Christ’s Joy in Service
By C. W. Hardesty
CHRIST beheld the suffering of this fallen race; he left his home in glory to rescue all who will accept eternal life; he “became one among us,” suffered every privation and abuse, and gave his life, that we might become joint heirs with him of eternal life. It was Christ’s joy to work for souls. He testified to this in the words, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” God’s people have a “work to finish,” a most important and solemn work. Will it also be our meat, our joy, to do the will of him that sends us? Have we accepted the wealth of his grace which abounds unto eternal life? If so, we are joint heirs and co-laborers with Jesus Christ. We read in “Christ’s Object Lessons” that “all upon whom God’s blessing has been bestowed are to respond by actual service; every gift is to be employed for the advancement of his kingdom and the glory of his name.” He will give us of his love for the perishing as we speak words of hope and cheer to the hopeless, discouraged, and sin-sick souls. The message of hope and mercy is to be carried to the ends of the world. As we witness the destruction of life and property on every hand, shall we withdraw ourselves from the work until “times are better” because we feel that we can not endure these hardships with those to whom we are sent? or shall we go forward, pointing all in distress to sure salvation in Jesus Christ? This is the only escape from earth’s sorrows and perplexities. Let us learn to walk out in faith. It will take much prayer and faith to “finish the work” that has not been done in times of comparative quiet and peace. Trying times are here; perplexities are increasing. Let us yoke up with our Master, and bravely move onward to victory.