p. 202 | But- | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 24, 1863

But—

"Lord, I will follow thee; but—" Luke ix, 62.

Do you see the importance of deciding for Christ? Are you convinced that you ought to give yourself up to his service? Is the feeling strong within you that you should enter on an earnestly religious life? What, then, hinders you? Surely it must be something very serious. Christ demands an entire self-surrender; anything else he will not accept. But you are hesitating; and why?

It may be from the engrossment and pressure of worldly cares. Your mind and heart are full; you are busy with earthly pursuits; you live in a scene of bustle and hurry; every hour has its work; you fancy no time can be spared for Christ; but how vain a notion! Earnest religion does not require you to neglect your business; to be uninterested in worldly pursuits; to lead a dull hermit's life. On the contrary, it calls you to enter heartily into all the ordinary duties of life. But while in the world, the Christian is not to be of the world. And to think of a man allowing himself to be taken up with the interests of time to the neglect of the grand concerns of eternity! What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

It may be you shrink from the self-denial of the Christian life. No doubt the gate is wide enough to admit any sinner, but it is too narrow for the admission of any sin. If you would be decided, you must at once abandon every known evil way, and you must seek to have your whole life conformed to the will of God. But should you shrink from such a life as this? No doubt it is hard to maintain it; it is trying often to flesh and blood; it needs a daily spirit of self-crucifixion. But the Redeemer's grace is within the believer's reach. With daily supplies of it, Christ's yoke is easy and his burden light. And how deep and pure the inward satisfaction a true Christian life brings along with it! It has joys of which the worldling knows nothing. Godliness is great gain, even now. "Are you happy?" was the question put one day to a beggar boy; to which he replied at once: "I have God for my Father; I have Christ for my Redeemer; I have Heaven for my inheritance; I AM happy."

It may be you fear Christ will not accept you. You have sinned grievously; you have broken many a vow, and left unfulfilled many a resolution; you are verily guilty before God. But Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. "There are two things," said John Newton, "I try never to forget: first, that I am a great sinner; secondly, that Jesus is a great Saviour."

It may be you suppose you could never lead an earnest religious life. You are very weak; you are so ready to give way to temptation; you fall day by day into acts of sin. But has not God promised to give us help in our every time of need, if we humbly, earnestly, and perseveringly seek it? "He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength."

It may be you do not decide from sheer procrastination. Oh! this delay; how many souls it has ruined. They have thought; they have intended; they have determined; but they have put off. Death has come at an unexpected hour, and they are lost.

Let there be no BUT. Let there be a prompt and immediate decision. Let this be the time of your entering into a covenant with God—a covenant that shall never be forgotten. Your present convictions are of the weightiest moment. They may pass away, and leave you as unconcerned about salvation as ever you were before. Should it be so, and should you never be awakened again, how fearful to think at the bar of God on the time when you were almost converted and saved.

Jesus, still lead on, Till our rest be won; And, although the way be cheerless, We will follow, calm and fearless: Guide us by thy hand To our Fatherland!

If the way be drear, If the foe be near, Let not faithless fears o'ertake us; Let not faith and hope forsake us; For, through many a foe, To our home we go!