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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 19, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 23

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“I SHALL BE SATISFIED.”

By M. D. Amadon

Oh! what wondrous words are these that fall so sweetly on my ear to-night. And can I bind them to my heart, and hope that when its great task of overcoming sin is done, that I shall rest where all are satisfied? I do not remember that I ever felt so here. I think of youthful days spent, alas! in sin; it surely was not so there. Then since I sought the Lord, there have been hours, ’tis true, when he has drawn near unto me, and his presence has been dearer than any other joy I ever knew, until my soul was full of his love, yes full of joy and praise that he accepted me as his child and gave me of his Holy Spirit. Oh! what hours were these! far dearer than communion with any earthly friend. If there ever was a time when the yearnings of my heart were still, ’twas then. “I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” But this was only an hour of rest to prepare for one of a sterner conflict with a latent foe; only joy to help endure the sorrow; only strength to aid in subduing sinful nature; only a taste of heavenly joys to make me long for more.
No, never can the child of God rest content in this ruined world; never sit down with folded arms and say, My hope is sure, I’m satisfied. Indeed there is too much of sin mixed in with that which else might quell the risings of his soul. Too heavily has the curse fallen on this groaning earth. Too busy is the enemy of mankind. No, not here, where sad, pale faces greet us, where vice stalks abroad at noon-day, where death steps in and boldly tears the tendrils of our hearts in twain, and where friends are not always true. Oh! not here may we feel satisfied.
But there is a time when we are assured that those who walk in wisdom’s ways shall be satisfied. The Psalmist never uttered a more beautiful sentence than this: “I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.” When these battles with sin and Satan have been fought, and grace has triumphed over nature, and we, all cleansed and purified by the atoning blood of Christ, awake to find ourselves like him who gave his life for us, never to feel the oppressing weight of sin again, never to mourn over lost victories, or pine at weaknesses, beyond our power to help; oh! then we shall be satisfied.
How much is contained in that one word. Not only shall we have peace and assurance forever in the enjoyment of the love of that dear Saviour who has bought and redeemed us by his blood, to whom we may ascribe glory, and honor, and power, to all eternity, but there are all the glories of his kingdom, to which he has made us immortal heirs, and which are ours to enjoy throughout eternity.
This earth, once fair and lovely from the hand of its Creator, now ruined by sin, covered with iniquity, plunged in a gulf of guilt and crime, is to be redeemed by the sacrifice of the life of the Son of God, and restored to more than its original splendor and loveliness, not one imperfection left, not a trace of sin in all its broad domain, its dreadful curse all wiped away. Perfection and beauty will be stamped upon everything, and the glory of God shining upon the whole earth, while it is to become the eternal abode of the saints. Oh! how we love to anticipate these joys. The glow of health on every brow. The tree of life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations, the river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Oh! to drink of that water, never to thirst again. The New Jerusalem in all its gorgeousness, and the Lamb of God the light thereof, the hosts of angels around the throne, the myriads of saints of whom we have so often read and longed to see, and some too who have walked with us a little way, and now sleep in hope, waiting to awake in his likeness. What greetings there will be there! All this, and more than human mind can conceive, only as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Oh! why should we not be satisfied.
“Just out of sight while yet this dark world holds us, Lies the fair country where our hearts abide; And of its bliss is nought more wondrous told us Than these few words, ‘I shall be satisfied.’”
Not much longer shall we await that glad day. Time is swiftly hurrying on. Jesus’ voice will soon call, “Children, come home,” in tones that will find a response even from the ocean’s mighty depths. Not one saint will be passed by then. Oh! to become prepared for that day! To be fitted to awake or be changed into the likeness of Christ, to put on immortality and incorruption.
“Thither my weak and weary steps are tending, Saviour and Lord with thy frail child abide; Guide me toward home, where all my wanderings ending, I then shall see thee, and be satisfied.”
M. D. AMADON. Battle Creek, Mich.