Practical Thoughts by John Nevins Andrews

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 27, 1871

Practical Thoughts.

By John Nevins Andrews

TAKE IT TO THE LORD IN PRAYER.

This is the proper disposition of all our troubles. This, in short, is the grand secret of the Christian life. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ might be ours continually, and no troubles of life would be sufficient to mar our abiding peace if we would but take every sorrow to the Son of God in prayer. In fact, these sorrows are all suffered for the very purpose of leading us to seek God. Alas! that we so often make our sorrows an occasion of rebellion and murmuring against him. Let us try the other method. Take it to the Lord in prayer. If you will do this, you will never fail of his help, and you will find peace and joy spring up in the bitterest sorrow.

THE BUSINESS OF LIFE.

To be right in the sight of God is the great business of life, or rather the grand object which we hope to attain unto as our ultimate end. We shall be saved or lost according as we succeed, or as we fail in this work. Courage and patience are the grand elements of final success. God does not forsake those who faithfully serve him. Let us wait upon the Lord. God will help those who seek him with all the heart. The sacrifice of the spirit in giving up our own wills and our own ways is greater than that of money. God is our present help in every trouble. Therefore let us seek counsel and support from him who can help us in every season of distress, even those which are the most painful to bear. Fear not them which are able to destroy only the present life. Fear God alone. Never be weary of well-doing. Faith and patience must hold out. Life is swiftly hastening to its close. The great day of God is now very near at hand, and it hasteneth greatly. Now let us seek God, and with our whole hearts submit to him. If we do this, there is hope in God for us.

Every day counts to the Christian in the heavenward journey. No matter whether it be pleasant or stormy, it brings us nearer to our final home. We have no days to lose. We have no time to spend in discouragement. Give every day to duty, and every day will count. Every night will bring us nearer the heavenly city than ever we were before. Still urge onward the weary journey, and we shall ere long lay down our heavy burden and enter rest.

A LESSON FROM CHRIST’S EXAMPLE.

Our Lord wrought no miracles to gratify idle curiosity, or to satisfy the demands of those who would put him to the test. Satan first attempted to get our Lord to work miracles to prove his Messiahship to him. Luke 4. He did not succeed in the temptation. Afterward the Pharisees made a similar impudent demand, and with the like success. Matt. 12: 38–40. And when our Lord was upon trial for life, and stood before Herod, the same thing was demanded again. Luke 23: 8, 9. Our Lord’s steadfast refusal teaches us a great lesson. When scoffers demand that we prove to them that we are the people of God, we may not be under obligation to notice what they require. We are to give to every man that asketh us (in any proper manner) a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear. 1 Pet. 3: 15. But our Lord has plainly forbidden us to cast pearls before swine. Matt. 7: 6. It is sometimes, at least, the wiser course to refrain from speaking. And when we encounter those who are nothing but scoffers, this is generally the case.

THE BETTER COURSE.

It is better to accept reproof than to shield ourselves from it by excusing our faults. It is better to submit to God than to have our own way. We shall find God to be good, and Christ to be precious, if we only acquaint ourselves with them in the manner ordained in the Bible. And this knowledge is of infinite value to us.

We should make no rash promises; yet it is right to vow, thoughtfully, discreetly, and advisedly, and then we should not fail to pay our vows. Eccl. 5: 1–5; Ps. 76: 11.

Who is really on the Lord’s side? Those who prove true in the hour of trial. If we would be found thus, we must act with reference to it in everything each day of our lives.

LEARN THE TRUTH.

The truth of God is of priceless worth. Not merely that it instructs the mind in that which is excellent and lovely and of good report, but it points the way to the kingdom of God and teaches us how to walk therein. It warns us of every danger, and makes known to us our whole duty toward God, and toward our fellow-man. But truth which presents nothing for us to obey, cannot accomplish God’s purpose concerning us. For he designs to test our love and our fidelity. Therefore in his truth there come to us duties requiring active obedience and sacrifice on our part. Let us see that we fail not in these things. But if we would learn the truth, we must possess a teachable spirit, and we must have a heart willing to follow the Lord fully, though it cost us all.

SOME GREAT THING.

“If the prophet had bidden thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?” 2 Kings 5: 13. Undoubtedly he would. And in this respect Naaman the Syrian represents mankind in general. We are all ready to obey if some great thing is to be performed. And like him we are quite averse to doing that which is only calculated to humble ourselves. What folly is this! It is the mercy of God no less than his wisdom that offers salvation in that way only, that causes this proud spirit in us to die. And before we can have a place in the kingdom of God, it must die so effectually that not one particle of it remains.

We smile at the folly of pride in a man who had the loathsome leprosy. We think it strange that such a man could have so much dignity, that if he could not get rid of his disease in some great act, he did not want to get rid of it at all. Yet reader, Naaman the Syrian is but another name for yourself. You have a worse disease than that which he besought the prophet to heal.

Sin is the dreadful leprosy prefigured in the Mosaic law. How proud are our hearts even when we come to be healed of sin. How anxious are we that sin shall be taken from us without self having to die. How we dread the humbling of the old man! And yet until we can receive the kingdom of God as a little child, we shall never enter therein. We have just one thing to do. It is to put off the old man, and to put on the new. When this is done, the lowest place will suit us best. And until that spirit really exists in us, we may be sure that we need converting to God.

J. N. A.