HAVE HOPE by A. P. Nason

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1877

HAVE HOPE.

By A. P. Nason

Why do we see around us so many desponding Christians? Is it not because that like the man with the muck-rake, they are too much occupied with earthly things? They forget to look up to where Jesus sits at the right hand of God, that they may behold his glory and enjoy his boundless love. How few professed followers of Christ become acquainted with him as it is their privilege! It is painful to see honest souls who seem to be really desirous of doing the will of God, continually going about as though bearing a heavy burden. The Saviour would gladly take this load off your aching hearts, and impart unto you such joy as the world can neither give nor take away. “If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” If the life be hid with Christ, there will be peace flowing like a river into the soul.

Too little importance is attached to prayer. Because that victory is not immediately gained, many lose their confidence in God, and become discouraged, when if they would continue steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, they would see Satan defeated every time. Alas! how weak are poor, frail mortals! how short-sighted and how prone to err! If continually on our guard against the devices of the enemy, we should be saved from many a snare. If Peter had watched and prayed as his Lord commanded, he would have been fortified by divine grace, and have resisted the temptation to deny his Master, and thus have been spared the pain of his sorrowful repentance when he went out and wept bitterly.

The only safe course to pursue, is constantly to keep our eyes uplifted to Him who has promised to be our refuge and strength. The cause of God demands our zeal. There is something for the followers of Christ to suffer, but we have promise that “if we suffer we shall also reign with him.” The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering, and because he has called us to be partakers of his sufferings, shall we sit down in despondency and gloom? The Lord would have us come forth from darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the gospel.

“Why droop when fortune frowns? Press onward to the goal; The palm of victory ever crowns The strife-enduring soul.”

There is inducement to go forward in the work of the Lord. The treasure laid up in Heaven for the faithful far outshines all the glittering tinsel of this poor world. Weary and sin-sick soul, the Saviour holds out to you a crown. He bids you come to his sheltering arms and rest. Oh! will you not heed his pleading voice? He calls on you to surrender all to him, and in exchange he will give you himself to guide you through this vale of tears, and in the world to come a life that shall run parallel with God’s.

Who can estimate the value of eternal life? This precious boon may be yours, dear reader, if without reserve you seek to obtain it. Only a few more years of toil and sorrow, and we shall behold our King coming in the clouds of heaven, to gather the faithful ones home. The graves will then yield up the dead who have died in the triumphs of faith, and together with them we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

A. P. Nason.

Ipswich, Mass.