p. 103 | Come unto Me

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 12, 1871

Come unto Me.

The great Master, who can not only read the secret workings of the heart, but who knows the life-struggle of afflicted humanity, who sympathizes with us in our weariness and yearnings for a higher and better life, stands at the door of each individual heart, and with a tenderness that should quiet all our fears, and with open arms of love, in entreating pathos, says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Come, sorrow-stricken child, to the Friend who can heal thy wounds; come, trembling soul, he is the Great Physician who can apply a certain remedy for every malady of the soul; come, trembling sinner, he has declared that there is joy among the angels in Heaven over thy return. Oh! yes; Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. When he was upon the earth, he delighted to do good, not only to the souls, but to the bodies of men. His was a ministry of love and sympathy. He not only retired to the mountains, the wilderness, and Gethsemane, to pray to his Father, but from Jericho to Galilee he exemplified his teachings in raising the dead, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and feeding the hungry. His daily delight was in spreading the gospel to the poor and wandering multitudes with such persuasive eloquence that even the deputy sent out by the Sanhedrim to arrest him, could only return and in wonderment and admiration of the Galilean Teacher exclaim: “Never man spake like this man.”

If we, his professed followers, would have men take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus, we must follow his example. The test of true discipleship is work for the Master, and in no better way can this be shown than in entering into the spirit of the Great Teacher. We would break through the cobwebs of that selfishness which can go no farther than self. Why should we sit down in our homes of ease and luxury while our brother is bitterly crying, “Help, or I perish”? Verily, in no way is the divine character of our holy religion better shown than in the benevolent and unselfish labors of the truly pious. If we wrap the mantle of pride about us and shrink from the lowly and unfortunate, how will the world think we love Jesus? Think you that the poor child of error will be seriously impressed when frowned upon by the haughty professor?

Christian, if you belong to redemption’s host, O, let the richness of your love come from a heart all tender and in sympathy with the work Jesus has given you to do. Let the pathos and the earnestness, the zeal and devotedness to the cause which is dear to your own heart, find expression in kindness. Let the sympathizing heart, sparkling eye, gentle tone, loving accents, feet swift on errands of mercy, prove to the world that you are a Christian. Stand up in the name of Jesus, and with open arms, and a voice subdued by grace divine, invite the weary, sin-sick soul to come to the Fountain of life. Jesus would have us say, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we will say it. Our very outbreathings will be “good will to men.” What? pride, coldness, selfishness in a Christian heart? No, never. Might as well vail the sun at noon-day as to screen the light emanating from the soul at peace with Christ.—Golden Censer.