THE LILY POINT | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 16, 1880

THE LILY POINT.

WHILE watering my garden yesterday, I noticed a large calla leaf bent almost to breaking. It was one of the outside leaves of the plant; and as I thought it could well be spared, rather than take the trouble of placing a support till time should heal the bruise, I cut it off.

My chagrin was great indeed, when I discovered that I had cut off the point of a lily, just forcing itself up through the stem of the leaf. I had not dreamed of this, as the plant had already done its usual work, and supplied me with lovely flowers. For a time I felt almost inconsolable, reproaching myself for my rash and careless use of the knife.

Very soon a sweet lesson came to me through my mistake—who shall say it was not from Him who is the great Teacher of his people? "Who teacheth like God?" The lesson was so profitable to me that I would fain try to help others to learn it.

How often in life come trials that are hard to be borne; burdens, perplexities, and anxieties, that even though we are of those who would "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," hinder us in the way; and sometimes seem to raise a veil, almost a wall, between our souls and God?

We mourn over this, and are troubled greatly because of it; and we think, "If only this disturbing cause were taken away from my life; if this annoyance that frets me, and drags my spirit down from heaven where I would rise, could be removed; ah, then I should grow in grace, peace would be my portion, and I should go on more rapidly and surely in the Christian life."

But our God and Father appoints every step of our way. He sometimes "leads us by ways that we have not known" or desired. He sends trial, plants thorns, lays burdens upon us, for which we cannot see the reason.

But, by and by, he will show us that this very trial, or perplexity, or burden, which we would fain cut off and cast from us, has enfolded a blessing which will, if we endure chastening, expand into a joy and peace which shall fill our lives. The blessed "afterward it yieldeth."

Let God's way be our way. And let us not, by running away from the trials he sends (forgetting that "even Christ pleased not himself"), cut off, like my poor lily, "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" enfolded in the trial—"the trial of our faith, which is much more precious than of gold that perisheth," and which shall be "found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ."—Christian Intelligencer.