God is With Us by Mary J. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 21, 1866

God is With Us.

By Mary J. Cottrell

Surely God is with this people. Thus I exclaimed while reading the reports in last week's Review from the servants of Christ who are bearing to the world the warning message. Yes the God who rules the universe, whose law is love, who delights in right, the God of the Bible is with this people. He is at work for them, and through them is accomplishing a work for himself, and oh! I must share with them, share in their labors, their trials, and sorrows, that I may also share their reward. I would not be an idler. 'Tis a great thing to work for Jesus, but I will try to do the little I see in my pathway faithfully, and it may be God will assign me more. It seems to me that the privilege of seeing Jesus, and receiving his smile will fully repay me for all I can suffer here, to say nothing of hearing his sweet voice say “Well done” and of receiving from his hand the robes of silvery white, the crowns of shining gold, the palms of victory, of meeting angels, and the saints where we can ever have their society, of sitting down to the marriage supper, of seeing the city of wondrous beauty and grandeur, to which the Bible tells us the saints will be welcomed, and of having an eternal home in the earth, when restored to its Eden beauty. Oh! what a reward is waiting for those who patiently endure the sorrows and trials of this fleeting earth, and with humble trust in God resigning their whole will to his will, and do all they can find to do in his fear. And shall I reach the golden city, and there meet none who will greet me, and say, You helped me to gain this home? Shall I see others thus greeted, while all pass me by? O God, help me to be of some service to souls around me. Heaven would be no Heaven at all, were I to just save myself, as it were, and not lend a helping hand to others.

Dear reader, let us try to do all we do to the honor and glory of God. In this we shall help others. And I know from sweet experience that we shall find our greatest pleasure in working for others. But let us remember the man who was “Cut off from his base;” remember our own weakness, and be very careful to get frequent supplies from the fountain which never fails. The faithful soon will win.

MARY J. COTTRELL. Rochester, N. Y.