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THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 5, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 53, No. 23.

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THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

By Mrs. Wm. H. Brown

“On watch, and fight, and pray; The battle ne’er give o’er; Renew it boldly every day, And help divine implore.”
We are living in a time when these words are peculiarly fitting. May we each feel the full import of them, and heed the divine injunction, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” We need to seek the Lord continually, that we may draw strength and nourishment from the true and living Vine; for it is our privilege to remain branches of that Vine. We may bear fruit to the honor and glory of God. He gave the life of his only begotten Son, that we might be redeemed from all sin, and thereby obtain an immortal inheritance. What condescension! what infinite love on the part of such a holy being. Can we not afford to comply with the conditions laid down in his word? Can we not, like the disciples of old, be devoted, self-denying Christians? No sacrifice was too great for them to make, no burden too heavy to be borne for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of suffering humanity. Although they did a noble work in their time, we have a more solemn work to perform in our day, and it is only through effectual, fervent prayer to God that we may obtain the strength requisite for the work.
In Luke 21:36 we read: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” And again, in 1 Peter 4:7, “But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
The Lord is coming. We believe his advent to be very near. Signs and wonders betoken it on every side. We must stand before the Judge of all the earth. And who shall be found at his right hand? May we each be faithful to duty, and thus exert a winning influence over others, and be instrumental in leading souls to Christ, that we may be considered worthy of eternal life when the ransomed shall be gathered to serve the Lord eternally.
“The Lord is coming! watch and pray! Watch ye, and haste unto the day; So shalt thou then escape the snare, And Christ’s eternal glory share.”
MRS. WM. H. BROWN. Adams Center, N. Y.