SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8664, 5 September 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

THE TRUE LIGHT AND ITS CHILDREN. [BY Tine KEY. F. B. MEYER, B.A.] John xii., 36. \ Tiie life of the Lord Jesus was bathed through and through with the Light of God. He was Light because God is Light, and God filled Him, as the light fills the pure transparent air. It was enough for Him that God should shine through His being, as through a transparent medium, nothing being added or subtracted from the intensity and glory of His rays. To believe on Him was to believe on God. To see Him was to see God. To hear Him speak was to hear what the Father hail said to Him, and was saying to men through Him (41, '15,49).

Light is so beautiful, so pure, so gladdening, so gentle in its all-pervasiveness, so mysterious in its sevenfold .web of colour! What better could set forth the nature of Him who is the express image of God's Person ; and, therefore, the beam of His glory? And in this, as the element of our being, we were meant to spend our lives, having no part dark, but saturated with the radiant shining of Him who gathers up in Himself, after a spiritual fashion, all those qualities which naturally we ascribe to light. There are, however, three injunctions here to which we must conform if we would know the blessedness to which our Lord refers as being possible to us. I. Believe in the Light (36). There is no moment, no duty, no trial in life, in which the Lord Jesus is not present.* You may not see Him; but, nevertheless, He is there. No furnace; but the Son of Man treads upon the glowing embers. No storm, but the Master walks over the turbulent billows. No isle of banishment, but the Lord is near the lonely exile. It may be that we do not see Him, or hear His voice, but we must believe. We must dare to believe on the strength of His own assurances, and in spite of all appearances to the contrary. Did He not say, " Lo, J am with you alway?" It is much when men begin to study the acts and promises of Christ as indicating His character. This is what we all do at the outset with every new friendship which comes into our life. We are not quite certain of our new-found acquaintance, and we eagerly question each trait and indication of what he is. But after a while we have formed our mental conception, and are no longer on the alert. We have passed behind the actions to the character, and we rest there. We are not always looking to find him out—sight is exchanged for faith. So we must not only believe that Christ is in all, but we must go on to believe that in all He is light; that in all the bitter and painful experiences of life He is always love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness; and that He, is conducting us surely and safely into the truest, gladdest, and most perfect life. Thisj surely, is something at least of the meaning contained in the words, " Believe in the light." 11. Obey the light. Walk in obedience to its laws (35). What a true word Alary spoke at Cana, when she said to. the servants, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." She must have learnt that out of those long, quiet, blessed years at Nazareth. Often she had been unable to understand some deep word of His, and had been compelled to content herself with just doing some obvious duty to which He pointed, and as she did it all became clear. She knew that there was no such way of understanding Him as by rendering Him literal obedience; and she passed on the results of her experience to us all. And how often has this taken place since. We have eagerly thought and read about the Master, trying-to penetrate into the deep mystery of His nature, but baffled and rebuffed; but when we have set ourselves to obey some simple injunction, and to do the duty which lay next to us, all our doubts have dispersed, and, being willing to do His will, we have known of the doctrine. Men would never know what the forces of Nature can do for them except by setting themselves to obey them, Ancl it is so in re-

lation to Christ and the laws of His spiritual realm. ; : ' : V" . All over the world men are asking how tliey may. come to know Christ, and thcroia but one answer: "Believe that Ho loves you, that Ho is prompting .you by His good Spirit, that' He Js breathing through every yearning and perception of the better life. Dare to obey all these, follow them whither they point, walk in the light which streams forth from them, and which really has its origin and fount in Him, and you will coma to know the lights and to be changed into its image." The light of Christ is always distinguish, able, because it means the next duty, tha deepest impression of what i: right, the clearest conviction of the will of God. It may be that even now, as you read these lines, there is some duty you shirk, some cross you refuse to lift, some act from which you flinch. You have no doubt about it. And, though you may not have directly associated it with Him, yet you cannot doubt that if you do it lie will be pleased. It is useless to try to know Him until that nearest act of obedience is wrought, but directly it is He will become clearer than any words could pourtray. "Walk while ye have the light," so you will know fche light, and become light in the Lord. How different is this teaching from that of the world around. There we are bidden to know, before we dare to entrust our liven to any leader or commander, whatever he his fair speeches and promises but Christ bids us obey the first glimmer of light breaking on us through the words of a friend, or the summons of inspiration, or the prompt* ilia's of the Spirit; and He undertakes that if we do we shall not walk in darkness, but shall know whither we go, and shall have the Light of life. Disobedience like scales, veils Christ from us, whilst obedience leads, us into Ilia very presence. The judgment always becomes just and the vision clear when we deny ourselves and set ourselves to follow whatsoever tilings tire true, just, pure, lovely, and »f good report. 111. Become children of light (3G). It is wonderful how soon we become like what we love and pursue. Love appropriates ami fixes the tones and gestures and thoughts of the one that is loved. As the fish resemble the bottom on which they lie, and as the Arctic hares change with the colour of thenworld, so do hearts and lives take on the complexion of the people and things which predominate and preponderate in their daily experience. So let it be in your relation to the Lord Jesus, who indeed is the true Light of souls, " lightening every man who comcth into the world." Think of Him. Imitate Him. Ask continually what He would wish. Saturate your mind with His words and teaching. Live up to His will so far as you know it. Obey Him up co the hilt. Ami there will come a growing resemblance between you aiid Him. You will be transformed, as you behold, into His likeness. Men, as they come into contact with you, will lie constrained to admit that His character has become transfused with yours, and to acknowledge you as a child of light. Oh, to descend into the world each morning as sunbeams from the fount of (lay, bearing with us something of tlie beauty of the world from which we come, shedding joy and blessedness on dark hearts, and living lives as transparent, as beautiful, as unobtrusive, and as helpful in our measure as His was, from whom we have received all we have and are ! But let us remember that if we refuse the solicitations and promptings of His Spirit, our hearts will become hard, and our eyes blind. There arc some mentioned in this paragraph who believed in Him, but would not confess Him, and loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. How could such men enter into the fulness of His blessed light? Was it not inevitable that it should become dim? Live up to all you know, and you shall know more and . resemble Him more perfectly, and when kings die, and nations rock to ruin, and all nature is out of joint, you will see the King seated on His throne amid the worship of the Seraphim, and vou will begin to live with His life, to reflect His light, ami to love with His love more and more unto the perfect day.

THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET OF SUCCESS. How blessed to be chosen by the great King to be fellow-labourers with Him! Working for Jesus, working with Jesus, working in and through Jesus. Wondrous source of love, light, power, peace, and joy—Jesus. Now, friends, about the possession of each of these blessings God speaks through me to you. They mark the strong Christianthe worker for Christ. Are you longing that your life may bring forth much fruit. ? Such can be yours (John xv., 8). Just the result the blessed Master wants. Learn first thai all the hindrances lie in yourself. The*, thank God there's a way for the feeblest fob lower to remove these hindrances that prevent the inflow of His .grace, and rob the soul of its sweet communion. - Feed your soul on God's Word (John xv., 7). ' . Get alone with God for communion (Matt. vi.,6). Many Christians have little power to do good because they starve their souls, through careless or hurried reading, and hurried prayer in. the morning they go out badly equipped to fight the most malignant foe, and the certain result is defeat. Who would think of going to daily work without'food for the body, on the plea, " I've 110 time," then when dinner hour comes repeating the same? Would; not one soon become faint, weary, and ill-fitted to do the required work —and-somewhat similar is the treatment ol the soul. Do you wonder at failure ?at disastrous defeat? Friend, how do you read your Bible? It is to you the living voice of the Father speaking with living power to your soul. When God's words dwell in you a living reality_ they become the measure of your faith, the measure of your power in Him. So much of God has entered your soul, and this power comes out in your thoughts, words, and deeds. To have communion with God, you must he a prayerful soul, and to be a prayerful soul you must feed on God's Word, no that there is a living connection between reading and praying. Here are three thoughts of a holy man concerning this — 1. Before prayer it is God's Word that prepares me for it, by showing me what He bids me ask.

2. In prayer it is God's Word thafc strengthens me, by giving me faith to plead. 3. After prayer it is God's Word tha# brings mo the answer, for the Word teaches me through the Spirit to hear God's voice. Thus, friends, before prayer, in prayer, after prayer, the power is God's Word. Teach your soul to be sensitive to the whisper of the Holy Spirit—by being more employed with God's speaking than you! speaking to Him—then will He clothe you 1 with power; your soul shall be filled with a holier devotion, your energies concentrated on one purpose—glorifying (Jod. Friends, be sure and take time in prayer to dwell in His presence; let your soul be hushed calmed before Him ; ask God to turn His fierce light into every hidden recess of your heart, holding up every thought, motive, feeling, word to His searching test. The sight of your soul's deformity will fill you with dismay ; but pray on. Alone with Christ, you will see how your heart above all things) needs to he emptied—emptied to make room for , the mighty Spirit to dwell. The soul seeing can never uusce, for the Holy Spirit burns in the revelation ; then your helplessness, your vast needs, your utter inability to do one single thing for God makes you cling in absolute dependence on Him; and, holding His handf in a firm clasp, enwrapped with His love,' the mighty indwelling Spirit constrains you to glorify God in thought, word, and deed. His love breaks down self; His love brings you light; the light, the entrance of His Word gives you power.; ever deepening and intensifying your soul life, draws you into fuller, closer communion; you are made n channel of blessing to others —emptied that the blessed Master may fill you, use you to draw souls to Him, and {lowing from this sacred fellowship peace and joy in Christ your Redeemer, to whom be all praise, honour, and glory.—L. Franks.

ALONE WITH JESUS. Alone with Jesus, oh ! how sweet, To leave earth's cares behind; And at the hallowed mercy-scat, Salvation's joy to find ; Oh ! let me ever long to be, Sly dearest Lord, alone with Thee, Alono with Jesus as I pace The busy haunts of men ; Sometimes the whispers of Ilia graco I've heard and answered then. Oh ! Jesus, let me ever be At home, abroad, alone with Thee, Alone with Jesus, far away Upon the pebble strand ; When wide the beams of opening day Are flung o'er sea and land; The brightest day, dear Lord, to me Is when I am alone with Thee. Alone with Jesus when the night ' Hath closed around my bed ; And visions from the world of light Come floating round my head ; :* The darkest hour is light to me When I'm alone, dear Lord, with Thco. Alone with Jesus, let mo closo This life's tempestuous war. llow blest in Jesus to repose, And wake on Canaan's shore. To dwell throughout eternity, lint not alone, dear Lord, with Thee.