When my soul transcends the air,
I no more shall need thy prayer:
Let now, today, thy soul travail;
'Tis only now thy prayers avail.
"If I should die tonight,
My friends would call to mind with loving thought
Some kindly deed the icy hand had wrought,
Some gentle word the frozen lips had said,
Errands on which the willing feet had sped;
The memory of my selfishness and pride,
My hasty words, would all be put aside,
And so I should be loved and mourned tonight."
THE WARFARE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
It is blessed and glorious to be a Christian. No other life is so beautiful and pure; no other life is so tranquilly peaceful; no other is so full of rest, happiness, and satisfaction. The Christian, however, does not go to heaven on flowery beds of ease. His pathway is not strewn with roses all the way; there is now and then a thorn. It is not sunshine all the time; now and then a shadow falls. To win heaven he must fight. There are some things to oppose a Christian on his pilgrimage to the skies; these he must contend against. The contending against those things prepares him for his blissful home above.
"All things work together for good to them that love God." Heaven's blessings and hell's venom, angels' smiles and Satan's frowns, comforts of grace and spiritual wickedness, good and ill, love and hatred, all work good to those who have union with God. It is the battle that disciplines and makes strong and brave the warrior, and not the victory. We are exhorted to "endure hardness as a good soldier." There are some things to endure along the Christian way. James says, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." Temptations are outward influences acting upon our natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the law of grace to satisfy self. We need not expect to be free from temptations; therefore let us settle it that we will endure them. It is really a blessed thing to endure them. You may think it would be a blessed thing to be free from them, but such would not be the case. It is more blessed to endure them. Temptations will never cease to attack the soul as long as it inhabits this "muddy vesture of decay." Be brave, O soul, and endure temptations. Be brave and fight the good fight of faith. Do not faint because you have temptations. Do not fear because there are long and fierce battles to fight. Be strong and of good courage. It is a life-long struggle, and it is also a life-long victory, and in the end eternal victory. Strong and well-developed spiritual sinews are the result of resisted temptations.
It is not sinful to be tempted. We never lose any spirituality by being tempted. It is the slight yieldings that cause a leaking, a loss of grace. Clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look at your beautiful glittering crown of life. It is not gold, neither crystal. Do not look at it as such, but see it a crown of life. Yes, you will be crowned with eternal life if you will but endure temptation. Think of this in the hour of thy sore trial. Fight on; heaven awaits to reward you.
LIVE BY FAITH.
Live by faith. There is no other true and right way to live. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and of course the life that pleases God is the only life that is perfect. We can please God; we can walk each day in a way that is pleasing to him. Such a walk is by faith, not by sight. God honors faith. He loves to have his Word believed. He delights to hear the prayer of faith; it avails with him.
Around the great white throne in heaven the angels are shouting day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and power, belong to thee." But amid all this sound of praise God hears a voice and bends an ear to listen. It is the prayer of faith from the heart of one of his children. There is never too many angels singing nor too many harps resounding for God to hear the voice of his child. "My voice," said the sweet singer of Israel, "shalt thou hear in the morning." He hears the first faint cry of his heaven-born child. Even the unuttered wish of the heart, the unexpressed desire, the faintest breathing of love, he hears and recognizes as the voice of his child. Faith will wing its way into the presence of God. It traverses the universe until it finds him and there brings the soul to its rest. Faith will guide us through this world.
Faith touches God. A woman came to Jesus and tremblingly reached out her feeble hand and touched the hem of his garment. He asked, "Who touched me?" It was not the finger-touch that he felt, but the faith-touch. Today we can touch him by faith and by no other way. Though many angels may be thronging him, yet the feeblest touch of faith will reach him. You may be one of the weakest ones, unnoticed and unknown. A little cabin on the mountainside may be your home, but your feeblest cry of faith will reach the throne of God, and he will send angels to encamp round about you and deliver you. <i>Have faith in God.</i> When all is dark around you, believe in him. Trust him when you can not trace, and believe when you can not see. Never doubt his Word. Faith will prevail and bring you the desire of your heart. Will you believe?