A MESSAGE by Lilian McPherron

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 13, 1904

A MESSAGE.

By Lilian McPherron

BY LILIAN MCPHERRON.

DAY by day, the words of the prophet Isaiah, in the fortieth chapter, verse 3, ring in my ears, burn in my heart, seeking expression, that others may also feel that burning desire to become a voice for God, crying aloud the message for to-day: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

O, that each soul might realize the blessedness of preparing the way of the Lord; might realize the condescension of our God in giving to each human being the privilege of taking part in so grand and glorious a work. O, that you may realize it, O ye who read.

My soul hungers for other souls to lay at the Master's feet, for "He hungers for fruit." Can you realize it, dear one, the great God, who has made all things by His mighty Word-power, hungers for your soul. He longs after you, that you may be a new creature in Him, that you may be another channel, through which He may manifest His character to an unbelieving and perishing world. He calls you to help in preparing the way for His soon-coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

He says, "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

First, dear one, the way must be prepared in your own heart, for it is "the pure in heart" who see God, those who make the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12), the law of their lives. All the valleys of unbelief must be filled with faith; the mountains of pride and self-exaltation must be laid low; the perverse, the crooked way, must be straightened by earnest study of the Pattern, Christ; and the rough places smoothed by gladly allowing the correction of the dear Master to do its work, for "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." Read it all (Hebrews 12) and see how Father admonisheth you and me.

O, to-day my heart burns with love for all His creatures. They seem so dear and precious.

My eyes fill with tears to think that so many do not love Him, the tender Father, the loving Saviour, who suffered and died, that we all might have life eternal—who still suffers daily because of our unbelief.

But the time has come to prepare the way of the Lord; then listen to the Voice, which says, "Cry," and answer, "What shall I cry?" Hear the reply: "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; *but the word of our God shall stand forever."

O, these last words! How they pulsate with power and thrill the believing heart, inspiring faith in the soul that seeks its God.

For tho we be as grass (what a call to humility is this), yet the Word, which endures forever, has this message for you and for me: "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

There is a day just before us "that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." That will be a day of terror to all who do wickedly by refusing to hear and obey the Voice which now says, "Cry." But no flame shall kindle upon him who has in faith and love responded to that Word, and he shall walk through the fire and not be burned.

Dear friend, where do you choose to stand? —With those who hear and obey, or with those who refuse the voice of God?

Daily comes the call, while probation lasts, but soon the day of probation will close, and no one will then have an opportunity to help prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight in the desert of sin and sorrow a highway for our God.

Service.

Be not an idler in this busy world, Fill every day with sweetness to the brim, Keep all thy radiant flags of hope unfurled, And lift along the way a joyous hymn; Strive valiantly, since right must vanquish wrong, But ever rush to battle with a song.

The Lord, who came to save, came lovingly To serve, and stooped to lowlier tasks than thine; By so much as He did, He asks of thee To hallow toil with tenderness divine, Humility and patience, grace and peace,— He giveth these, until thy labors cease.

Serve thou in pain, in poverty, in grief, But never serve in fear, since thou hast Love; And love can ever send for thy relief At need, the angel host from realms above. Serve where He sends thee; serve the Lord with joy, And know His service should thy life employ. —Margaret E. Sangster.