PREFERMENT in the kingdom of Christ depends not on self-seeking, nor is it achieved by worldly methods. He who would be honored of God in the day when His Son will be acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of lords must be willing to follow Him in His lowly path of unrequited service for the blessing of a needy world. Following Jesus is not following Him into His heavenly Home. It is following Him, if one may so say, out of His Heaven, down into a world of sin and wretchedness, taking the path of self-abnegation and readiness to be rejected by men, in order to manifest the spirit of Christ to those who know Him not. It is only thus we can represent our Master, the Servant-Prophet, aright. And in order to do this we must first yield ourselves to Him. We cannot live a Christian life until we have a Christian life to live. There is a life by which we live. And there is a life we are called upon to live. We obtain life only by faith in Him who gave Himself a ransom for all. We manifest that life as we yield ourselves to Him as Lord.
“Christ never asks of us such busy labor
As leaves no time for resting at His feet;
The waiting attitude of expectation
He oft-times counts a service moat complete.
And yet He does love service, where ‘tis given
By grateful love that clothes itself in deed;
But work that’s done beneath the scourge of duty,
Be sure, He gives to such but little heed.
Then seek to please Him, whatsoe’er He bids thee.
Whether to do, to suffer, or lie still;
‘Twill matter little by what path He led us,
If in it all we sought to do His will.”