Tonic Texts by Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 21, 1902

Tonic Texts

By Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D.

ALL around us are multitudes of tired people. They are tired out with bearing the heat and burden of toilsome days. Some carry a great load of care as to how they shall make both ends meet, and foot the bill of life’s necessities. Others are worn out with anxieties about the morrow, and what it shall bring with it. A burden of spiritual discouragement weighs down “Mr. Despondency” and “Brother Fearing” and “Mrs. Little Faith.”

Is there no relief for all these tired and burdened hearts?—Yes, if they will but hear and heed what their loving Master has to say to them.

To the Christian with scanty purse he says, “Your life consisteth not in the abundance of things a man hath. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; at my right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Only think how rich any one is who has a clear conscience here, and the assurance of heaven hereafter.

To the desponding, Jesus says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

To those who are getting tired of waiting for results his message is, “Be not

weary in well-doing; in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not.”

There is a wonderful restfulness for worried hearts in this single golden assurance: “Lo, I am with you alway.” It is a tonic that ought to put fresh iron into the blood.

The most common cause of weariness is the attempt to carry an overload of care. And this is not always a wise forethought for the future, or a proper providence for life’s “rainy days.” It is sheer worry. The Master’s word for such overloaded Christians who toil along like jaded pack horses is this, “Take no anxious thought for the morrow; cast thy burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” If you will only drop everything that is superfluous and sinful, he will enable you to carry the legitimate load. When he bids you cast your care on him, it is added, “For he careth for you.”

The literal meaning of that tonic text is, “For he has you on his heart.” The infinite God who rules the universe has poor, little, sinful you and me on his heart. Our big loads are not a feather to him. He knoweth our frame; he remembers that we are but dust. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth us poor weaklings. He says to us, “Give me your burdens.” He who guarded the infant Moses among the river reeds, and supplied the widow’s waning cruse of oil, who watched over sleeping Peter in the dungeon, and piloted Paul through roaring tempests, he it is who says to us, “Roll your anxieties over on me; I have you on my heart.” What fools we are when we strap the load more tightly, and determine that nobody shall carry it but ourselves.

When God says to us, in effect, “Give me your load,” he does not release us from our share of duty or of personal responsibility. No more does our atoning Saviour, when he bore the guilt and penalty of our sins, release us from repentance of those sins, or from obedience to his commandments. God’s offer is to lighten our load by putting his grace into our hearts, and so underneath the load. He supplies strength. His all-sufficient grace is made perfect in our weakness, so that God becomes the chief bearer of our burdens. It was the Christ in Paul who bore up under toils and persecutions, who defied Nero, and conquered the powers of darkness. This divine doctrine of trust is a wonderful relief and rest to weary believers. It takes the fire out of the soul as the mother’s bosom takes the weariness out of the child when it comes in and lays its head down there for repose.—Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D.