Your ShelfYour Projects

Receiving Christ

9%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 6, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 32.

Read the full edition

Receiving Christ

By E. L. CARDEY

E. L. CARDEY
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Col. 2:6. The walk, or life, of the Christian is determined in the way that Christ is received. Too often he is received as one whom we need only in prosperity. How many who have accepted Christ have failed to gain real enjoyment in the Christian’s walk?
When the sun shines, and all goes smoothly, it is easy to be on the mountain-top; but soon clouds obscure the sun, adversity crosses our pathway,—then, behold! too often we find ourselves away down in the valley of doubt. To accept Christ aright will cause the sun to shine every day, will make every dark valley a mountain-top in our experience. A few texts will show how this may be true.
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Eph. 1:11. When sickness came to you or your family, and perhaps some were laid to rest; when adversity came, and perhaps reduced you to poverty; when your friends forsook you, and spoke evil of you,—all this God had ordered in your behalf, “after the counsel of his own will.”
The writer has often met with downcast and discouraged souls who have asked, “If the Lord has counseled about this trouble or misfortune that has come to me, why did he permit it, when he knew it would discourage me? I don’t see that any good has come out of it.” Ah! herein are manifested the beauty and depth of the wisdom of God. Better, while Jesus is in the Most Holy Place, that you should meet with that trial that has tested the weak place in your character, than to meet it and fall when the door of mercy is closed.
Yes, before that trouble came to you, your co-partner, your blessed Lord, had counseled in the matter, and decreed it for your good. True, it may not be possible for you to see how it turns to your best good; nevertheless do not spend your time in trying to find out before you accept that promise, “Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” If we could only believe this, accept it, and make it a part of our very character, how doubts, fears, and discouragements would flee from us, as the dew scatters before the summer’s sun. No chance then for the tempter to cause us to say, “The Lord is not just in his dealings with me.” If you have accepted Christ Jesus the Lord thus, how easy it will be to fulfil 1 Thess. 5:16, 17, 18: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
“Rejoice” that you are accounted worthy to be a soldier under the leadership of him whose counsel never fails. “Pray without ceasing,” that you may be victorious in the fight, and be kept in the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world. “In everything give thanks,”—thanks for the long, hard marches, for those bitter tears you are caused to shed, for those wounds inflicted; yea, more, for the love that is shown in chastisement.
We must have a faith such as no other people have had; for “these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” This faith will be gained through experience. In this time the just shall live by faith. Not only when there is peace and plenty, but when trouble comes, when the flour barrel is empty, when your eye can not pierce the darkness ahead,—then live by faith.
May the Lord help us, as those who expect to endure the conflict through to the end, to rejoice always in the Lord, to accept and believe his promises, to receive Christ as our counselor, our comforter, the Rock of our strength in the time of storm.
Guatemala City, Central America.