THE DRAWING POWER

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 17, 1904

THE DRAWING POWER.

Our Lord said of Himself, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32. He never intimated that all men would yield to that drawing. But that drawing influence is sent out into all the world, and souls are choosing every day one of two paths, the one leading upward into the light of life, and the other downward into the darkness of death.

Wherever men yield to that drawing power there is an uplift in the soul that brings them nearer God and perfects in them qualities that had otherwise remained buried under the clods of worldly cares, trampled by the feet of doubt and rebellion.

Scientists often speak of uplifts in the earth's crust. These uplifts bring to light gold and silver and precious stones. So Christ's uplifting, drawing power in the human soul brings to light the gold and jewels of Godlikeness in human character. The uplifts in the earth's crust represent Christ's work among earth's inhabitants. The image, or likeness, of the Creator in man was buried deeper and deeper under the superstition and demonolatry and darkness of the ages. Christ promised to perform that mighty work when His sacrifice (the lifting up) had been accomplished. His promise has been kept, and the great work of drawing men out of the world, out of the snares of self and Satan, is permeating every quarter of the globe. The story of the life and death and resurrection and ascension of Christ is thrilling the hearts and drawing the souls of men as no other theme has ever done. There is being set before the world the fact that the heathen doctrine of a man-hating god is a deception of the enemy, a falsehood of his invention, an utter perversion of fact; and in the place of that falsehood the great and glorious fact of God's undying love is being made known. Agents of Satan have accused God of cruelty and injustice, and have turned thousands down into death through that cruel untruth. But God is causing His servants to proclaim this glorious message: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And again: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." Jer. 31:3. "The Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he." Verse 11.

When men have yielded to that drawing power, and have allowed God to work out in them His purpose concerning them, then He can say of them, "I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." Verse 25. No penitent, sorrowful soul is ever turned away from Christ unsatisfied. At that fountain there is cleansing and

forgiveness for all who seek it, and Christ Himself says, Come, come without money and without price; only come and taste and see that the Lord is good.

That invitation which He gives He teaches all who accept it to repeat to all who have not yet done so. He sends them forth after the souls that have not known Him, or who, having known, have forgotten; and, in the joy of seeing souls yield to God, Christ permits His faithful messengers to share. They go forth to find the lost ones even as Christ had sent others to find them; and, when they find, and with His help retrieve, the wanderers, then they find Christ in a newer and larger and more glorious sense than they had ever known Him before. You will not find Christ among the feasting, recreant shepherds. He is out in the wilderness seeking the lost. If you would have fellowship with Him in its truest sense, you must go with Him in the search for the straying ones there. While the great business of the Gospel continues in this world, the faithful shepherd will be found seeking the lost. He will not be feasting in the fold while the flock, or any portion of the flock, is straying in the wilderness. He might stay by the fold and himself be lost from Christ, his Overshepherd, who is busy on the mountain side and in the wilderness, where the wolves of sin are worrying the lost.

The sheep that has lost its way knows it; the "piece of money" that was lost did not know it was lost. So there are the two classes to be drawn by the power of God and through the instrumentality of man back into the ownership and protection of God. Over these Christ leans in love, and for their rescue He sends forth His faithful followers. It is a great business, an urgent business, and the call to this service is a holy calling, a glorious privilege.