The Christian's Life by Lydia Jane Shaw

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 25, 1862

The Christian's Life.

By Lydia Jane Shaw

Is prayer, sweet? Holy communion with God, makes this life one of peace, when the Christian can look up and claim the sweet promises of God as his, knowing that all our Father's promises are sure, even to him that is of a broken and contrite heart. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Precious promise. The prayer of the upright is his delight; and thus the supplicating pilgrim is favored to realize the parental blessing. He beholds the smiling face of his Father with ineffable joy, and hears the kind utterance of his lips, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, and therefore in loving kindness have I drawn thee. Daily requisitions draw him to a throne of grace. He will repair thither to embrace his privileges and more and more to experience communion with his God—the means appointed by God for his people, under all necessities, embarrassments, and temptations. The path of obedience is evidently the path of pleasantness and peace.

The exercise of prayer is truly desirable; and the Christian lives only when he breathes the true spirit of prayer. As did Hezekiah of old—he a solitary individual retires, there he bows before God, there humbles himself, there pleads, there points to the honor of God insulted, his power denied, points to Jerusalem, where his covenant people dwell, and asks, "Lord, wilt thou not spare thine own consecrated city, and thy people whom thou hast chosen?" His prayer is heard, and the doom of thousands is sealed. Here one messenger of the Lord is sufficient. Here we learn a lesson of confidence in God; learn that dependence upon him is far preferable to dependence on human wisdom or human strength; that his power, his will, his providence, his promises, are all for those that love and put their trust in him. If God be for us, who can be against us, said the Psalmist, "The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" And there lives not that disciple of Jesus, who may not, each and every day, hold far more intimate and blessed communion with the Redeemer, than the ancient believers did, or perhaps could. We have now a more full and ample revelation. They enjoyed light, which shone dimly through types, shadows and cloudy pillars; but we see the Sun of Righteousness, shining in full gospel splendor. They had the promises of good things; we the fulfillment. They the shadows; we the substance. Doubtless the ministration of the Spirit is more glorious, raising, expanding, warming, blessing, and filling the soul with such raptures, that we hardly know whether in the body or out of it. It is then

we love, feel, act, speak in the Spirit. O for that soul-inspiring love that draws our thoughts and affections away from earth and earthly things, and places them upon heaven and divine things; for where the heart is, there will our treasure be also; and we can cry, Whom have I in heaven but thee; and there is none on the earth that I desire besides thee. Or filled with the sense of the goodness, wisdom, and mercy, of God, his long suffering and forbearance, we feel to say,

"My soul forsakes her vain delight, And bids this world farewell, On things of sense why fix my sight? Why on its pleasures dwell?"

If there is any thing on earth that is dear to a Christian heart, it is sweet holy communion with God, where he can pour out his soul in penitential sorrow for his sins.

When we can repose in Jesus' bosom, we find a pillow of rest, of substantial rest, on which the weary head reclines itself, and feels easy. Its achings and its throbbings cease. On the bosom of Jesus' love I rest my soul. My soul, which never found rest before, finds here a home. Who will say I have no right to place myself in his heart, to live in his affection, to cling to him and be loved by him, since Jesus freely offers it to me? If he loved me when a rebel and an alien from him, now that I have come to him a humble penitent, will he not love and give me a place among his chosen sons and daughters, and let me rest as in his embrace? Jesus' love! With what shall I compare it! What so solid, so enduring? The heavens and earth may pass away, but his love, it was, and is, and shall endure forever. When we realize that these light afflictions which are but for a moment shall work for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory, we may hope if our life be one daily progress, if we are more humble, and obedient, more diligent and self-denying, more anxious about being what we ought to be in the sight of God, and less anxious about the things of the world that will soon avail us nothing—then we may hope that our religion is not vain; that it can stand against scorn and contempt without, and also against impatience and despondency within. When we are adorning the doctrines of God our Saviour with a well ordered life and Godly conversation, then will our walk be that of the just, and our pathway will be as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day, when the Lord shall reveal himself as our everlasting light.

O the blessed boon of prayer, Casting on the Lord our care, Knowing when all sources fail, Faith in God will sure prevail.

Sweet to bend before him low, Breathing out our notes of wo, Telling only him our grief, Who alone can give relief.

There the Spirit, heavenly power, Meets us in that holy hour, And we feel an unction sweet, Bowing at the mercy seat.

All unholy feelings die, Earthly visions fade and fly, There's a calm within the breast, Foretaste of our final rest.

Firmly may we anchor there, And with holy boldness dare, Claim the blessing that we seek, With an humble heart and meek.

Then let worldlings have their bliss, Vain and fleeting as it is, But O let me ever share, This most precious boon of prayer. LYDIA JANE SHAW. Wethersfield, N. Y.