Reflections on Life Incidents and Christian Readiness
By C. R. Austin
BRO. SMITH: Life Incidents came to hand promptly, and as I have perused its pages, some of them over and over again, I could but say, Thank the Lord for putting it into Bro. White's mind, and giving him strength to sketch some of the incidents in his own life and in the history of the Advent cause. How cheering to believers in present truth to look back and see how clear the light from Heaven has shone on our pathway in the past, and how brilliantly it lights up the present and the future. Surely, the path of the just is one that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. How important that we walk in the light, and keep pace with it. How much reason we have for heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness to our Father in Heaven for his patience and longsuffering with us, in giving us time to learn the truth, and opportunity to cleanse ourselves from every wrong, and become pure in heart, holy in life and conversation, so that he can sanctify us wholly, soul, body, and spirit, and preserve us blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. How can we close our eyes to the solemn realities of the judgment hour, or sleep over the fact that each of us has a case pending in the court of Heaven, for eternal life or death, and the decision of that case depends on our own course of action. Is not all Heaven interested in our salvation, and can we not see the love of God, and feel the watchcare of holy angels in showing us the wrongs in ourselves, while there remains time to correct those wrongs? And when we feel the crushing weight of the sins of one heart, can we not realize, in a faint degree, what the Lord of life and glory suffered for us when the sins of the whole world were laid upon him, causing him to sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground? And can we not have confidence to bring our burdens to him, knowing that he still pleads with his Father to spare us a little longer, and is calling us199to come unto him, all weary and heavy laden as we are, with the promise that he will give us rest! What a blessed privilege, that when all this load of guilt that has been accumulating during our whole life, rises up before us and calls for vengeance, we can bring it to the great Burden Bearer, and he will free us from it, and teach us how to live in order to have the testimony that we please God. Oh! what a privilege it is, that we may have this testimony, and that Jesus and the holy angels are ever ready to help us obtain it! May God help all his dear people to overcome all the temptations, and escape the wiles of the Wicked One; and whatever conflicts arise, or trials we meet, may our walk be so close with God that heavenly help shall ever be by our side; and whatever burden may oppress, let us remember to “take it to the Lord in prayer,” knowing his ear is ever open, and his heart is full of pity. He remembreth our frame; he knoweth we are but dust; yet he desires us to form such characters that he can change these vile bodies, and fashion them like unto Christ's most glorious body, and stamp us with immortality and his own name, with the name of his city, give us a right to all its privileges, and bring us to dwell with him where we shall see his face, and go no more out from him forever. Yours, hoping to be one of those whom the Lord when he cometh, shall number for his own, and save for Jesus' sake. C. R. AUSTIN.