DEVOTIONAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 45, 21 January 1939, Page 12

DEVOTIONAL

HEAVEN’S GLORY SONG. AVitli harps and with voils there stand a great throng In Llxe presence of Jesus and sing this new song. Unto Him AYho hath loved us and washed us from sin, Unto Him be the glory for ever ! Amen !

All these once were sinners, defiled in His sight, Now arrayed in pure garments in praise they unite. He maketh the rebel a priest and a king, He hath bought us and taught us this new song to sing.

How helpless and hopeless we sinners had been, If He never had loved us till cleansed from our sin ? Aloud in His praises our voices shall ring, So that others, believing, this new song shall sing.

TESTINGS. The friendship of the world is enmity against God, and we cunnot serve God and Mammon. AVc are constantly challenged by the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, and, if we would keep ourselves unspotted from the world, wc must ho prepared to suffer for His sake. God’s testings are very different from the devil’s temptations, for whilst God proves us in the furnace, Ho will always with the temptation make a way of escape. Satan’s temptations are always aimed at our weakest point, and to yield to him means defeat and death. G. H. Lunn, M.A. AA’lien Christ would put peculiar honour upon His servants, He often suffers them to be brought low in the sight of men.

R. C. Chapman

“FOLLOW ME.” Surely if there is one message to which our world to-day has much need to hearken, it is our Lord’s invitation—" Follow Me!” In every department of life, in private life, in public life, in spiritual things, in secular things, if only we would follow the leading of Jesus Christ, if only we would be guided by His voice, and moved by His Spirit, then of a certainty peace and blessedness would be our portion. AVhcu the Master calls, let us rise up and follow Him. Never fear, but that He will lead us right. He may lead us to a Cross, but Ho will lead us into light, Ho will load us into life. He will lead us in the way that loads into evorl” g life. For He is the jod Shepherd. —Dr Donald Davidson.

AA’HAT PRAYER IS

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed! The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, AA’lien none but God is near. Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air; His watchword at the gates of death, He enters heaven with prayer. Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, Returning from his ways ; AAHiile angels in their songs rejoice, And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

G Thou by whom we come to God. The Life, the Truth, the AA 7 ay! The path of prayer Thyself hast trod, Lord, teach usriiow to pray!

ONE AVITH CHRIST. The eye of the world is quick to perceive any indication of selfishness in those who profess to be wholly given up to God, and while it is sometimes complained that the standard the world sets up for God’s saints is too high, it is quite possible that ours may be far too low. If wc are truly delivered from the plague of selfishness, we shall not kick against injustice; we shall not lack stand upon our rights : we shall not manifest any self-impor-tant bearing, or cherish any resentful spirit. AA 7 c shall not bo elated when praised, or disheartened when blamed. In all these things He lias left us an example that wc should follow His steps, and to bo truly holy is to be truly Christ-like.—Selected.

“JESUS BIDS US SHINE.” AVe can be sure that when our Lord spoke of tlie folly of hiding light “under a bushel” He was not tilting at an imaginary thing, but at a definite tendency of the human heart. In His own time on earth, lie came across learned professors of religion who did nothing to share their knowledge with others, but secluded themselves away from the rest of the world. He also foresaw a time when this kind of thing would become more general, and when some would be foolish enough to mistake it for piety. Our Lord tried to tell His disciples that their religious faith must be a practical thing, rendering help to those who need it, and sharing its blessings with all men. —D. F. Ackland. GOD’S PLEASURE. Tt is a bold suggestion that wo can give any pleasure to God. Were it not so stated in the Scripture we should not dare to entertain such a thought. That He in His mighty power and love can find delight in our poor, cold hearts; that His glory can be enhanced bv our weak lives —this is a searching prospect. Indeed, we should take as the index of our spiritual worth the measure in which in heart and life we are pleasing God. It is also the criterion of our work for God —“Not as pleasing men, but God.” (I These. 2.4.) A life of seeming disability may have been so ordered as to provide the very circumstances in which it may bo possible for God to take added pleasure in His child. —W. Grist, M.A.