"Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the
household of God." Ephesians
2:19
If grace
has touched your heart; if the love of God has come
into your soul, it has placed you among the saints
of the Most High, and given you every privilege
which God ever did or could give to them.
And what
are their privileges? To be washed in the atoning
blood of the suffering Son of God, to be clothed in
the justifying righteousness of his perfect and
meritorious obedience, to be consecrated by the
indwelling of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, to have
the love of God as their enduring portion, peace in
believing, supplies of grace as needed, support and
strength as they pass through this vale of tears,
comforts abounding in proportion to the abundance of
afflictions, everlasting arms beneath in death, a
mansion of eternal bliss for the soul when the body
drops into the grave, and a glorious resurrection of
the body at the appearance of Christ in glory.
All that
the love of God can give; all that the blood of
Christ has been a channel for communicating; and all
that the Spirit of God can reveal to any heart, or
has ever brought with power into the soul of any
saint,—all these things become ours when we become
fellow-citizens with the saints of God; not indeed
always or often by vital enjoyment, though we get
sips and tastes, drops and crumbs; but as Abraham
was given possession of Canaan when he had not so
much as to set his foot on, yet was it his as much
by promise as it became his children's by strength
of hand.
Does not
the Apostle declare this, in the broadest and
clearest language, where he says, "All things are
yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present, or
things to come; all are yours?" and why all yours?
"for ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."
”Which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and
set him at his own right hand in the heavenly
places, Far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not
only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the
church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that
filleth all in all.” Eph. 1:20-23
God has put
all things, events, and circumstances under the
authority of Christ! How vast, how numerous, how
complicated are the various events and circumstances
which attend the children of God here below, as they
travel onward to their heavenly home! What an intricate
maze they often seem, and how much they appear opposed
to us, as if we never could get through them, or
scarcely live under them!
Yet, there cannot be a single circumstance over which
Jesus has not supreme control. Everything in providence
and everything in grace are alike subject to His
disposal. There is not . . .
a trial,
a temptation,
an affliction of body or soul,
a loss,
a cross,
a painful bereavement,
a vexation,
a grief,
a disappointment,
a case, state, or condition,
which is not put under Jesus' authority!
He has sovereign, supreme disposal over all events and
circumstances! As possessed of infinite knowledge, He
sees them. As possessed of infinite wisdom, He can
manage them. As possessed of infinite power, He can
dispose and direct them for our good and His own glory!
How much trouble and anxiety we would save ourselves,
could we firmly believe, realize, and act on this! If we
could see by the eye of faith that . . .
every foe and every fear,
every difficulty and perplexity,
every trying or painful circumstance,
every looked-for or unlooked-for event,
every source of anxiety,
whether at
present or in prospect, are all under His dominion, and
at His sovereign disposal--what a load of anxiety and
care would be taken off our shoulders!
”
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”
Matthew 28:18
The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing
thereof is of the Lord."
If the disposal of the lot is the Lord’s
whose is the arrangement of our whole life? If the
simple casting of a lot is guided by him, how much more
the events of our entire life—especially when we are
told by our blessed Saviour: "The very hairs of your
head are all numbered: not a sparrow falleth to the
ground without your Father." It would bring a holy calm
over your mind, dear friend, if you were always to
remember this. It would so relieve your mind from
anxiety, that you would be the better able to walk in
patience, quiet, and cheerfulness as a Christian should.
When a man is anxious he cannot pray with faith; when he
is troubled about the world, he cannot serve his Master,
his thoughts are serving himself.
If you would "seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness," all things would then be added
unto you.
You are meddling with Christ’s business, and neglecting
your own when you fret about your lot and circumstances.
You have been trying "providing"work and forgetting that
it is yours to obey. Be wise and attend to the
obeying, and let Christ manage the providing.
Come and survey your Father’s storehouse, and ask
whether he will let you starve while he has laid
up so great an abundance in his garner? Look at his
heart of mercy; see if that can ever prove unkind! Look
at his inscrutable wisdom; see if that will ever be at
fault.
Above all, look up
to Jesus Christ your Intercessor, and ask yourself,
while he pleads, can your Father deal ungraciously with
you? If he remembers even sparrows, will he forget one
of the least of his poor children? "Cast thy burden
upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee. He will never
suffer the righteous to be moved."
My soul, rest
happy in thy low estate, Nor hope nor wish to be
esteem’d or great;
To take the impress of the Will Divine, Be that thy
glory, and those riches thine.
