one thus thoroughly +mastered makes it easier to master others. + +You will say that all this refers only to drawing-room singing. So it +does, primarily, but then it is the drawing-room singing which has been +so little for Jesus and so much for self and society; and so much less +has been said about it, and so much less _done_. There would not be half +the complaints of the difficulty of witnessing for Christ in even +professedly Christian homes and circles, if every converted singer were +also a consecrated one. For nothing raises or lowers the tone of a whole +evening so much as the character of the music. There are few things which +show more clearly that, as a rule, a very definite step in advance is +needed beyond being a believer or even a worker for Christ. Over how many +grand or cottage pianos could the Irish Society's motto, 'For Jesus' sake +_only_,' be hung, without being either a frequent reproach, or altogether +inappropriate? + +But what is learnt will, naturally, be sung. And oh! how many Christian +parents give their daughters the advantage of singing lessons without +troubling themselves in the least about what songs are learnt, provided +they are not exceptionally foolish! Still more pressingly I would say, +how many Christian principals, to whom young lives are entrusted at the +most important time of all for training, do not give themselves the least +concern about this matter! As I write, I turn aside to refer to a list of +songs learnt last term by a fresh young voice which would willingly be +trained for higher work. There is just one 'sacred' song in the whole +long list, and even that hardly such a one as the writer of the letter +above quoted would care to sing in her fervent-spirited service of +Christ. All the rest are harmless and pleasing, but only suggestive of +the things of earth, the things of the world that is passing away; not +one that might lead upward and onward, not one that might touch a +careless heart to seek first the kingdom of God, not one that might show +forth the glory and praise of our King, not one that tells out His grace +and love, not one that carries His comfort to His weary ones or His joy +to His loving ones. She is left to find and learn _such_ songs as best +she may; those which she will sing with all the ease and force gained by +good teaching of them are no help at all, but rather hindrance in +anything like wish or attempt to 'sing _for Jesus_.' + +There is not the excuse that the songs of God's kingdom, songs which waft +His own words to the souls around, would not have answered the teacher's +purpose as well. God has taken care of that. He has not left Himself +without witness in this direction. He has given the most perfect melodies +and the richest harmonies to be linked with His own words, and no singer +can be trained beyond His wonderful provision in this way. I pray that +even these poor words of mine may reach the consciences of some of those +who have this responsibility, and lead them to be no longer unfaithful in +this important matter, no longer giving this strangely divided +service--training, as they profess to desire, the souls for God, and yet +allowing the voices to be trained only for the world. + + +But we must not run away with the idea that singing sacred songs and +singing for Jesus are convertible terms. I know by sorrowful personal +experience that it is very possible to sing a sacred song and _not_ sing +it for Jesus. It is easier to have one's portfolio all right than one's +heart, and the repertory is more easily arranged than the motives. When +we have taken our side, and the difficulties of indecision are +consequently swept away, we have a new set of more subtle temptations to +encounter. And although the Master will keep, the servant must watch and +pray; and it is through the watching and the praying that the keeping +will be effectual. We have, however, rather less excuse here than even +elsewhere. For we never have to sing so very suddenly that we need be +taken unawares. We have to think what to sing, and perhaps find the +music, and the prelude has to be played, and all this gives quite enough +time for us to recollect whose we are and whom we serve, and to arouse to +the watch. Quite enough, too, for quick, trustful prayer that our singing +may be kept free from that wretched self-seeking or even +self-consciousness, and kept entirely for Jesus. Our best and happiest +singing will flow when there is a sweet, silent undercurrent of prayerful +or praiseful communion with our Master all through the song. As for +nervousness, I am quite sure this is the best antidote to that. + +On the other hand, it is quite possible to sing for Jesus without singing +a sacred song. Do not take an ell for the inch this seems to give, and +run off with the idea that it does not matter after all what you sing, so +that you sing in a good frame of mind! No such thing! And the admission +needs very careful guarding, and must not be wrested into an excuse for +looking back to the world's songs. But cases may and do arise in which it +may be right to gratify a weary father, or win a wayward brother, by +trying to please them with music to which they will listen when they +would not listen to the songs you would rather sing. There are cases in +which this may be done most truly for the Lord's sake, and clearly under +His guidance. + +Sometimes cases arise in which we can only say, 'Neither know we what to +do, but our eyes are upon Thee.' And when we honestly say that, depend +upon it we shall find the promise true, 'I will guide thee with Mine +eye.' For God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above +that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way (Gr. +_the_ way) to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. + +I do not know why it should be so, but it certainly is a much rarer thing +to find a young gentleman singing for Jesus than a young lady,--a _very_ +rare thing to find one with a cultivated voice consecrating it to the +Master's use. I have met some who were not ashamed to speak for Him, to +whom it never seemed even to occur to sing for Him. They would go and +teach a Bible class one day, and the next they would be practising or +performing just the same songs as those who care nothing for Christ and +His blood-bought salvation. They had left some things behind, but they +had not left any of their old songs behind. They do not seem to think +that being made new creatures in Christ Jesus had anything to do with +this department of their lives. Nobody could gather whether they were on +the Lord's side or not, as they stood and sang their neutral songs. The +banner that was displayed in the class-room was furled in the +drawing-room. Now, my friends, you who have or may have far greater +opportunities of displaying that banner than we womenkind, why should you +be less brave and loyal than your sisters? We are weak and you are strong +naturally, but recollect that want of decision always involves want of +power, and compromising Christians are always weak Christians. You will +never be mighty to the pulling down of strongholds while you have one +foot in the enemy's camp, or on the supposed neutral ground, if such can +exist (which I doubt), between the camps. You will never be a terror to +the devil till you have enlisted every gift and faculty on the Lord's +side. Here is a thing in which you may practically carry out the splendid +motto, 'All for Jesus.' You cannot be all for Him as long as your voice +is not for Him. Which shall it be? _All_ for Him, or _partly_ for Him? +Answer that to Him whom you call Master and Lord. + +When once this drawing-room question is settled, there is not much need +to expatiate about other forms of singing for Jesus. As we have +opportunity we shall be willing to do good with our pleasant gift in any +way or place, and it is wonderful what nice opportunities He makes for +us. Whether to one little sick child or to a thousand listeners, +according to the powers and openings granted, we shall take our happy +position among those who minister with singing (1 Chron. vi. 32). And in +so far as we really do this unto the Lord, I am quite sure He gives the +hundred-fold now in this present time more than all the showy songs or +self-gratifying performances we may have left for His sake. As we +steadily tread this part of the path of consecration, we shall find the +difficulties left behind, and the real pleasantness of the way reached, +and it will be a delight to say to oneself, 'I _cannot_ sing the old +songs;' and though you have thought it quite enough to say, 'With my song +will I please my friends,' especially if they happen to be pleased with a +mildly sacred song or two, you will strike a higher and happier, a richer +and purer note, and say with David, 'With my song will I praise _Him_.' +David said also, 'My lips shall greatly rejoice _when_ I sing unto Thee, +and my soul, which Thou hast redeemed.' And you will find that this comes +true. + + Singing for Jesus, our Saviour and King; + Singing for Jesus, the Lord whom we love! + All adoration we joyously bring, + Longing to praise as they praise Him above. + + Singing for Jesus, our Master and Friend, + Telling His love and His marvellous grace,-- + Love from eternity, love to the end, + Love for the loveless, the sinful, and base. + + Singing for Jesus, and trying to win + Many to love Him, and join in the song; + Calling the weary and wandering in, + Rolling the chorus of gladness along. + + Singing for Jesus, our Life and our Light; + Singing for Him as we press to the mark; + Singing for Him when the morning is bright; + Singing, still singing, for Him in the dark! + + Singing for Jesus, our Shepherd and Guide; + Singing for gladness of heart that He gives; + Singing for wonder and praise that He died; + Singing for blessing and joy that He lives! + + Singing for Jesus, oh, singing with joy; + Thus will we praise Him, and tell out His love, + Till He shall call us to brighter employ, + Singing for Jesus for ever above. + + + + + Chapter VI. + Our Lips kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my lips, that they may be_ + _Filled with messages from Thee.'_ + +The days are past for ever when we said, 'Our lips are our own.' Now we +know that they are not our own. + +And yet how many of my readers often have the miserable consciousness +that they have 'spoken unadvisedly with their lips'! How many pray, 'Keep +the door of my lips,' when the very last thing they think of expecting is +that they _will_ be kept! They deliberately make up their minds that +hasty words, or foolish words, or exaggerated words, according to their +respective temptations, must and will slip out of that door, and that it +can't be helped. The extent of the real meaning of their prayer was +merely that not quite so many might slip out. As their faith went no +farther, the answer went no farther, and so the door was not kept. + +Do let us look the matter straight in the face. Either we have committed +our lips to our Lord, or we have not. This question must be settled +first. If not, oh, do not let another hour pass! Take them to Jesus, and +ask Him to take them. + +But when you _have_ committed them to Him, it comes to this,--is He able +or is He not able to keep that which you have committed to Him? If He is +not able, of course you may as well give up at once, for your own +experience has abundantly proved that _you_ are not able, so there is no +help for you. But if He is able--nay, thank God there is no '_if_' on +this side!--say, rather, _as_ He is able, where was this inevitable +necessity of perpetual failure? You have been fancying yourself virtually +doomed and fated to it, and therefore you have gone on in it, while all +the time His arm was not shortened that it could not save, but you have +been limiting the Holy One of Israel. Honestly, now, have you trusted Him +to keep your lips _this day?_ Trust necessarily implies expectation that +what we have entrusted will be kept. If you have not expected Him to +keep, you have not trusted. You may have tried, and tried very hard, but +you have not _trusted_, and therefore you have not been kept, and your +lips have been the snare of your soul (Prov. xviii. 7). + +Once I heard a beautiful prayer which I can never forget; it was this: +'Lord, take my lips, and speak through them; take my mind, and think +through it; take my heart, and set it on fire.' And this is the way the +Master keeps the lips of His servants, by so filling their hearts with +His love that the outflow cannot be unloving, by so filling their +thoughts that the utterance cannot be un-Christ-like. There must be +filling before there _can_ be pouring out; and if there is filling, there +_must_ be pouring out, for He hath said, 'Out of the abundance of the +heart the mouth speaketh.' + +But I think we should look for something more direct and definite than +this. We are not all called to be the King's ambassadors, but _all_ who +have heard the messages of salvation for themselves are called to be 'the +Lord's messengers,' and day by day, as He gives us opportunity, we are to +deliver 'the Lord's message unto the people.' That message, as committed +to Haggai, was, 'I am with you, saith the Lord.' Is there not work enough +for any lifetime in unfolding and distributing that one message to His +own people? Then, for those who are still far off, we have that equally +full message from our Lord to give out, which He has condensed for us +into the one word, 'Come!' + +It is a specially sweet part of His dealings with His messengers that He +always gives us the message for ourselves first. It is what He has first +told us in darkness--that is, in the secrecy of our own rooms, or at +least of our own hearts--that He bids us speak in light. And so the more +we sit at His feet and watch to see what He has to say to ourselves, the +more we shall have to tell to others. He does not send us out with sealed +despatches, which we know nothing about, and with which we have no +concern. + +There seems a seven-fold sequence in His filling the lips of His +messengers. First, they must be purified. The live coal from off the +altar must be laid upon them, and He must say, 'Lo, this hath touched thy +lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.' Then He +will create the fruit of them, and this seems to be the great message of +peace, 'Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the +Lord; and I will heal him' (see Isa. lvii. 19). Then comes the prayer, 'O +Lord, open Thou my lips,' and its sure fulfilment. For then come in the +promises, 'Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth,' and, 'They shall +withal be fitted in thy lips.' Then, of course, 'the lips of the +righteous feed many,' for the food is the Lord's own giving. Everything +leads up to praise, and so we come next to 'My mouth shall praise Thee +with joyful lips, when I remember Thee.' And lest we should fancy that +'_when_' rather implies that it is not, or cannot be, exactly _always_, +we find that the meditation of Jesus throws this added light upon it, 'By +_Him_, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God +_continually_, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to' (margin, +confessing) 'His name.' + +Does it seem a coming down from the mount to glance at one of our King's +commandments, which is specially needful and applicable to this matter of +our lips being kept for Him? 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into +temptation.' None of His commands clash with or supersede one another. +Trusting does not supersede watching; it does but complete and effectuate +it. Unwatchful trust is a delusion, and untrustful watching is in vain. +Therefore let us not either wilfully or carelessly _enter_ into +temptation, whether of place, or person, or topic, which has any tendency +to endanger the keeping of our lips for Jesus. Let us pray that grace may +be more and more poured into our lips as it was into His, so that our +speech may be _alway_ with grace. May they be pure, and sweet, and +lovely, even as 'His lips, like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh.' + + +We can hardly consider the keeping of our lips without recollecting that +upon them, more than all else (though not exclusively of all else), +depends that greatest of our responsibilities, our influence. We have no +choice in the matter; we cannot evade or avoid it; and there is no more +possibility of our limiting it, or even tracing its limits, than there is +of setting a bound to the far-vibrating sound-waves, or watching their +flow through the invisible air. Not one sentence that passes these lips +of ours but must be an invisibly prolonged influence, not dying away into +silence, but living away into the words and deeds of others. The thought +would not be quite so oppressive if we could know what we have done and +shall be continuing to do by what we have said. But we _never_ can, as a +matter of fact. We may trace it a little way, and get a glimpse of some +results for good or evil; but we never can see any more of it than we can +see of a shooting star flashing through the night with a momentary +revelation of one step of its strange path. Even if the next instant +plunges it into apparent annihilation as it strikes the atmosphere of the +earth, we know that it is not really so, but that its mysterious material +and force must be added to the complicated materials and forces with +which it has come in contact, with a modifying power none the less real +because it is beyond our ken. And this is not comparing a great thing +with a small, but a small thing with a great. For what is material force +compared with moral force? what are gases, and vapours, and elements, +compared with souls and the eternity for which they are preparing? + +We all know that there is influence exerted by a person's mere presence, +without the utterance of a single word. We are conscious of this every +day. People seem to carry an atmosphere with them, which _must_ be +breathed by those whom they approach. Some carry an atmosphere in which +all unkind thoughts shrivel up and cannot grow into expression. Others +carry one in which 'thoughts of Christ and things divine' never seem able +to flourish. Have you not felt how a happy conversation about the things +we love best is checked, or even strangled, by the entrance of one who is +not in sympathy? Outsiders have not a chance of ever really knowing what +delightful intercourse we have one with another about these things, +because their very presence chills and changes it. On the other hand, how +another person's incoming freshens and develops it and warms us all up, +and seems to give us, without the least conscious effort, a sort of +_lift!_ + +If even unconscious and involuntary influence is such a power, how much +greater must it be when the recognised power of words is added! + +It has often struck me as a matter of observation, that open profession +adds force to this influence, on whichever side it weighs; and also that +it has the effect of making many a word and act, which might in other +hands have been as nearly neutral as anything can be, tell with by no +means neutral tendency on the wrong side. The question of Eliphaz comes +with great force when applied to one who desires or professes to be +consecrated altogether, life _and_ lips: 'Should _he_ reason with +unprofitable talk, and with speeches _wherewith one can do no good?_' +There is our standard! Idle words, which might have fallen comparatively +harmlessly from one who had never named the Name of Christ, may be a +stumbling-block to inquirers, a sanction to thoughtless juniors, and a +grief to thoughtful seniors, when they come from lips which are +professing to feed many. Even intelligent talk on general subjects by +such a one may be a chilling disappointment to some craving heart, which +had indulged the hope of getting help, comfort, or instruction in the +things of God by listening to the conversation. It may be a lost +opportunity of giving and gaining no one knows _how_ much! + +How well I recollect this disappointment to myself, again and again, when +a mere child! In those early seeking days I never could understand why, +sometimes, a good man whom I heard preach or speak as if he loved Christ +very much, talked about all sorts of other things when he came back from +church or missionary meeting. I did so wish he would have talked about +the Saviour, whom I wanted, but had not found. It would have been so much +more interesting even to the apparently thoughtless and merry little +girl. How could he help it, I wondered, if he cared for that Pearl of +Great Price as I was sure I should care for it if I could only find it! +And oh, why didn't they ever talk to me about it, instead of about my +lessons or their little girls at home? They did not know how their +conversation was observed and compared with their sermon or speech, and +how a hungry little soul went empty away from the supper table. + +The lips of younger Christians may cause, in their turn, no less +disappointment. One sorrowful lesson I can never forget; and I will tell +the story in hope that it may save others from causes of similar regret. +During a summer visit just after I had left school, a class of girls +about my own age came to me a few times for an hour's singing. It was +very pleasant indeed, and the girls were delighted with the hymns. They +listened to all I had to say about time and expression, and not with less +attention to the more shyly-ventured remarks about the words. Sometimes I +accompanied them afterwards down the avenue; and whenever I met any of +them I had smiles and plenty of kindly words for each, which they seemed +to appreciate immensely. A few years afterwards I sat by the bedside of +one of these girls--the most gifted of them all with both heart and head. +She had been led by a wonderful way, and through long and deep suffering, +into far clearer light than I enjoyed, and had witnessed for Christ in +more ways than one, and far more brightly than I had ever done. She told +me how sorrowfully and eagerly she was seeking Jesus at the time of those +singing classes. And I never knew it, because I never asked, and she was +too shy to speak first! But she told me more, and every word was a pang +to me,--how she used to linger in the avenue on those summer evenings, +longing that I would speak to her about the Saviour; how she hoped, week +after week, that I would just stretch out a hand to help her, just say +one little word that might be God's message of peace to her, instead of +the pleasant, general remarks about the nice hymns and tunes. And I never +did! And she went on for months, I think for years, after, without the +light and gladness which it might have been my privilege to bring to her +life. God chose other means, for the souls that He has given to Christ +cannot be lost because of the unfaithfulness of a human instrument. But +she said, and the words often ring in my ears when I am tempted to let an +opportunity slip, 'Ah, Miss F., I ought to have been _yours!_' + +Yes, it is true enough that we should show forth His praise not only with +our lips, but in our lives; but with very many Christians the other side +of the prayer wants praying--they want rousing up even to _wish_ to show +it forth not only in their lives but with their lips. I wonder how many, +even of those who read this, really pray, 'O Lord, open Thou _my_ lips, +and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.' + +And when opened, oh, how much one _does_ want to have them so kept for +Jesus that He may be free to make the most of them, not letting them +render second-rate and indirect service when they might be doing direct +and first-rate service to His cause and kingdom! It is terrible how much +less is done for Him than _might_ be done, in consequence of the specious +notion that if what we are doing or saying is not bad, we are doing good +in a certain way, and therefore may be quite easy about it. We should +think a man rather foolish if he went on doing work which earned five +shillings a week, when he might just as well do work in the same +establishment and under the same master which would bring him in five +pounds a week. But we should pronounce him shamefully dishonest and +dishonourable if he accepted such handsome wages as the five pounds, and +yet chose to do work worth only five shillings, excusing himself by +saying that it was work all the same, and somebody had better do it. Do +we not act something like this when we take the lower standard, and spend +our strength in just making ourselves agreeable and pleasant, creating a +general good impression in favour of religion, showing that we can be all +things to all men, and that one who is supposed to be a citizen of the +other world can be very well up in all that concerns this world? This may +be good, but is there nothing better? What does it profit if we do make +this favourable impression on an outsider, if we go no farther and do not +use the influence gained to bring him right inside the fold, inside the +only ark of safety? People are not converted by this sort of work; at any +rate, _I_ never met or heard of any one. 'He thinks it better for his +quiet influence to tell!' said an affectionately excusing relative of one +who had plenty of special opportunities of soul-winning, if he had only +used his lips as well as his life for his Master. 'And how many souls +have been converted to God by his "quiet influence" all these years?' was +my reply. And to that there was no answer! For the silent shining was all +very beautiful in theory, but not one of the many souls placed specially +under his influence had been known to be brought out of darkness into +marvellous light. If they had, they must have been known, for such light +can't help being seen. + +When one has even a glimmer of the tremendous difference between having +Christ and being without Christ; when one gets but one shuddering glimpse +of what eternity is, and of what it must mean, as well as what it may +mean, without Christ; when one gets but a flash of realization of the +tremendous fact that all these neighbours of ours, rich and poor alike, +will _have_ to spend that eternity either with Him or without Him,--it is +hard, very hard indeed, to understand how a man or woman can believe +these things at all, and make no effort for anything beyond the temporal +elevation of those around, sometimes not even beyond their amusements! +'People must have entertainment,' they urge. I do not find that _must_ in +the Bible, but I do find, 'We _must_ all stand before the judgment-seat +of Christ.' And if you have any sort of belief in that, how can you care +to use those lips of yours, which might be a fountain of life to the +dying souls before you, merely to 'entertain' them at your penny reading +or other entertainment? As you sow, so you reap. The amusing paper is +read, or the lively ballad recited, or the popular song sung, and you +reap your harvest of laughter or applause, and of complacence at your +success in 'entertaining' the people. And there it ends, when you might +have sown words from which you and they should reap fruit unto life +eternal. Is this worthy work for one who has been bought with such a +price that he must say, + + 'Love so amazing, so divine, + Demands my soul, my life, my all'? + +So far from yielding 'all' to that rightful demand of amazing love, he +does not even yield the fruit of his lips to it, much less the lips +themselves. I cannot refrain from adding, that even this lower aim of +'entertaining' is by no means so appreciated as is supposed. As a +cottager of no more than average sense and intelligence remarked, 'It was +all so _trifling_ at the reading; I wish gentlefolks would believe that +poor people like something better than what's just to make them laugh.' +After all, nothing really pays like direct, straightforward, +uncompromising words about God and His works and word. Nothing else ever +made a man say, as a poor Irishman did when he heard the Good News for +the first time, 'Thank ye, sir; you've taken the hunger off us to-day!' + + +Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord; what about ours? Well, +they _are_ all uttered before the Lord in one sense, whether we will or +no; for there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, Thou, O Lord, knowest +it altogether! How solemn is this thought, but how sweet does it become +when our words are uttered consciously before the Lord as we walk in the +light of His perpetual presence! Oh that we may so walk, that we may so +speak, with kept feet and kept lips, trustfully praying, 'Let the +meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be alway acceptable in +Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer!' + + +Bearing in mind that it is not only the words which pass their +lightly-hinged portal, but our literal lips which are to be kept for +Jesus, it cannot be out of place, before closing this chapter, to suggest +that they open both ways. What passes in should surely be considered as +well as what passes out. And very many of us are beginning to see that +the command, 'Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the +glory of God,' is not fully obeyed when we drink, merely because we like +it, what is the very greatest obstacle to that glory in this realm of +England. What matter that we prefer taking it in a more refined form, if +the thing itself is daily and actively and mightily working misery, and +crime, and death, and destruction to thousands, till the cry thereof +seems as if it must pierce the very heavens! And so it does--sooner, a +great deal, than it pierces the walls of our comfortable dining-room! I +only say here, you who have said, 'Take my lips,' stop and repeat that +prayer next time you put that to your lips which is binding men and women +hand and foot, and delivering them over, helpless, to Satan! Let those +words pass once more from your heart _out_ through your lips, and I do +not think you will feel comfortable in letting the means of such infernal +work pass _in_ through them. + + + + + Chapter VII. + Our Silver and Gold Kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my silver and my gold;_ + _Not a mite would I withhold.'_ + +'The silver and the gold is Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.' Yes, every +coin we have is literally our 'Lord's money.' Simple belief of this fact +is the stepping-stone to full consecration of what He has given us, +whether much or little. + +'Then you mean to say we are never to spend anything on ourselves?' Not +so. Another fact must be considered,--the fact that our Lord has given us +our bodies as a special personal charge, and that we are responsible for +keeping these bodies, according to the means given and the work required, +in working order for Him. This is part of our 'own work.' A master +entrusts a workman with a delicate machine, with which his appointed work +is to be done. He also provides him with a sum of money with which he is +to procure all that may be necessary for keeping the machine in thorough +repair. Is it not obvious that it is the man's distinct duty to see to +this faithfully? Would he not be failing in duty if he chose to spend it +all on something for somebody else's work, or on a present for his +master, fancying that would please him better, while the machine is +creaking and wearing for want of a little oil, or working badly for want +of a new band or screw? Just so, we are to spend what is really needful +_on_ ourselves, because it is our charge to do so; but not _for_ +ourselves, because we are not our own, but our Master's. He who knoweth +our frame, knows its needs of rest and medicine, food and clothing; and +the procuring of these for our own entrusted bodies should be done just +as much 'for Jesus' as the greater pleasure of procuring them for some +one else. Therefore there need be no quibbling over the assertion that +consecration is not real and complete while we are looking upon a single +shilling as our own to do what we like with. Also the principle is +exactly the same, whether we are spending pence or pounds; it is our +Lord's money, and must not be spent without reference to Him. + +When we have asked Him to take, and continually trust Him to keep our +money, 'shopping' becomes a different thing. We look up to our Lord for +guidance to lay out His money prudently and rightly, and as He would have +us lay it out. The gift or garment is selected consciously under His eye, +and with conscious reference to Him as our own dear Master, for whose +sake we shall give it, or in whose service we shall wear it, and whose +own silver or gold we shall pay for it, and then it is all right. + +But have you found out that it is one of the secrets of the Lord, that +when any of His dear children turn aside a little bit after having once +entered the blessed path of true and conscious consecration, He is sure +to send them some little punishment? He will not let us go back without a +sharp, even if quite secret, reminder. Go and spend ever such a little +without reference to Him after you have once pledged the silver and gold +entirely to Him, and see if you are not in some way rebuked for it! Very +often by being permitted to find that you have made a mistake in your +purchase, or that in some way it does not prosper. If you 'observe these +things,' you will find that the more closely we are walking with our +Lord, the more immediate and unmistakeable will be His gracious rebukes +when we swerve in any detail of the full consecration to which He has +called us. And if you have already experienced and recognised this part +of His personal dealing with us, you will know also how we love and bless +Him for it. + + +There is always a danger that just because we say 'all,' we may +practically fall shorter than if we had only said 'some,' but said it +very definitely. God recognises this, and provides against it in many +departments. For instance, though our time is to be 'all' for Him, yet He +solemnly sets apart the one day in seven which is to be specially for +Him. Those who think they know better than God, and profess that every +day is a Sabbath, little know what floodgates of temptation they are +opening by being so very wise above what is written. God knows best, and +that should be quite enough for every loyal heart. So, as to money, +though we place it all at our Lord's disposal, and rejoice to spend it +all for Him directly or indirectly, yet I am quite certain it is a great +help and safeguard, and, what is more, a matter of simple obedience to +the spirit of His commands, to set aside a definite and regular +proportion of our income or receipts for His direct service. It is a +great mistake to suppose that the law of giving the tenth to God is +merely Levitical. 'Search and look' for yourselves, and you will find +that it is, like the Sabbath, a far older rule, running all through the +Bible,[footnote: See Gen. xiv. 20, xxviii. 22; Lev. xxvii. 30, 32; Num. +xviii. 21; Deut. xiv. 22; 2 Chron. xxxi. 5, 6, 12; Neh. x. 37, xii. 44, +xiii. 12; Mal. iii. 8, 10; Matt. xxiii. 23; Luke xi. 42; 1 Cor xvi. 2; +Heb. vii. 8.] and endorsed, not abrogated, by Christ Himself. For, +speaking of tithes, He said, 'These _ought_ ye to have done, and not to +leave the other undone.' To dedicate the tenth of whatever we have is +mere duty; charity begins beyond it; free-will offerings and +thank-offerings beyond that again. + +First-fruits, also, should be thus specially set apart. This, too, we +find running all through the Bible. There is a tacit appeal to our +gratitude in the suggestion of them,--the very word implies bounty +received and bounty in prospect. Bringing 'the first of the first-fruits +into the house of the Lord thy God,' was like 'saying grace' for all the +plenty He was going to bestow on the faithful Israelite. Something of +gladness, too, seems always implied. 'The day of the first-fruits' was to +be a day of rejoicing (compare Num. xxviii. 26 with Deut. xvi. 10, 11). +There is also an appeal to loyalty: we are commanded to _honour_ the Lord +with the first-fruits of all our increase. And _that_ is the way to +prosper, for the next word is, '_So_ shall thy barns be filled with +plenty.' The friend who first called my attention to this command, said +that the setting apart first-fruits--making a proportion for God's work a +_first charge_ upon the income--always seemed to bring a blessing on the +rest, and that since this had been systematically done, it actually +seemed to go farther than when not thus lessened. + +Presenting our first-fruits should be a peculiarly delightful act, as +they are themselves the emblem of our consecrated relationship to God. +For of His own will begat He us by the word of truth, that we should be a +kind of first-fruits of His creatures. How sweet and hallowed and richly +emblematic our little acts of obedience in this matter become, when we +throw this light upon them! And how blessedly they may remind us of the +heavenly company, singing, as it were, a new song before the throne; for +they are the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. + +Perhaps we shall find no better plan of detailed and systematic setting +apart than the New Testament one: 'Upon the first day of the week let +every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.' The +very act of literally fulfilling this apostolic command seems to bring a +blessing with it, as all simple obedience does. I wish, dear friends, you +would try it! You will find it a sweet reminder on His own day of this +part of your consecration. You will find it an immense help in making the +most of your little charities. The regular inflow will guide the outflow, +and ensure your always having _something_ for any sudden call for your +Master's poor or your Master's cause. Do not say you are 'afraid you +could not keep to it.' What has a consecrated life to do with being +'afraid'? Some of us could tell of such sweet and singular lessons of +trust in this matter, that they are written in golden letters of love on +our memories. Of course there will be trials of our faith in this, as +well as in everything else. But every trial of our faith is but a trial +of His faithfulness, and is 'much more precious than gold which +perisheth.' + +'What about self-denial?' some reader will say. Consecration does not +supersede this, but transfigures it. Literally, a consecrated life is and +must be a life of denial of self. But all the effort and pain of it is +changed into very delight. We love our Master; we know, surely and +absolutely, that He is listening and watching our every word and way, and +that He has called us to the privilege of walking 'worthy of the Lord +unto all pleasing.' And in so far as this is a reality to us, the +identical things which are still self-_denial_ in one sense, become +actual self-_delight_ in another. It may be self-denial to us to turn +away from something within reach of our purse which it would be very +convenient or pleasant to possess. But if the Master lifted the veil, and +revealed Himself standing at our side, and let us hear His audible voice +asking us to reserve the price of it for His treasury, should we talk +about self-denial then? Should we not be utterly ashamed to think of it? +or rather, should we, for one instant, think about self or self-denial at +all? Would it not be an unimaginable joy to do what He asked us to do +with that money? But as long as His own unchangeable promise stands +written in His word for us, 'Lo, I am with you _alway_,' we may be sure +that He _is_ with us, and that His eye is as certainly on our opened or +half-opened purse as it was on the treasury, when He sat over against it +and saw the two mites cast in. So let us do our shopping 'as seeing Him +who is invisible.' + +It is important to remember that there is no much or little in God's +sight, except as relatively to our means and willingness. 'For if there +be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and +not according to that he hath not.' He knows what we have _not_, as well +as what we have. He knows all about the low wages in one sphere, and the +small allowance, or the fixed income with rising prices in another. And +it is not a question of paying to God what can be screwed out of these, +but of giving Him all, and then holding all at His disposal, and taking +His orders about the disposal of all. + +But I do not see at all how self-indulgence and needless extravagance can +possibly co-exist with true consecration. If we really never do go +_without_ anything for the Lord's sake, but, just because He has +graciously given us means, always supply for ourselves not only every +need but 'every notion,' I think it is high time we looked into the +matter before God. Why should only those who have limited means have the +privilege of offering to their Lord that which has really cost them +something to offer? Observe, it is not _merely_ going without something +we would naturally like to have or do, but going without it _for Jesus' +sake_. Not, 'I will go without it, because, after all, I can't very well +afford it;' or, 'because I really ought to subscribe to so and so;' or, +'because I daresay I shall be glad I have not spent the money:' but, 'I +will do without it, because I _do_ want to do a little more for Him who +so loves me--just that much more than I could do if I did this other +thing.' I fancy this is more often the heart language of those who _have_ +to cut and contrive, than of those who are able to give liberally without +any cutting and contriving at all. The very abundance of God's good gifts +too often hinders from the privilege and delight of really doing without +something superfluous or comfortable or usual, that they may give just +that much more to their Lord. What a pity! + +The following quotation may (I hope it will), touch some conscience:--'A +gentleman once told us that his wine bill was L100 a year--more than +enough to keep a Scripture reader always at work in some populous +district. And it is one of the countless advantages of total abstinence +that it at once sets free a certain amount of money for such work. +Smoking, too, is a habit not only injurious to the health in a vast +majority of cases, and, to our mind, very unbecoming in a "temple of the +Holy Ghost," but also one which squanders money which might be used for +the Lord. Expenses in dress might in most people be curtailed; expensive +tastes should be denied; and simplicity in all habits of life should be a +mark of the followers of Him who had not where to lay His head.' + +And again: 'The self-indulgence of wealthy Christians, who might largely +support the Lord's work with what they lavish upon their houses, their +tables, or their personal expenditure, is very sad to see.'[footnote: +_Christian Progress_, vol. iii. pp. 25, 26.] + +Here the question of jewellery seems to come in. Perhaps it was an +instance of the gradual showing of the details of consecration, +illustrated on page 21, but I will confess that when I wrote 'Take my +silver and my gold,' it never dawned on me that anything was included +beyond the coin of the realm! But the Lord 'leads on softly,' and a good +many of us have been shown some capital bits of unenclosed but easily +enclosable ground, which have yielded 'pleasant fruit.' Yes, _very_ +pleasant fruit! It is wonderfully nice to light upon something that we +really never thought of as a possible gift to our Lord, and just to give +it, straight away, to Him. I do not press the matter, but I do ask my +lady friends to give it fair and candid and prayerful consideration. +Which do you really care most about--a diamond on your finger, or a star +in the Redeemer's kingdom, shining for ever and ever? That is what it +comes to, and there I leave it. + +On the other hand, it is very possible to be fairly faithful in much, and +yet unfaithful in that which is least. We may have thought about our gold +and silver, and yet have been altogether thoughtless about our rubbish! +Some have a habit of hoarding away old garments, 'pieces,' remnants, and +odds and ends generally, under the idea that they 'will come in useful +some day;' very likely setting it up as a kind of mild virtue, backed by +that noxious old saying, 'Keep it by you seven years, and you'll find a +use for it.' And so the shabby things get shabbier, and moth and dust +doth corrupt, and the drawers and places get choked and crowded; and +meanwhile all this that is sheer rubbish to you might be made useful at +once, to a degree beyond what you would guess, to some poor person. + +It would be a nice variety for the clever fingers of a lady's maid to be +set to work to do up old things; or some tidy woman may be found in +almost every locality who knows how to contrive children's things out of +what seems to you only fit for the rag-bag, either for her own little +ones or those of her neighbours. + +My sister trimmed 70 or 80 hats every spring for several years with the +contents of friends' rubbish drawers, thus relieving dozens of poor +mothers who liked their children to 'go tidy on Sunday,' and also keeping +down finery in her Sunday school. Those who literally fulfilled her +request for 'rubbish' used to marvel at the results. + +Little scraps of carpet, torn old curtains, faded blinds, and all such +gear, go a wonderfully long way towards making poor cottagers and old or +sick people comfortable. I never saw anything in this 'rubbish' line yet +that could not be turned to good account somehow, with a little +_considering_ of the poor and their discomforts. + +I wish my lady reader would just leave this book now, and go straight +up-stairs and have a good rummage at once, and see what can be thus +cleared out. If she does not know the right recipients at first hand, let +her send it off to the nearest working clergyman's wife, and see how +gratefully it will be received! For it is a great trial to workers among +the poor not to be able to supply the needs they see. Such supplies are +far more useful than treble their small money value. + +Just a word of earnest pleading for needs, closely veiled, but very sore, +which might be wonderfully lightened if this wardrobe over-hauling were +systematic and faithful. There are hundreds of poor clergymen's families +to whom a few old garments or any household oddments are as great a +charity as to any of the poor under their charge. There are two Societies +for aiding these with such gifts, under initials which are explained in +the Reports; the P.P.C. Society--Secretary, Miss Breay, Battenhall Place, +Worcester; and the A.F.D. Society--Secretary, Miss Hinton, 4 York Place, +Clifton. I only ask my lady friends to send for a report to either of +these devoted secretaries; and if their hearts are not so touched by the +cases of brave and bitter need that they go forthwith to wardrobes and +drawers to see what can be spared and sent, they are colder and harder +than I give Englishwomen credit for. + + +There is no bondage in consecration. The two things are opposites, and +cannot co-exist, much less mingle. We should suspect our consecration, +and come afresh to our great Counsellor about it, directly we have any +sense of bondage. As long as we have an unacknowledged feeling of fidget +about our account-book, and a smothered wondering what and how much we +'_ought_' to give, and a hushed-up wishing the thing had not been put +quite so strongly before us, depend upon it we have not said +unreservedly, 'Take my silver and my gold.' And how can the Lord keep +what He has not been sincerely asked to take? + +Ah! if we had stood at the foot of the Cross, and watched the tremendous +payment of our redemption with the precious blood of Christ,--if we had +seen that awful price told out, drop by drop, from His own dear patient +brow and torn hands and feet, till it was ALL paid, and the central word +of eternity was uttered, '_It is finished!_' should we not have been +ready to say, '_Not a mite will I withhold!_' + + + My Jewels. + + 'Shall I hold them back--my jewels? + Time has travelled many a day + Since I laid them by for ever, + Safely locking them away; + And I thought them yielded wholly. + When I dared no longer wear + Gems contrasting, oh, so sadly! + With the adorning I would bear. + + 'Shall I keep them still--my jewels? + Shall I, can I yet withhold + From that living, loving Saviour + Aught of silver or of gold? + Gold so needed, that His gospel + May resound from sea to sea; + Can I know Christ's service lacketh, + Yet forget His "unto Me"! + + 'No; I lay them down--my jewels, + Truly on the altar now. + Stay! I see a vision passing + Of a gem-encircled brow: + Heavenly treasure worn by Jesus, + Souls won through my gift outpoured; + Freely, gladly I will offer + Jewels thus to crown my Lord!' + + From _Woman's Work._ + + + + + Chapter VIII. + Our Intellects kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my intellect, and use_ + _Every power as Thou shalt choose.'_ + +There are two distinct sets of temptations which assail those who have, +or think they have, rather less, and those who have, or think they have, +rather more than an average share of intellect; while those who have +neither less nor more are generally open in some degree to both. The +refuge and very present help from both is the same. The intellect, +whether great or small, which is committed to the Lord's keeping, will be +kept and will be used by Him. + +The former class are tempted to think themselves excused from effort to +cultivate and use their small intellectual gifts; to suppose they cannot +or need not seek to win souls, because they are not so clever and apt in +speech as So-and-so; to attribute to want of gift what is really want of +grace; to hide the one talent because it is not five. Let me throw out a +thought or two for these. + +Which is greatest, gifts or grace? _Gifts_ are given 'to every man +according to his several ability.' That is, we have just as much given as +God knows we are able to use, and what He knows we can best use for Him. +'But unto every one of us is given _grace_ according to the measure of +the gift of Christ.' Claiming and using that royal measure of grace, you +may, and can, and will do more for God than the mightiest intellect in +the world without it. For which, in the clear light of His Word, is +likely to be most effectual, the natural ability which at its best and +fullest, without Christ, 'can do _nothing_' (observe and believe that +word!), or the grace of our Almighty God and the power of the Holy Ghost, +which is as free to you as it ever was to any one? + +If you are responsible for making use of your limited gift, are you not +equally responsible for making use of the grace and power which are to be +had for the asking, which are already yours in Christ, and which are not +limited? + +Also, do you not see that when there are great natural gifts, people give +the credit to _them_, instead of to the grace which alone did the real +work, and thus God is defrauded of the glory? So that, to say it +reverently, God can get more glory out of a feeble instrument, because +then it is more obvious that the excellency of the power is of God and +not of us. Will you not henceforth say, 'Most gladly, therefore, will I +rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon +me'? + +Don't you really believe that the Holy Spirit is just as able to draw a +soul to Jesus, if He will, by your whisper of the one word, '_Come_,' as +by an eloquent sermon an hour long? _I_ do! At the same time, as it is +evidently God's way to work through these intellects of ours, we have no +more right to expect Him to use a mind which we are wilfully neglecting, +and taking no pains whatever to fit for His use, than I should have to +expect you to write a beautiful inscription with my pen, if I would not +take the trouble to wipe it and mend it. + +The latter class are tempted to rely on their natural gifts, and to act +and speak in their own strength; to go on too fast, without really +looking up at every step, and for every word; to spend their Lord's time +in polishing up their intellects, nominally for the sake of influence and +power, and so forth, while really, down at the bottom, it is for the sake +of the keen enjoyment of the process; and perhaps, most of all, to spend +the strength of these intellects 'for that which doth not profit,' in +yielding to the specious snare of reading clever books 'on both sides,' +and eating deliberately of the tree of the knowledge of good _and evil_. + +The mere mention of these temptations should be sufficient appeal to +conscience. If consecration is to be a reality anywhere, should it not be +in the very thing which you own as an extra gift from God, and which is +evidently closest, so to speak, to His direct action, spirit upon spirit? +And if the very strength of your intellect has been your weakness, will +you not entreat Him to keep it henceforth really and entirely for +Himself? It is so good of Him to have given you something to lay at His +feet; shall not this goodness lead you to lay it _all_ there, and never +hanker after taking it back for yourself or the world? Do you not feel +that in very proportion to the gift you need the special keeping of it? +He may lead you by a way you know not in the matter; very likely He will +show you that you must be willing to be a fool for His sake first, before +He will condescend to use you much for His glory. Will you look up into +His face and say, '_Not_ willing'? + + +He who made every power can use every power--memory, judgment, +imagination, quickness of apprehension or insight; specialties of +musical, poetical, oratorical, or artistic faculty; special tastes for +reasoning, philosophy, history, natural science, or natural history,--all +these may be dedicated to Him, sanctified by Him, and used by Him. +Whatever He has given, He will use, if we will let Him. Often, in the +most unexpected ways, and at the most unexpected turns, something read or +acquired long ago suddenly comes into use. We cannot foresee what will +thus 'come in useful'; but He knew, when He guided us to learn it, what +it would be wanted for in His service. So may we not ask Him to bring His +perfect foreknowledge to bear on all our mental training and storing? to +guide us to read or study exactly what He knows there will be use for in +the work to which He has called or will call us? + +Nothing is more practically perplexing to a young Christian, whose +preparation time is not quite over, or perhaps painfully limited, than to +know what is most worth studying, what is really the best investment of +the golden hours, while yet the time is not come for the field of active +work to be fully entered, and the 'thoroughly furnishing' of the mind is +the evident path of present duty. Is not His name called 'Counsellor'? +and will He not be faithful to the promise of His name in this, as well +as in all else? + +The same applies to every subsequent stage. Only let us be perfectly +clear about the principle that our intellect is not our own, either to +cultivate, or to use, or to enjoy, and that Jesus Christ is our real and +ever-present Counsellor, and then there will be no more worry about what +to read and how much to read, and whether to keep up one's +accomplishments, or one's languages, or one's '_ologies'!_ If the Master +has need of them, He will show us; and if He has not, what need have we +of them? If we go forward without His leading, we may throw away some +talent, or let it get too rusty for use, which would have been most +valuable when other circumstances arose or different work was given. We +must not think that 'keeping' means not using at all! What we want is to +have all our powers kept for His _use_. + +In this they will probably find far higher development than in any other +sort of use. I know cases in which the effect of real consecration on +mere mental development has been obvious and surprising to all around. +Yet it is only a confirmation of what I believe to be a great principle, +viz. that _the Lord makes the most of whatever is unreservedly +surrendered to Him_. There will always be plenty of waste in what we try +to cut out for ourselves. But He wastes no material! + + + + + Chapter IX. + Our Wills kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine,_ + _For it is no longer mine.'_ + +Perhaps there is no point in which expectation has been so limited by +experience as this. We believe God is able to do for us just so much as +He has already done, and no more. We take it for granted a line must be +drawn somewhere; and so we choose to draw it where experience ends, and +faith would have to begin. Even if we have trusted and proved Him as to +keeping our members and our minds, faith fails when we would go deeper +and say, 'Keep my will!' And yet the only reason we have to give is, that +though we have asked Him to take our will, we do not exactly find that it +is altogether His, but that self-will crops up again and again. And +whatever flaw there might be in this argument, we think the matter is +quite settled by the fact that some whom we rightly esteem, and who are +far better than ourselves, have the same experience, and do not even seem +to think it right to hope for anything better. That is conclusive! And +the result of this, as of every other faithless conclusion, is either +discouragement and depression, or, still worse, acquiescence in an +unyielded will, as something that can't be helped. + +Now let us turn from our thoughts to God's thoughts. Verily, they are not +as ours! He says He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we +ask or think. Apply this here. We ask Him to take our wills and make them +His. Does He or does He not mean what He says? and if He does, should we +not trust Him to do this thing that we have asked and longed for, and not +less but more? 'Is _anything_ too hard for the Lord?' 'Hath He said, and +shall He not do it?' and if He gives us faith to believe that we have the +petition that we desired of Him, and with it the unspeakable rest of +leaning our will wholly upon His love, what ground have we for imagining +that this is _necessarily_ to be a mere fleeting shadow, which is hardly +to last an hour, but is _necessarily_ to be exhausted ere the next breath +of trial or temptation comes? Does He mock our longing by acting as I +have seen an older person act to a child, by accepting some trifling gift +of no intrinsic value, just to please the little one, and then throwing +it away as soon as the child's attention is diverted? Is not the taking +rather the pledge of the keeping, if we will but entrust Him fearlessly +with it? We give Him no opportunity, so to speak, of proving His +faithfulness to this great promise, because we _will_ not fulfil the +condition of reception, believing it. But we readily enough believe +instead all that we hear of the unsatisfactory experience of others! Or, +start from another word. Job said, 'I know that Thou canst do +everything,' and we turn round and say, 'Oh yes, everything _except_ +keeping my will!' Dare we add, 'And I know that Thou canst not do that'? +Yet that is what is said every day, only in other words; and if not said +aloud, it is said in faithless hearts, and God hears it. What _does_ +'Almighty' mean, if it does not mean, as we teach our little children, +'able to do _everything'?_ + +We have asked this great thing many a time, without, perhaps, realizing +how great a petition we were singing, in the old morning hymn, 'Guard my +first springs of thought and will!' That goes to the root of the matter, +only it implies that the will has been already surrendered to Him, that +it may be wholly kept and guarded. + +It may be that we have not sufficiently realized the sin of the only +alternative. Our wills belong either to self or to God. It may seem a +small and rather excusable sin in man's sight to be self-willed, but see +in what a category of iniquity God puts it! (2 Pet. ii. 10). And +certainly we are without excuse when we have such a promise to go upon +as, 'It is God that worketh in you both to _will_ and to do of His +pleasure.' How splendidly this meets our very deepest +helplessness,--'worketh in you to _will!_' Oh, let us pray for ourselves +and for each other, that we may know 'what is the exceeding greatness of +His power to usward who believe.' It does not say, 'to usward who fear +and doubt;' for if we will not believe, neither shall we be established. +If we will not believe what God says He can do, we shall see it with our +eyes, but we shall not eat thereof. 'They _could_ not enter in because of +unbelief.' + +It is most comforting to remember that the grand promise, 'Thy people +shall be willing in the day of Thy power,' is made by the Father to +Christ Himself. The Lord Jesus holds this promise, and God will fulfil it +to Him. He will make us willing because He has promised Jesus that He +will do so. And what is being made willing, but having our will taken and +kept? + +All true surrender of the will is based upon love and knowledge of, and +confidence in, the one to whom it is surrendered. We have the human +analogy so often before our eyes, that it is the more strange we should +be so slow to own even the possibility of it as to God. Is it thought +anything so very extraordinary and high-flown, when a bride deliberately +_prefers_ wearing a colour which was not her own taste or choice, because +her husband likes to see her in it? Is it very unnatural that it is no +distress to her to do what he asks her to do, or to go with him where he +asks her to come, even without question or explanation, instead of doing +what or going where she would undoubtedly have preferred if she did not +know and love him? Is it very surprising if this lasts beyond the wedding +day, and if year after year she still finds it her greatest pleasure to +please him, quite irrespective of what _used_ to be her own ways and +likings? Yet in this case she is not helped by any promise or power on +his part to make her wish what he wishes. But He who so wonderfully +condescends to call Himself the Bridegroom of His church, and who claims +our fullest love and trust, has promised and has power to work in us to +will. Shall we not claim His promise and rely on His mighty power, and +say, not self-confidently, but looking only unto Jesus-- + + 'Keep my will, for it is Thine; + It shall be no longer mine!' + +Only in proportion as our own will is surrendered, are we able to discern +the splendour of God's will. + + For oh! it is a splendour, + A glow of majesty, + A mystery of beauty + If we will only see; + A very cloud of glory + Enfolding you and me. + + A splendour that is lighted + At one transcendent flame, + The wondrous Love, the perfect Love, + Our Father's sweetest name; + For His Name and very Essence + And His Will are all the same! + +Conversely, in proportion as we see this splendour of His will, we shall +more readily or more fully surrender our own. Not until we have presented +our bodies a living sacrifice can we prove what is that good, and +perfect, and acceptable will of God. But in thus proving it, this +continual presentation will be more and more seen to be our reasonable +service, and becomes more and more a joyful sacrifice of praise. + +The connection in Romans xii. 1, 2, between our sacrifice which He so +graciously calls acceptable to Himself, and our finding out that His will +is acceptable to ourselves, is very striking. One reason for this +connection may be that only love can really understand love, and love on +both sides is at the bottom of the whole transaction and its results. +First, He loves us. Then the discovery of this leads us to love Him. +Then, because He loves us, He claims us, and desires to have us wholly +yielded to His will, so that the operations of love in and for us may +find no hindrance. Then, because we love Him we recognise His claim and +yield ourselves. Then, being thus yielded, He draws us nearer to +Him,[footnote: 'Now ye _have_ consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come +_near_' (2 Chron. xxix. 31).] and admits us, so to speak, into closer +intimacy, so that we gain nearer and truer views of His perfections. Then +the unity of these perfections becomes clearer to us. Now we not only see +His justice and mercy flowing in an undivided stream from the cross of +Christ, but we see that they never were divided, though the strange +distortions of the dark, false glass of sin made them appear so, but that +both are but emanations of God's holy love. Then having known and +believed this holy love, we see further that His will is not a separate +thing, but only love (and therefore all His attributes) in action; love +being the primary essence of His being, and all the other attributes +manifestations and combinations of that ineffable essence, for God _is_ +Love. Then this will of God which has seemed in old far-off days a stern +and fateful power, is seen to be only love energized; love saying, 'I +will.' And when once we really grasp this (hardly so much by faith as by +love itself), the will of God cannot be otherwise than acceptable, for it +is no longer a question of trusting that somehow or other there is a +hidden element of love in it, but of understanding that it _is_ love; no +more to be dissociated from it than the power of the sun's rays can be +dissociated from their light and warmth. And love recognised must surely +be love accepted and reciprocated. So, as the fancied sternness of God's +will is lost in His love, the stubbornness of our will becomes melted in +that love, and lost in our acceptance of it. + + 'Take Thine own way with me, dear Lord, + Thou canst not otherwise than bless; + I launch me forth upon a sea + Of boundless love and tenderness. + + 'I could not choose a larger bliss + Than to be wholly Thine; and mine + A will whose highest joy is this, + To ceaselessly unclasp in Thine. + + 'I will not fear Thee, O my God! + The days to come can only bring + Their perfect sequences of love, + Thy larger, deeper comforting. + + 'Within the shadow of this love, + Loss doth transmute itself to gain; + Faith veils earth's sorrows in its light, + And straightway lives above her pain. + + 'We are not losers thus; we share + The perfect gladness of the Son, + Not conquered--for, behold, we reign; + Conquered and Conqueror are one. + + 'Thy wonderful grand will, my God! + Triumphantly I make it mine; + And faith shall breathe her glad "Amen" + To every dear command of Thine. + + 'Beneath the splendour of Thy choice, + Thy perfect choice for me, I rest; + Outside it now I dare not live, + Within it I must needs be blest. + + 'Meanwhile my spirit anchors calm + In grander regions still than this; + The fair, far-shining latitudes + Of that yet unexplored bliss. + + 'Then may Thy perfect, glorious will + Be evermore fulfilled in me, + And make my life an answ'ring chord + Of glad, responsive harmony. + + 'Oh! it is life indeed to live + Within this kingdom strangely sweet, + And yet we fear to enter in, + And linger with unwilling feet. + + 'We fear this wondrous rule of Thine, + Because we have not reached Thy heart; + Not venturing our all on Thee, + We may not know how good Thou art.' + + Jean Sophia Pigott. + + + + + Chapter X. + Our hearts kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my heart; it is Thine own;_ + _It is now Thy royal throne.'_ + +'It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace,' and yet +some of us go on as if it were not a good thing even to hope for it to be +so. + +We should be ashamed to say that we had behaved treacherously to a +friend; that we had played him false again and again; that we had said +scores of times what we did not really mean; that we had professed and +promised what, all the while, we had no sort of purpose of performing. We +should be ready to go off by next ship to New Zealand rather than calmly +own to all this, or rather than ever face our friends again after we had +owned it. And yet we are not ashamed (some of us) to say that we are +always dealing treacherously with our Lord; nay, more, we own it with an +inexplicable complacency, as if there were a kind of virtue in saying how +fickle and faithless and desperately wicked our hearts are; and we +actually plume ourselves on the easy confession, which we think proves +our humility, and which does not lower us in the eyes of others, nor in +our own eyes, half so much as if we had to say, 'I have told a story,' +or, 'I have broken my promise.' Nay, more, we have not the slightest +hope, and therefore not the smallest intention of aiming at an utterly +different state of things. Well for us if we do not go a step farther, +and call those by hard and false names who do seek to have an established +heart, and who believe that as the Lord meant what He said when He +promised, '_No_ good thing will He withhold from them that walk +uprightly,' so He will not withhold _this_ good thing. + +Prayer must be based upon promise, but, thank God, His promises are +always broader than our prayers. No fear of building inverted pyramids +here, for Jesus Christ is the foundation, and this and all the other +'promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God +by us.' So it shall be unto His glory to fulfil this one to us, and to +answer our prayer for a 'kept' or 'established' heart. And its fulfilment +shall work out His glory, not in spite of us, but '_by_ us.' + +We find both the means and the result of the keeping in the 112th Psalm: +'His heart is fixed.' Whose heart? An angel? A saint in glory? No! Simply +the heart of the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in His +commandments. Therefore yours and mine, as God would have them be; just +the normal idea of a God-fearing heart, nothing extremely and hopelessly +beyond attainment. + +'Fixed.' How does that tally with the deceitfulness and waywardness and +fickleness about which we really talk as if we were rather proud of them +than utterly ashamed of them? + +Does our heavenly Bridegroom expect nothing more of us? Does His mighty, +all-constraining love intend to do no more for us than to leave us in +this deplorable state, when He is undoubtedly able to heal the +desperately wicked heart (compare verses 9 and 14 of Jeremiah xvii.), to +rule the wayward one with His peace, and to establish the fickle one with +His grace? Are we not 'without excuse'? + +'Fixed, trusting in the Lord.' Here is the means of the fixing--trust. He +works the trust in us by sending the Holy Spirit to reveal God in Christ +to us as absolutely, infinitely worthy of our trust. When we 'see Jesus' +by Spirit-wrought faith, we cannot but trust Him; we distrust our hearts +more truly than ever before, but we trust our Lord entirely, because we +trust Him _only_. For, entrusting our trust to Him, we know that He is +able to keep that which we commit (_i. e._ entrust) to Him. It is His own +way of winning and fixing our hearts for Himself. Is it not a beautiful +one? Thus 'his heart is established.' But we have not quite faith enough +to believe that. So what is the very first doubting, and therefore sad +thought that crops up? 'Yes, but I am _afraid_ it will not remain fixed.' + +That is _your_ thought. Now see what is God's thought about the case. +'His heart is established, he shall not be afraid.' + +Is not that enough? What _is_, if such plain and yet divine words are +not? Well, the Gracious One bears with us, and gives line upon line to +His poor little children. And so He says, 'The peace of God, which +passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through +Christ Jesus.' And again, 'Thy thoughts shall be established.' And again, +'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, +because he trusteth in Thee.' + +And to prove to us that these promises can be realized in present +experience, He sends down to us through nearly 3000 years the words of +the man who prayed, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God,' and lets us hear +twice over the new song put by the same Holy Spirit into his mouth: 'My +heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed' (Ps. lvii. 7, cviii. 1). + +The heart that is established in Christ is also established for Christ. +It becomes His royal throne, no longer occupied by His foe, no longer +tottering and unstable. And then we see the beauty and preciousness of +the promise, 'He shall be a Priest upon His throne.' Not only reigning, +but atoning. Not only ruling, but cleansing. Thus the throne is +established 'in mercy,' but 'by righteousness.' + +I think we lose ground sometimes by parleying with the tempter. We have +no business to parley with an usurper. The throne is no longer his when +we have surrendered it to our Lord Jesus. And why should we allow him to +argue with us for one instant, as if it were still an open question? +Don't listen; simply tell him that Jesus Christ _is_ on the long-disputed +throne, and no more about it, but turn at once to your King and claim the +glorious protection of His sovereignty over you. It is a splendid +reality, and you will find it so. He will not abdicate and leave you +kingless and defenceless. For verily, 'The Lord _is_ our King; He will +save us' (Isa. xxxiii. 22). + + _Our hearts are naturally_-- _God can make them_-- + Evil, Heb. iii. 12. Clean, Ps. li. 10. + Desperately wicked, Jer. xvii. 9. Good, Luke viii. 15. + Weak, Ezek. xvi. 30. Fixed, Ps. cxii. 7. + Deceitful, Jer. xvii. 9. Faithful, Neh. ix. 8. + Deceived, Isa. xliv. 20. Understanding, 1 Kings iii. 9. + Double, Ps. xii. 2. Honest, Luke viii. 15. + Impenitent, Rom. ii. 5. Contrite, Ps. li. 17. + Rebellious, Jer. v. 23. True, Heb. x. 22. + Hard, Ezek. iii. 7. Soft, Job xxiii. 16. + Stony, Ezek. xi. 19. New, Ezek. xviii. 31. + Froward, Prov. xvii. 20. Sound, Ps. cxix. 80. + Despiteful, Ezek. xxv. 15. Glad, Ps. xvi. 9. + Stout, Isa. x. 12. Established, Ps. cxii. 8. + Haughty, Prov. xviii. 12. Tender, Ephes. iv. 32. + Proud, Prov. xxi. 4. Pure, Matt. v. 8. + Perverse, Prov. xii. 8. Perfect, 1 Chron. xxix. 9. + Foolish, Rom. i. 21. Wise, Prov. xi. 29. + + + + + Chapter XI. + Our love kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my love; my Lord, I pour_ + _At Thy feet its treasure-store.'_ + +Not as a mere echo from the morning-gilded shore of Tiberias, but as an +ever new, ever sounding note of divinest power, come the familiar words +to each of us, 'Lovest thou Me?' He says it who has loved us with an +everlasting love. He says it who has died for us. He says it who has +washed us from our sins in His own blood. He says it who has waited for +our love, waited patiently all through our coldness. + +And if by His grace we have said, 'Take my love,' which of us has not +felt that part of His very answer has been to make us see how little +there was to take, and how little of that little has been kept for Him? +And yet we _do_ love Him! He knows that! The very mourning and longing to +love Him more proves it. But we want more than that, and so does our +Lord. + +He has created us to love. We have a sealed treasure of love, which +either remains sealed, and then gradually dries up and wastes away, or is +unsealed and poured out, and yet is the fuller and not the emptier for +the outpouring. The more love we give, the more we have to give. So far +it is only natural. But when the Holy Spirit reveals the love of Christ, +and sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, this natural love is +penetrated with a new principle as it discovers a new Object. Everything +that it beholds in that Object gives it new depth and new colours. As it +sees the holiness, the beauty, and the glory, it takes the deep hues of +conscious sinfulness, unworthiness, and nothingness. As it sees even a +glimpse of the love that passeth knowledge, it takes the glow of wonder +and gratitude. And when it sees that love drawing close to its deepest +need with blood-purchased pardon, it is intensified and stirred, and +there is no more time for weighing and measuring; we must pour it out, +all there is of it, with our tears, at the feet that were pierced for +love of us. + +And what then? Has the flow grown gradually slower and shallower? Has our +Lord reason to say, 'My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and +as a stream of brooks they pass away'? It is humiliating to have found +that we could not keep on loving Him, as we loved in that remembered hour +when 'Thy time was the time of love.' We have proved that we were not +able. Let this be only the stepping-stone to proving that He is able! + +There will have been a cause, as we shall see if we seek it honestly. It +was not that we really poured out all our treasure, and so it naturally +came to an end. We let it be secretly diverted into other channels. We +began keeping back a little part of the price for something else. We +looked away from, instead of looking away unto Jesus. We did not entrust +Him with our love, and ask Him to keep it for Himself. + +And what has He to say to us? Ah, He upbraideth not. Listen! 'Thus saith +the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine +espousals.' Can any words be more tender, more touching, to you, to me? +Forgetting all the sin, all the backsliding, all the coldness, casting +all that into the unreturning depths of the sea, He says He remembers +that hour when we first said, 'Take my love.' He remembers it now, at +this minute. He has written it for ever on His infinite memory, where the +past is as the present. + +His own love is unchangeable, so it could never be His wish or will that +we should thus drift away from Him. Oh, 'Come and let us return unto the +Lord!' But is there any hope that, thus returning, our flickering love +may be kept from again failing? Hear what He says: 'And I will betroth +thee unto Me for ever' And again: 'Thou _shalt_ abide _for Me_ many days; +so will I also be for thee.' Shall we trust His word or not? Is it worthy +of our acceptation or not? Oh, rest on this word of the King, and let Him +from this day have the keeping of your love, and He will keep it! + + +The love of Christ is not an absorbing, but a radiating love. The more we +love Him, the more we shall most certainly love others. Some have not +much natural power of loving, but the love of Christ will strengthen it. +Some have had the springs of love dried up by some terrible earthquake. +They will find 'fresh springs' in Jesus, and the gentle flow will be +purer and deeper than the old torrent could ever be. Some have been +satisfied that it should rush in a narrow channel, but He will cause it +to overflow into many another, and widen its course of blessing. Some +have spent it all on their God-given dear ones. Now He is come whose +right it is; and yet in the fullest resumption of that right, He is so +gracious that He puts back an even larger measure of the old love into +our hand, sanctified with His own love, and energized with His blessing, +and strengthened with His new commandment, 'That ye love one another, as +I have loved you.' + +In that always very interesting part, called a 'Corner for Difficulties,' +of that always very interesting magazine, _Woman's Work_, the question +has been discussed, 'When does love become idolatry? Is it the experience +of Christians that the coming in of a new object of affection interferes +with entire consecration to God?' I should like to quote the many +excellent answers in full, but must only refer my readers to the number +for March 1879. One replies: 'It seems to me that He who is love would +not give us an object for our love unless He saw that our hearts needed +expansion; and if the love is consecrated, and the friendship takes its +stand in Christ, there is no need for the fear that it will become +idolatry. Let the love on both sides _be given to God to keep_, and +however much it may grow, the source from which it springs must yet be +greater.' Perhaps I may be pardoned for giving, at the same writer's +suggestion, a quotation from _Under the Surface_ on this subject. Eleanor +says to Beatrice:-- + + 'I tremble when I think + How much I love him; but I turn away + From thinking of it, just to love him more;-- + Indeed, I fear, too much.' + 'Dear Eleanor, + Do you love him as much as Christ loves us? + Let your lips answer me.' + 'Why ask me, dear? + Our hearts are finite, Christ is infinite.' + 'Then, till you reach the standard of that love, + Let neither fears nor well-meant warning voice + Distress you with "too much." For He hath said + _How_ much--and who shall dare to change His measure? + "_That ye should love as I have loved you._" + O sweet command, that goes so far beyond + The mightiest impulse of the tenderest heart! + A bare permission had been much; but He + Who knows our yearnings and our fearfulness, + Chose graciously to _bid_ us do the thing + That makes our earthly happiness, + A limit that we need not fear to pass, + Because we cannot. Oh, the breadth and length, + And depth and height of love that passeth knowledge! + Yet Jesus said, "As I have loved you."' + 'O Beatrice, I long to feel the sunshine + That this should bring; but there are other words + Which fall in chill eclipse. 'Tis written, "Keep + Yourselves from idols." How shall I obey?' + 'Oh, not by loving less, but loving more. + It is not that we love our precious ones + Too much, but God too little. As the lamp + A miner bears upon his shadowed brow + Is only dazzling in the grimy dark, + And has no glare against the summer sky, + So, set the tiny torch of our best love + In the great sunshine of the love of God, + And, though full fed and fanned, it casts no shade + And dazzles not, o'erflowed with mightier light.' + +There is no love so deep and wide as that which is kept for Jesus. It +flows both fuller and farther when it flows only through Him. Then, too, +it will be a power for Him. It will always be unconsciously working for +Him. In drawing others to ourselves by it, we shall be necessarily +drawing them nearer to the fountain of our love, never drawing them away +from it. It is the great magnet of His love which alone can draw any +heart to Him; but when our own are thoroughly yielded to its mighty +influence, they will be so magnetized that He will condescend to use them +in this way. + +Is it not wonderful to think that the Lord Jesus will not only accept and +keep, but actually _use_ our love? + +'Of Thine own have we given Thee,' for 'we love Him because He first +loved us.' + + Set apart to love Him, + And His love to know; + Not to waste affection + On a passing show; + Called to give Him life and heart, + Called to pour the hidden treasure, + That none other claims to measure, + Into His beloved hand! thrice blessed 'set apart'! + + + + + Chapter XII. + Our Selves kept for Jesus. + + + _'Keep my self, that I may be_ + _Ever, only, all for Thee.'_ + +'For Thee!' That is the beginning and the end of the whole matter of +consecration. + +There was a prelude to its 'endless song,'--a prelude whose theme is +woven into every following harmony in the new anthem of consecrated life: +'The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself _for me_.' Out of the +realized 'for me,' grows the practical 'for Thee!' If the former is a +living root, the latter will be its living fruit. + +'For _Thee!_' This makes the difference between forced or formal, and +therefore unreasonable service, and the 'reasonable service' which is the +beginning of the perfect service where they see His face. This makes the +difference between slave work and free work. For Thee, my Redeemer; for +Thee who hast spoken to my heart; for Thee, who hast done for me--_what?_ +Let us each pause, and fill up that blank with the great things the Lord +hath done for us. For Thee, who art to me--_what?_ Fill that up too, +before Him! For Thee, my Saviour Jesus, my Lord and my God! + +And what is to be for Him? My self. We talk sometimes as if, whatever +else could be subdued unto Him, self could never be. Did St. Paul forget +to mention this important exception to the 'all things' in Phil. iii. 21? +David said: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, _and all that is within me_, +bless His Holy Name.' Did he, too, unaccountably forget to mention that +he only meant all that was within him, _except_ self? If not, then self +must be among the 'all things' which the Lord Jesus Christ is able to +subdue unto Himself, and which are to 'bless His Holy Name.' It is Self +which, once His most treacherous foe, is now, by full and glad surrender, +His own soldier--coming over from the rebel camp into the royal army. It +is not some one else, some temporarily possessing spirit, which says +within us, 'Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee,' but our true and very +self, only changed and renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost. And when +we do that we would not, we know that 'it is no more _I_ that do it, but +sin that dwelleth in me.' Our true self is the new self, taken and won by +the love of God, and kept by the power of God. + +Yes, '_kept!_' There is the promise on which we ground our prayer; or, +rather, one of the promises. For, search and look for your own +strengthening and comfort, and you will find it repeated in every part of +the Bible, from 'I am with thee, and will keep thee,' in Genesis, to 'I +also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,' in Revelation. + +And kept _for Him!_ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, +when it is only the fulfilling of His own eternal purpose in creating us? +'This people have I formed _for Myself._' Not ultimately only, but +presently and continually; for He says, 'Thou shalt abide _for Me;_' and, +'He that remaineth, even he shall be _for our God_.' Are you one of His +people by faith in Jesus Christ? Then see what you are to Him. You, +personally and individually, are part of the Lord's portion (Deut. xxxii. +9) and of His inheritance (1 Kings viii. 53, and Eph. i. 18). His portion +and inheritance would not be complete without you; you are His peculiar +treasure (Ex. xix. 5); 'a _special_ people' (how warm, and loving, and +natural that expression is!) '_unto Himself_' (Deut. vii. 6). Would you +call it 'keeping,' if you had a 'special' treasure, a darling little +child, for instance, and let it run wild into all sorts of dangers all +day long, sometimes at your side, and sometimes out in the street, with +only the intention of fetching it safe home at night? If ye then, being +evil, would know better, and do better, than that, how much more shall +our Lord's keeping be true, and tender, and continual, and effectual, +when He declares us to be His peculiar treasure, purchased (See 1 Pet. +ii. 9, margin) for Himself at such unknown cost! + + He will keep what thus He sought, + Safely guard the dearly bought; + Cherish that which He did choose, + Always love and never lose. + +I know what some of us are thinking. 'Yes; I see it all plainly enough in +theory, but in practice I find I am not kept. Self goes over to the other +camp again and again. If is not all for Jesus, though I have asked and +wished for it to be so.' Dear friends, the 'all' must be sealed with +'only.' Are you willing to be '_only_' for Jesus? You have not given +'all' to Jesus while you are not quite ready to be '_only_' for Him. And +it is no use to talk about 'ever' while we have not settled the 'only' +and the 'all.' You cannot be 'for Him,' in the full and blessed sense, +while you are partly 'for' anything or any one else. For 'the Lord hath +_set apart_ him that is godly for Himself.' You see, the 'for Himself' +hinges upon the 'set apart.' There is no consecration without separation. +If you are mourning over want of realized consecration, will you look +humbly and sincerely into _this_ point? 'A garden _enclosed_ is my +sister, my spouse,' saith the Heavenly Bridegroom. + + Set apart for Jesus! + Is not this enough, + Though the desert prospect + Open wild and rough? + Set apart for His delight, + Chosen for His holy pleasure, + Sealed to be His special treasure! + Could we choose a nobler joy?--and would we, if we might?[footnote: + _Loyal Responses_, p. 11.] + +But yielding, by His grace, to this blessed setting apart for Himself, +'The Lord shall _establish_ thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath +sworn unto thee.' Can there be a stronger promise? Just obey and trust +His word _now_, and yield yourselves _now_ unto God, 'that He may +establish thee _to-day_ for a people unto Himself.' Commit the keeping of +your souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, being +persuaded that He is able to keep that which you commit to Him. + + Now, Lord, I give myself to Thee, + I would be wholly Thine, + As Thou hast given Thyself to me, + And Thou art wholly mine; + O take me, seal me for Thine own, + Thine altogether, Thine alone. + +Here comes in once more that immeasurably important subject of our +influence. For it is not what we say or do, so much as what we _are_, +that influences others. We have heard this, and very likely repeated it +again and again, but have we seen it to be inevitably linked with the +great question of this chapter? I do not know anything which, +thoughtfully considered, makes us realize more vividly the need and the +importance of our whole selves being kept for Jesus. Any part not wholly +committed, and not wholly kept, must hinder and neutralize the real +influence for Him of all the rest. If we ourselves are kept all for +Jesus, then our influence will be all kept for Him too. If not, then, +however much we may wish and talk and try, we cannot throw our full +weight into the right scale. And just in so far as it is not in the one +scale, it must be in the other; weighing against the little which we have +tried to put in the right one, and making the short weight still shorter. + +So large a proportion of it is entirely involuntary, while yet the +responsibility of it is so enormous, that our helplessness comes out in +exceptionally strong relief, while our past debt in this matter is simply +incalculable. Are we feeling this a little? getting just a glimpse, down +the misty defiles of memory, of the neutral influence, the wasted +influence, the mistaken influence, the actually wrong influence which has +marked the ineffaceable although untraceable course? And all the while we +owed Him all that influence! It _ought_ to have been all for Him! We have +nothing to say. But what has our Lord to say? 'I forgave thee all _that_ +debt!' + +Then, after that forgiveness which must come first, there comes a thought +of great comfort in our freshly felt helplessness, rising out of the very +thing that makes us realize this helplessness. Just _because_ our +influence is to such a great extent involuntary and unconscious, we may +rest assured that if we ourselves are truly kept for Jesus, this will be, +as a quite natural result, kept for Him also. It cannot be otherwise, for +as is the fountain, so will be the flow; as the spring, so the action; as +the impulse, so the communicated motion. Thus there may be, and in simple +trust there will be, a quiet rest about it, a relief from all sense of +strain and effort, a fulfilling of the words, 'For he that is entered +into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from +His.' It will not be a matter of _trying_ to have good influence, but +just of _having_ it, as naturally and constantly as the magnetized bar. + +Another encouraging thought should follow. Of ourselves we may have but +little weight, no particular talents or position or anything else to put +into the scale; but let us remember that again and again God has shown +that the influence of a very average life, when once really consecrated +to Him, may outweigh that of almost any number of merely professing +Christians. Such lives are like Gideon's three hundred, carrying not even +the ordinary weapons of war, but only trumpets and lamps and empty +pitchers, by whom the Lord wrought great deliverance, while He did not +use the others at all. For He hath chosen the weak things of the world to +confound the things which are mighty. + +Should not all this be additional motive for desiring that our _whole_ +selves should be taken and kept? + + +I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever. Therefore we may +rejoicingly say 'ever' as well as 'only' and 'all for Thee!' For the Lord +is our Keeper, and He is the Almighty and the Everlasting God, with whom +is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He will never change His +mind about keeping us, and no man is able to pluck us out of His hand. +Neither will Christ let us pluck ourselves out of His hand, for He says, +'Thou _shalt_ abide for Me many days.' And He that keepeth us will not +slumber. Once having undertaken His vineyard, He will keep it night and +day, till all the days and nights are over, and we know the full meaning +of the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, unto which we are +kept by His power. + +And then, for ever for Him! passing from the gracious keeping by faith +for this little while, to the glorious keeping in His presence for all +eternity! For ever fulfilling the object for which He formed us and chose +us, we showing forth His praise, and He showing the exceeding riches of +His grace in His kindness towards us in the ages to come! _He for us, and +we for Him for ever!_ Oh, how little we can grasp this! Yet this is the +fruition of being 'kept for Jesus!' + + Set apart for ever + For Himself alone! + Now we see our calling + Gloriously shown. + Owning, with no secret dread, + This our holy separation, + Now the crown of consecration[footnote: Num. vi. 7.] + Of the Lord our God shall rest upon our willing head. + + + + + Chapter XIII. + Christ for Us. + + +_'So will I also be for Thee._'--Hos. iii. 3. + +The typical promise, 'Thou shalt abide for Me many days,' is indeed a +marvel of love. For it is given to the most undeserving, described under +the strongest possible figure of utter worthlessness and +treacherousness,--the woman beloved, yet an adulteress. + +The depth of the abyss shows the length of the line that has fathomed it, +yet only the length of the line reveals the real depth of the abyss. The +sin shows the love, and the love reveals the sin. The Bible has few words +more touching, though seldom quoted, than those just preceding this +wonderful promise: 'The love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, +who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.' Put that into the +personal application which no doubt underlies it, and say, 'The love of +the Lord toward _me_, who have looked away from Him, with wandering, +faithless eyes, to other helps and hopes, and have loved earthly joys and +sought earthly gratifications,--the love of the Lord toward even me!' And +then hear Him saying in the next verse, 'So I bought her to Me;' stooping +to do _that_ in His unspeakable condescension of love, not with the +typical silver and barley, but with the precious blood of Christ. Then, +having thus loved us, and rescued us, and bought us with a price indeed, +He says, still under the same figure, 'Thou shalt abide for Me many +days.' + +This is both a command and a pledge. But the very pledge implies our past +unfaithfulness, and the proved need of even our own part being undertaken +by the ever patient Lord. He Himself has to guarantee our faithfulness, +because there is no other hope of our continuing faithful. Well may such +love win our full and glad surrender, and such a promise win our happy +and confident trust! + +But He says more. He says, 'So will I also be for thee!' And this seems +an even greater marvel of love, as we observe how He meets every detail +of our consecration with this wonderful word.[footnote: The remainder of +this chapter is printed in a little penny book, entitled, _I also for +Thee_, by F. R. H., published by Caswell, Birmingham, and by Nisbet & +Co.] + + +1. _His Life_ 'for thee!' 'The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the +sheep.' Oh, wonderful gift! not promised, but _given_; not to friends, +but to enemies. Given without condition, without reserve, without return. +Himself unknown and unloved, His gift unsought and unasked, He gave His +life for thee; a more than royal bounty--the greatest gift that Deity +could devise. Oh, grandeur of love! 'I lay down My life for the sheep!' +And we for whom He gave it have held back, and hesitated to give our +lives, not even _for_ Him (He has not asked us to do that), but _to_ Him! +But that is past, and He has tenderly pardoned the unloving, ungrateful +reserve, and has graciously accepted the poor little fleeting breath and +speck of dust which was all we had to offer. And now His precious death +and His glorious life are all 'for thee.' + + +2. _His Eternity_ 'for thee.' All we can ask Him to take are days and +moments--the little span given us as it is given, and of this only the +present in deed and the future in will. As for the past, in so far as we +did not give it to Him, it is too late; we can never give it now! But His +past was given to us, though ours was not given to Him. Oh, what a +tremendous debt does this show us! + +Away back in the dim depths of past eternity, 'or ever the earth and the +world were made,' His divine existence in the bosom of His Father was all +'for thee,' purposing and planning 'for thee,' receiving and holding the +promise of eternal life 'for thee.' + +Then the thirty-three years among sinners on this sinful earth: do we +think enough of the slowly-wearing days and nights, the heavy-footed +hours, the never-hastening minutes, that went to make up those +thirty-three years of trial and humiliation? We all know how slowly time +passes when suffering and sorrow are near, and there is no reason to +suppose that our Master was exempted from this part of our infirmities. + +Then His present is 'for thee.' Even now He 'liveth to make +intercession;' even now He 'thinketh upon me;' even now He 'knoweth,' He +'careth,' He 'loveth.' + +Then, only to think that His whole eternity will be 'for thee!' Millions +of ages of unfoldings of all His love, and of ever new declarings of His +Father's name to His brethren. Think of it! and can we ever hesitate to +give _all_ our poor little hours to His service? + + +3. _His Hands_ 'for thee.' Literal hands; literally pierced, when the +whole weight of His quivering frame hung from their torn muscles and +bared nerves; literally uplifted in parting blessing. Consecrated, +priestly hands; 'filled' hands (Ex. xxviii. 41, xxix. 9, etc., +margin)--filled once with His great offering, and now with gifts and +blessings 'for thee.' Tender hands, touching and healing, lifting and +leading with gentlest care. Strong hands, upholding and defending. Open +hands, filling with good and satisfying desire (Ps. civ. 28, and cxlv. +16). Faithful hands, restraining and sustaining. 'His left hand is under +my head, and His right hand doth embrace me.' + + +4. _His Feet_ 'for thee.' They were weary very often, they were wounded +and bleeding once. They made clear footprints as He went about doing +good, and as He went up to Jerusalem to suffer; and these 'blessed steps +of His most holy life,' both as substitution and example, were 'for +thee.' Our place of waiting and learning, of resting and loving, is at +His feet. And still those 'blessed feet' are and shall be 'for thee,' +until He comes again to receive us unto Himself, until and when the word +is fulfilled, 'They shall walk with Me in white.' + + +5. _His Voice_ 'for thee.' The 'Voice of my beloved that knocketh, +saying, Open to me, my sister, my love;' the Voice that His sheep 'hear' +and 'know,' and that calls out the fervent response, 'Master, say on!' +This is not all. It was the literal voice of the Lord Jesus which uttered +that one echoless cry of desolation on the Cross 'for thee,' and it will +be His own literal voice which will say, 'Come, ye blessed!' to thee. And +that same tender and 'glorious Voice' has literally sung and will sing +'for thee.' I think He consecrated song for us, and made it a sweet and +sacred thing for ever, when He Himself 'sang an hymn,' the very last +thing before He went forth to consecrate suffering for us. That was not +His last song. 'The Lord thy God ... will joy over thee with singing.' +And the time is coming when He will not only sing 'for thee' or 'over +thee,' but with thee. He says He will! 'In the midst of the church will I +sing praise unto Thee.' Now what a magnificent glimpse of joy this is! +'Jesus Himself leading the praises of His brethren,'[footnote: See A. +Newton on the Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. ii. ver. 12.] and we ourselves +singing not merely in such a chorus, but with such a leader! If 'singing +for Jesus' is such delight here, what will this 'singing _with_ Jesus' +be? Surely song may well be a holy thing to us henceforth. + + +6. _His Lips_ 'for thee.' Perhaps there is no part of our consecration +which it is so difficult practically to realize, and in which it is, +therefore, so needful to recollect?--'I also for thee.' It is often +helpful to read straight through one or more of the Gospels with a +special thought on our mind, and see how much bears upon it. When we read +one through with this thought--'His _lips_ for me!'--wondering, verse by +verse, at the grace which was poured into them, and the gracious words +which fell from them, wondering more and more at the cumulative force and +infinite wealth of tenderness and power and wisdom and love flowing from +them, we cannot but desire that our lips and all the fruit of them should +be wholly for Him. 'For thee' they were opened in blessing; 'for thee' +they were closed when He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And whether +teaching, warning, counsel, comfort, or encouragement, commandments in +whose keeping there is a great reward, or promises which exceed all we +ask or think--all the precious fruit of His lips is 'for thee,' really +and truly _meant_ 'for thee.' + + +7. _His Wealth_ 'for thee.' 'Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He +became poor, that ye through His poverty might be made rich.' Yes, +'through His poverty' the unsearchable riches of Christ are 'for thee.' +Seven-fold riches are mentioned; and these are no unminted treasure or +sealed reserve, but all ready coined for our use, and stamped with His +own image and superscription, and poured freely into the hand of faith. +The mere list is wonderful. 'Riches of goodness,' 'riches of forbearance +and long-suffering,' 'riches both of wisdom and knowledge,' 'riches of +mercy,' 'exceeding riches of grace,' and 'riches of glory.' And His own +Word says, 'All are yours!' Glance on in faith, and think of eternity +flowing on and on beyond the mightiest sweep of imagination, and realize +that all 'His riches in glory' and 'the riches of His glory' are and +shall be 'for thee!' In view of this, shall we care to reserve anything +that rust doth corrupt for ourselves? + + +8. _His 'treasures of wisdom and knowledge'_ 'for thee.' First, used for +our behalf and benefit. Why did He expend such immeasurable might of mind +upon a world which is to be burnt up, but that He would fit it perfectly +to be, not the home, but the school of His children? The infinity of His +skill is such that the most powerful intellects find a lifetime too short +to penetrate a little way into a few secrets of some one small department +of His working. If we turn to Providence, it is quite enough to take only +one's own life, and look at it microscopically and telescopically, and +marvel at the treasures of wisdom lavished upon its details, ordering and +shaping and fitting the tiny confused bits into the true mosaic which He +means it to be. Many a little thing in our lives reveals the same Mind +which, according to a well-known and very beautiful illustration, +adjusted a perfect proportion in the delicate hinges of the snowdrop and +the droop of its bell, with the mass of the globe and the force of +gravitation. How kind we think it if a very talented friend spends a +little of his thought and power of mind in teaching us or planning for +us! Have we been grateful for the infinite thought and wisdom which our +Lord has expended upon us and our creation, preservation, and redemption? + +Secondly, to be shared with us. He says, 'All that I have is thine.' He +holds nothing back, reserves nothing from His dear children, and what we +cannot receive now He is keeping for us. He gives us 'hidden riches of +secret places' now, but by and by He will give us more, and the glorified +intellect will be filled continually out of His treasures of wisdom and +knowledge. But the sanctified intellect will be, must be, used for Him, +and only for Him, now! + + +9. _His Will_ 'for thee.' Think first of the _infinite might_ of that +will; the first great law and the first great force of the universe, from +which alone every other law and every other force has sprung, and to +which all are subordinate. 'He worketh all things after the counsel of +His own will.' 'He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and +among the inhabitants of the earth.' Then think of the _infinite +mysteries_ of that will. For ages and generations the hosts of heaven +have wonderingly watched its vouchsafed unveilings and its sublime +developments, and still they are waiting, watching, and wondering. + +Creation and Providence are but the whisper of its power, but Redemption +is its music, and praise is the echo which shall yet fill His temple. The +whisper and the music, yes, and 'the thunder of His power,' are all 'for +thee.' For what _is_ 'the good pleasure of His will'? (Eph. i. 5.) Oh, +what a grand list of blessings purposed, provided, purchased, and +possessed, all flowing to us out of it! And nothing but blessings, +nothing but privileges, which we never should have imagined, and which, +even when revealed, we are 'slow of heart to believe;' nothing but what +should even now fill us 'with joy unspeakable and full of glory!' + +Think of this will as always and altogether on our side--always working +for us, and in us, and with us, if we will only let it; think of it as +always and only synonymous with infinitely wise and almighty love; think +of it as undertaking all for us, from the great work of our eternal +salvation down to the momentary details of guidance and supply, and do we +not feel utter shame and self-abhorrence at _ever_ having hesitated for +an instant to give up our tiny, feeble, blind will, to be--not crushed, +not even bent, but _blent_ with His glorious and perfect Will? + + +10. _His Heart_ 'for thee.' 'Behold ... He is mighty ... in heart,' said +Job (Job xxxvi. 5, margin). And this mighty and tender heart is 'for +thee!' If He had only stretched forth His hand to save us from bare +destruction, and said, 'My hand for thee!' how could we have praised Him +enough? But what shall we say of the unspeakably marvellous condescension +which says, 'Thou hast ravished (margin, _taken away_) my heart, my +sister, my spouse!' The very fountain of His divine life, and light, and +love, the very centre of His being, is given to His beloved ones, who are +not only 'set as a seal upon His heart,' but taken into His heart, so +that our life is hid there, and we dwell there in the very centre of all +safety, and power, and love, and glory. What will be the revelation of +'that day,' when the Lord Jesus promises, 'Ye shall know that I am in My +Father, and _ye in Me'?_ For He implies that we do not yet know it, and +that our present knowledge of this dwelling in Him is not knowledge at +all compared with what He is going to show us about it. + +Now shall we, can we, reserve any corner of our hearts from Him? + + +11. _His Love_ 'for thee.' Not a passive, possible love, but outflowing, +yes, _outpouring_ of the real, glowing, personal love of His mighty and +tender heart. Love not as an attribute, a quality, a latent force, but an +acting, moving, reaching, touching, and grasping power. Love, not a cold, +beautiful, far-off star, but a sunshine that comes and enfolds us, making +us warm and glad, and strong and bright and fruitful. + +_His_ love! What manner of love is it? What should be quoted to prove or +describe it? First the whole Bible with its mysteries and marvels of +redemption, then the whole book of Providence and the whole volume of +creation. Then add to these the unknown records of eternity past and the +unknown glories of eternity to come, and then let the immeasurable +quotation be sung by 'angels and archangels, and all the company of +heaven,' with all the harps of God, and still that love will be untold, +still it will be 'the love of Christ that passeth knowledge.' + +But it is 'for thee!' + + +12. _Himself_ 'for thee.' 'Christ also hath loved us, and given Himself +for us.' 'The Son of God ... loved me, and gave Himself for me.' Yes, +Himself! What is the Bride's true and central treasure? What calls forth +the deepest, brightest, sweetest thrill of love and praise? Not the +Bridegroom's priceless gifts, not the robe of His resplendent +righteousness, not the dowry of unsearchable riches, not the magnificence +of the palace home to which He is bringing her, not the glory which she +shall share with Him, but Himself! Jesus Christ, 'who His own self bare +our sins in His own body on the tree;' 'this same Jesus,' 'whom having +not seen, ye love;' the Son of God, and the Man of Sorrows; my Saviour, +my Friend, my Master, my King, my Priest, my Lord and my God--He says, +'_I_ also for thee!' What an '_I'!_ What power and sweetness we feel in +it, so different from any human '_I_,' for all His Godhead and all His +manhood are concentrated in it, and all 'for thee!' + +And not only 'all,' but '_ever_' for thee. His unchangeableness is the +seal upon every attribute; He will be 'this same Jesus' for ever. How can +mortal mind estimate this enormous promise? How can mortal heart conceive +what is enfolded in these words, 'I also for thee'? + +One glimpse of its fulness and glory, and we feel that henceforth it must +be, shall be, and by His grace _will_ be our true-hearted, whole-hearted +cry-- + + Take _myself_, and I will be + _Ever_, ONLY, ALL for Thee! + + + + + SELECTIONS FROM + MISS HAVERGAL'S LATEST POEMS. + + + + + An Interlude. + + + _That_ part is finished! I lay down my pen, + And wonder if the thoughts will flow as fast + Through the more difficult defile. For the last + Was easy, and the channel deeper then. + My Master, I will trust Thee for the rest; + Give me just what Thou wilt, and that will be my best! + + How can _I_ tell the varied, hidden need + Of Thy dear children, all unknown to me, + Who at some future time may come and read + What I have written! All are known to Thee. + As Thou hast helped me, help me to the end; + Give me Thy own sweet messages of love to send. + + So now, I pray Thee, keep my hand in Thine; + And guide it as Thou wilt. I do not ask + To understand the 'wherefore' of each line; + Mine is the sweeter, easier, happier task, + Just to look up to Thee for every word, + Rest in Thy love, and trust, and know that I am heard. + + + + + The Thoughts of God. + + + They say there is a hollow, safe and still, + A point of coolness and repose + Within the centre of a flame, where life might dwell + Unharmed and unconsumed, as in a luminous shell, + Which the bright walls of fire enclose + In breachless splendour, barrier that no foes + Could pass at will. + + There is a point of rest + At the great centre of the cyclone's force, + A silence at its secret source;-- + A little child might slumber undistressed, + Without the ruffle of one fairy curl, + In that strange central calm amid the mighty whirl. + + So, in the centre of these thoughts of God, + Cyclones of power, consuming glory-fire,-- + As we fall o'erawed + Upon our faces, and are lifted higher + By His great gentleness, and carried nigher + Than unredeemed angels, till we stand + Even in the hollow of His hand, + Nay, more! we lean upon His breast-- + _There_, there we find a point of perfect rest + And glorious safety. There we see + His thoughts to usward, thoughts of peace + That stoop in tenderest love; that still increase + With increase of our need; that never change, + That never fail, or falter, or forget + O pity infinite! + O royal mercy free! + O gentle climax of the depth and height + Of God's most precious thoughts, most wonderful, most strange! + 'For I am poor and needy, yet + The Lord Himself, Jehovah, _thinketh upon me_!' + + + + + 'Free to Serve.' + + + She chose His service. For the Lord of Love + Had chosen her, and paid the awful price + For her redemption; and had sought her out, + And set her free, and clothed her gloriously, + And put His royal ring upon her hand, + And crowns of loving-kindness on her head. + She chose it. Yet it seemed she could not yield + The fuller measure other lives could bring; + For He had given her a precious gift, + A treasure and a charge to prize and keep, + A tiny hand, a darling hand, that traced + On her heart's tablet words of golden love. + And there was not much room for other lines, + For time and thought were spent (and rightly spent, + For He had given the charge), and hours and days + Were concentrated on the one dear task. + But He had need of her. Not one new gem + But many for His crown;--not one fair sheaf, + But many, she should bring. And she should have + A richer, happier harvest-home at last. + Because more fruit, more glory and more praise + Her life should yield to Him. And so He came, + The Master came Himself, and gently took + The little hand in His, and gave it room + Among the angel-harpers. Jesus came + And laid His own hand on the quivering heart, + And made it very still, that He might write + Invisible words of power--'Free to serve!' + Then through the darkness and the chill He sent + A heat-ray of His love, developing + The mystic writing, till it glowed and shone + And lit up all her life with radiance new,-- + The happy service of a yielded heart. + With comfort that He never ceased to give + (Because her need could never cease) she filled + The empty chalices of other lives, + And time and thought were thenceforth spent for Him + Who loved her with His everlasting love. + + Let Him write what He will upon our hearts, + With His unerring pen. They are His own, + Hewn from the rock by His selecting grace, + Prepared for His own glory. Let Him write! + Be sure He will not cross out one sweet word + But to inscribe a sweeter,--but to grave + One that shall shine for ever to His praise, + And thus fulfil our deepest heart-desire. + The tearful eye at first may read the line, + 'Bondage to grief!' But He shall wipe away + The tears, and clear the vision, till it read + In ever-brightening letters, 'Free to serve!' + For whom the Son makes free is free indeed. + Nor only by reclaiming His good gifts, + But by withholding, doth the Master write + These words upon the heart. Not always needs + Erasure of some blessed line of love + For this more blest inscription. Where He finds + A tablet empty for the 'lines left out,' + That 'might have been' engraved with human love + And sweetest human cares, yet never bore + That poetry of life, His own dear hand + Writes 'Free to serve!' And these clear characters + Fill with fair colours all the unclaimed space, + Else grey and colourless. + Then let it be + The motto of our lives until we stand + In the great freedom of Eternity, + Where we '_shall_ serve Him' while we see His face, + For ever and for ever 'Free to serve.' + + + + + Coming to the King. + + 2 Chronicles ix. 1-12. + + + I came from very far away to see + The King of Salem; for I had been told + Of glory and of wisdom manifold, + And condescension infinite and free. + How could I rest, when I had heard His fame, + In that dark lonely land of death from whence I came? + + I came (but not like Sheba's queen), alone! + No stately train, no costly gifts to bring; + No friend at court, save One, that One the King! + I had requests to spread before His throne, + And I had questions none could solve for me, + Of import deep, and full of awful mystery. + + I came and communed with that mighty King, + And told Him all my heart; I cannot say, + In mortal ear, what communings were they. + But wouldst thou know, go too, and meekly bring + All that is in thy heart, and thou shalt hear + His voice of love and power, His answers sweet and clear. + + O happy end of every weary quest! + He told me all I needed, graciously;-- + Enough for guidance, and for victory + O'er doubts and fears, enough for quiet rest; + And when some veiled response I could not read, + It was not hid from Him,--this was enough indeed. + + His wisdom and His glories passed before + My wondering eyes in gradual revelation; + The house that He had built, its strong foundation, + Its living stones; and, brightening more and more, + Fair glimpses of that palace far away, + Where all His loyal ones shall dwell with Him for aye. + + True the report that reached my far-off land + Of all His wisdom and transcendent fame; + Yet I believed not until I came,-- + Bowed to the dust till raised by royal hand. + The half was never told by mortal word; + My King exceeded all the fame that I had heard! + + Oh, happy are His servants! happy they + Who stand continually before His face, + Ready to do His will of wisest grace! + My King! is mine such blessedness to-day? + For I too hear Thy wisdom, line by line, + Thy ever brightening words in holy radiance shine. + + Oh, blessed be the Lord thy God, who set + Our King upon His throne! Divine delight + In the Beloved crowning Thee with might, + Honour, and majesty supreme; and yet + The strange and Godlike secret opening thus,-- + The kingship of His Christ ordained through love to us! + + What shall I render to my glorious King? + I have but that which I receive from Thee; + And what I give, Thou givest back to me, + Transmuted by Thy touch; each worthless thing + Changed to the preciousness of gem or gold, + And by Thy blessing multiplied a thousand fold. + + All my desire Thou grantest, whatsoe'er + I ask! Was ever mythic tale or dream + So bold as this reality,--this stream + Of boundless blessings flowing full and free? + Yet more than I have thought or asked of Thee, + Out of Thy royal bounty still Thou givest me. + + Now I will turn to my own land, and tell + What I myself have seen and heard of Thee. + And give Thine own sweet message, 'Come and see!' + And yet in heart and mind for ever dwell + With Thee, my King of Peace, in loyal rest, + Within the fair pavilion of Thy presence blest. + + +'Surely in what place my Lord the King shall be, whether in death or +life, even there also will thy servant be.'--2 _Sam._ xv. 21. + +'Where I am, there shall also my servant be.'--_John_ xii. 26. + + + + + The Two Paths. + + Via Dolorosa and Via Giojosa. + + [_Suggested by a Picture._] + + + My Master, they have wronged Thee and Thy love! + They only told me I should find the path + A Via Dolorosa all the way! + Even Thy sweetest singers only sang + Of pressing onward through the same sharp thorns, + With bleeding footsteps, through the chill dark mist, + Following and struggling till they reach the light, + The rest, the sunshine of the far beyond. + The anthems of the pilgrimage were set + In most pathetic minors, exquisite, + Yet breathing sadness more than any praise; + Thy minstrels let the fitful breezes make + AEolian moans on their entrusted harps, + Until the listeners thought that this was all + The music Thou hadst given. And so the steps + That halted where the two ways met and crossed, + The broad and narrow, turned aside in fear, + Thinking the radiance of their youth must pass + In sombre shadows if they followed Thee; + Hearing afar such echoes of one strain, + The cross, the tribulation, and the toil, + The conflict, and the clinging in the dark. + What wonder that the dancing feet are stayed + From entering the only path of peace! + Master, forgive them! Tune their harps anew, + And put a new song in their mouths for Thee, + And make Thy chosen people joyful in Thy love. + + + Lord Jesus, Thou hast trodden once for all + The Via Dolorosa,--and for us! + No artist power or minstrel gift may tell + The cost to Thee of each unfaltering step, + When love that passeth knowledge led Thee on, + Faithful and true to God, and true to us. + And now, beloved Lord, Thou callest us + To follow Thee, and we will take Thy word + About the path which Thou hast marked for us. + Narrow indeed it is! Who does not choose + The narrow track upon the mountain side, + With ever-widening view, and freshening air, + And honeyed heather, rather than the road, + With smoothest breadth of dust and loss of view, + Soiled blossoms not worth gathering, and the noise + Of wheels instead of silence of the hills, + Or music of the waterfalls? Oh, why + Should they misrepresent Thy words, and make + 'Narrow' synonymous with 'very hard'? + For Thou, Divinest Wisdom, Thou hast said + Thy ways are ways of pleasantness, and all + Thy paths are peace; and that the path of him + Who wears Thy perfect robe of righteousness + Is as the light that shineth more and more + Unto the perfect day. And Thou hast given + An olden promise, rarely quoted now,[footnote: Job xxvi. 15.] + Because it is too bright for our weak faith: + 'If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend + Days in prosperity, and they shall spend + Their years in pleasures.' All because Thy days + Were full of sorrow, and Thy lonely years + Were passed in grief's acquaintance--all for us! + + Master, I set my seal that Thou art true, + Of Thy good promise not one thing hath failed! + And I would send a ringing challenge forth, + To all who know Thy name, to tell it out, + Thy faithfulness to every written word, + Thy loving-kindness crowning all the days,-- + To say and sing with me: 'The Lord is good, + His mercy is for ever, and His truth + Is written on each page of all my life!' + Yes! there _is_ tribulation, but Thy power + Can blend it with rejoicing. There _are_ thorns, + But they have kept us in the narrow way, + The King's Highway of holiness and peace. + And there _is_ chastening, but the Father's love + Flows through it; and would any trusting heart + Forego the chastening and forego the love? + And every step leads on to 'more and more,' + From strength to strength Thy pilgrims pass and sing + The praise of Him who leads them on and on, + From glory unto glory, even here! + + + + + Only for Jesus. + + + Only for Jesus! Lord, keep it for ever + Sealed on the heart and engraved on the life! + Pulse of all gladness and nerve of endeavour, + Secret of rest, and the strength of our strife. + + + + + 'Vessels of Mercy, Prepared unto Glory.' + + (Rom. ix. 23.) + + + Vessels of mercy, prepared unto glory! + This is your calling and this is your joy! + This, for the new year unfolding before ye, + Tells out the terms of your blessed employ. + + Vessels, it may be, all empty and broken, + Marred in the Hand of inscrutable skill; + (Love can accept the mysterious token!) + Marred but to make them more beautiful still. + + Jer. xviii. 4. + + Vessels, it may be, not costly or golden; + Vessels, it may be, of quantity small, + Yet by the Nail in the Sure Place upholden, + Never to shiver and never to fall. + + Isa. xxii. 23, 24. + + Vessels to honour, made sacred and holy, + Meet for the use of the Master we love, + Ready for service, all simple and lowly, + Ready, one day, for the temple above. + + 2 Tim. ii. 21. + + Yes, though the vessels be fragile and earthen, + God hath commanded His glory to shine; + Treasure resplendent henceforth is our burthen, + Excellent power, not ours but Divine. + + 2 Cor. iv. 5, 6. + + Chosen in Christ ere the dawn of Creation, + Chosen for Him, to be filled with His grace, + Chosen to carry the streams of salvation + Into each thirsty and desolate place. + + Acts ix. 15. + + Take all Thy vessels, O glorious Finer, + Purge all the dross, that each chalice may be + Pure in Thy pattern, completer, diviner, + Filled with Thy glory and shining for Thee. + + Prov. xxv. 4. + + + + + The Turned Lesson. + + + 'I thought I knew it!' she said, + 'I thought I had learnt it quite!' + But the gentle Teacher shook her head, + With a grave yet loving light + In the eyes that fell on the upturned face, + As she gave the book + With the mark still set in the self-same place. + + 'I thought I knew it!' she said; + And a heavy tear fell down, + As she turned away with bending head, + Yet not for reproof or frown, + Not for the lesson to learn again, + Or the play hour lost;-- + It was something else that gave the pain. + + She could not have put it in words, + But her Teacher understood, + As God understands the chirp of the birds + In the depth of an autumn wood. + And a quiet touch on the reddening cheek + Was quite enough; + No need to question, no need to speak. + + Then the gentle voice was heard, + 'Now I will try you again!' + And the lesson was mastered,--every word! + Was it not worth the pain? + Was it not kinder the task to turn, + Than to let it pass, + As a lost, lost leaf that she did not learn? + + Is it not often so, + That we only learn in part, + And the Master's testing-time may show + That it was not quite 'by heart'? + Then He gives, in His wise and patient grace, + That lesson again + With the mark still set in the self-same place. + + Only, stay by His side + Till the page is really known. + It may be we failed because we tried + To learn it all alone, + And now that He would not let us lose + One lesson of love + (For He knows the loss),--can we refuse? + + But oh! how could we dream + That we knew it all so well! + Reading so fluently, as we deem, + What we could not even spell! + And oh! how could we grieve once more + That Patient One + Who has turned so many a task before! + + That waiting One, who now + Is letting us try again; + Watching us with the patient brow, + That bore the wreath of pain; + Thoroughly teaching what He would teach, + Line upon line, + Thoroughly doing His work in each. + + Then let our hearts 'be still,' + Though our task is turned to-day; + Oh let Him teach us what He will, + In His own gracious way. + Till, sitting only at Jesus' feet, + As we learn each line + The hardest is found all clear and sweet! + + + + + Sunday Night. + + + Rest him, O Father! Thou didst send him forth + With great and gracious messages of love; + But Thy ambassador is weary now, + Worn with the weight of his high embassy. + Now care for him as Thou hast cared for us + In sending him; and cause him to lie down + In Thy fresh pastures, by Thy streams of peace. + Let Thy left hand be now beneath his head, + And Thine upholding right encircle him, + And, underneath, the Everlasting arms + Be felt in full support. So let him rest, + Hushed like a little child, without one care; + And so give Thy beloved sleep to-night. + + Rest him, dear Master! He hath poured for us + The wine of joy, and we have been refreshed. + Now fill _his_ chalice, give him sweet new draughts + Of life and love, with Thine own hand; be Thou + His ministrant to-night; draw very near + In all Thy tenderness and all Thy power. + Oh speak to him! Thou knowest how to speak + A word in season to Thy weary ones, + And he is weary now. Thou lovest him-- + Let Thy disciple lean upon Thy breast, + And, leaning, gain new strength to 'rise and shine.' + + Rest him, O loving Spirit! Let Thy calm + Fall on his soul to-night. O holy Dove, + Spread Thy bright wing above him, let him rest + Beneath its shadow; let him know afresh + The infinite truth and might of Thy dear name-- + 'Our Comforter!' As gentlest touch will stay + The strong vibrations of a jarring chord, + So lay Thy hand upon his heart, and still + Each overstraining throb, each pulsing pain. + Then, in the stillness, breathe upon the strings, + And let thy holy music overflow + With soothing power his listening, resting soul. + + + + + A Song in the Night. + +[Written in severe pain, Sunday afternoon, October 8th, 1876, at the +Pension Wengen, Alps.] + + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + From Thine own hand, + The strength to bear it bravely + Thou wilt command. + + I am too weak for effort, + So let me rest, + In hush of sweet submission, + On Thine own breast. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + As proof indeed + That Thou art watching closely + My truest need; + + That Thou, my Good Physician, + Art watching still; + That all Thine own good pleasure + Thou wilt fulfil. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus; + What Thou dost choose + The soul that really loves Thee + Will not refuse. + + It is not for the first time + I trust to-day; + For Thee my heart has never + A trustless 'Nay!' + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus; + But what beside? + 'Tis no unmingled portion + Thou dost provide. + + In every hour of faintness + My cup runs o'er + With faithfulness and mercy, + And love's sweet store. + + I take this pain, Lord Jesus, + As Thine own gift; + And true though tremulous praises + I now uplift. + + I am too weak to sing them, + But Thou dost hear + The whisper from the pillow, + Thou art so near! + + 'Tis Thy dear hand, O Saviour, + That presseth sore, + The hand that bears the nail-prints + For evermore. + + And now beneath its shadow, + Hidden by Thee, + The pressure only tells me + Thou lovest me! + + + + + What will You do without Him? + + + I could not do without Him! + Jesus is more to me + Than all the richest, fairest gifts + Of earth could ever be. + But the more I find Him precious-- + And the more I find Him true-- + The more I long for you to find + What He can be to you. + + You need not do without Him, + For He is passing by, + He is waiting to be gracious, + Only waiting for your cry: + He is waiting to receive you-- + To make you all His own! + Why will you do without Him, + And wander on alone? + + Why will you do without Him? + Is He not kind indeed? + Did He not die to save you? + Is He not all you need? + Do you not want a Saviour? + Do you not want a Friend? + One who will love you faithfully, + And love you to the end? + + Why will you do without Him? + The Word of God is true! + The world is passing to its doom-- + And you are passing too. + It may be no to-morrow + Shall dawn on you or me; + Why will you run the awful risk + Of all eternity? + + What will you do without Him, + In the long and dreary day + Of trouble and perplexity, + When you do not know the way, + And no one else can help you, + And no one guides you right, + And hope comes not with morning, + And rest comes not with night? + + You could not do without Him, + If once He made you see + The fetters that enchain you, + Till He hath set you free. + If once you saw the fearful load + Of sin upon your soul; + The hidden plague that ends in death, + Unless He makes you whole! + + What will you do without Him, + When death is drawing near? + Without His love--the only love + That casts out every fear; + When the shadow-valley opens, + Unlighted and unknown, + And the terrors of its darkness + Must all be passed alone! + + What will you do without Him, + When the great white throne is set, + And the Judge who never can mistake, + And never can forget,-- + The Judge whom you have never here + As Friend and Saviour sought, + Shall summon you to give account + Of deed and word and thought? + + What will you do without Him, + When He hath shut the door, + And you are left outside, because + You would not come before? + When it is no use knocking, + No use to stand and wait; + For the word of doom tolls through your heart + That terrible 'Too late!' + + You cannot do without Him! + There is no other name + By which you ever _can_ be saved, + No way, no hope, no claim! + Without Him--everlasting loss + Of love, and life, and light! + Without Him--everlasting woe, + And everlasting night. + + But with Him--oh! _with Jesus_! + Are any words so blest? + With Jesus, everlasting joy + And everlasting rest! + With Jesus--all the empty heart + Filled with His perfect love; + With Jesus--perfect peace below, + And perfect bliss above. + + Why should you do without Him? + It is not yet too late; + He has not closed the day of grace, + He has not shut the gate. + He calls you! hush! He calls you! + He would not have you go + Another step without Him, + Because He loves you so. + + Why will you do without Him? + He calls and calls again-- + 'Come unto Me! Come unto Me!' + Oh, shall He call in vain? + He wants to have you with Him; + Do you not want Him too? + You cannot do without Him, + And He wants--even you. + + + + + Church Missionary Jubilee Hymn. + +'He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.'--Isa. +liii. 11. + + + Rejoice with Jesus Christ to-day, + All ye who love His holy sway! + The travail of His soul is past, + He shall be satisfied at last. + + Rejoice with Him, rejoice indeed! + For He shall see His chosen seed. + But ours the trust, the grand employ, + To work out this divinest joy. + + Of all His own He loseth none, + They shall be gathered one by one; + He gathereth the smallest grain, + His travail shall not be in vain. + + Arise and work! arise and pray + That He would haste the dawning day! + And let the silver trumpet sound, + Wherever Satan's slaves are found. + + The vanquished foe shall soon be stilled, + The conquering Saviour's joy fulfilled, + Fulfilled in us, fulfilled in them, + His crown, His royal diadem. + + Soon, soon our waiting eyes shall see + The Saviour's mighty Jubilee! + His harvest joy is filling fast, + He shall be satisfied at last. + + + + + A Happy New Year to You! + + + New mercies, new blessings, new light on thy way; + New courage, new hope, and new strength for each day; + New notes of thanksgiving, new chords of delight, + New praise in the morning, new songs in the night, + New wine in thy chalice, new altars to raise; + New fruits for thy Master, new garments of praise; + New gifts from His treasures, new smiles from His face; + New streams from the Fountain of infinite grace; + New stars for thy crown, and new tokens of love; + New gleams of the glory that waits thee above; + New light of His countenance, full and unpriced; + All this be the joy of thy new life in Christ! + + + + + Another Year. + + + Another year is dawning! + Dear Master, let it be + In working or in waiting, + Another year with Thee. + + Another year of leaning + Upon Thy loving breast, + Of ever-deepening trustfulness, + Of quiet, happy rest. + + Another year of mercies, + Of faithfulness and grace; + Another year of gladness + In the shining of Thy face. + + Another year of progress, + Another year of praise; + Another year of proving + Thy presence 'all the days.' + + Another year of service, + Of witness for Thy love; + Another year of training + For holier work above. + + Another year is dawning! + Dear Master, let it be + On earth, or else in heaven, + Another year for Thee! + + + + + New Year's Wishes. + + + What shall I wish thee? + Treasures of earth? + Songs in the springtime, + Pleasure and mirth? + Flowers on thy pathway, + Skies ever clear? + Would this ensure thee + A Happy New Year? + + What shall I wish thee? + What can be found + Bringing thee sunshine + All the year round? + Where is the treasure, + Lasting and dear, + That shall ensure thee + A Happy New Year? + + Faith that increaseth, + Walking in light; + Hope that aboundeth, + Happy and bright; + Love that is perfect, + Casting out fear; + These shall ensure thee + A Happy New Year. + + Peace in the Saviour, + Rest at His feet, + Smile of His countenance + Radiant and sweet, + Joy in His presence! + Christ ever near! + This will ensure thee + A Happy New Year! + + + + + 'Most Blessed For Ever.' + +(_Though the date of these lines is uncertain, they are chosen as a +closing chord to her songs on earth._) + + + The prayer of many a day is all fulfilled, + Only by full fruition stayed and stilled; + You asked for blessing as your Father willed, + Now He hath answered: 'Most blessed for ever!' + + Lost is the daily light of mutual smile, + You therefore sorrow now a little while; + But floating down life's dimmed and lonely aisle + Comes the clear music: 'Most blessed for ever!' + + From the great anthems of the Crystal Sea, + Through the far vistas of Eternity, + Grand echoes of the word peal on for thee, + Sweetest and fullest: 'Most blessed for ever.' + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Kept for the Master's Use, by +Frances Ridley Havergal + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE *** + +***** This file should be named 31647.txt or 31647.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/6/4/31647/ + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Hutcheson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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