THE NOW OF CHRISTMAS By E. Frederick Mertens D O you think of Christmas as belonging only to a won derful event of two thousand years ago, or are you exulting in the living NOW of it? You have read those
what He can. do for you, in you, and through you. In every thing that comes of joy or sorrow, trial or hardness, suffer ing or laughter, He can reveal Himself to you in some new way in which you can delight. In everything you can turn all to His glory. You can magnify and exalt Him both in yourself and in every circumstance. So living comes to have magnificent meaning! The “ here” and “now” is no longer insignificant nor filled with frustra tion and disappointment for no moment can rob you of the possibility of knowing God more fully, of exploring the wealth of His' Love, Character, and Power; no moment but offers you ways of glorifying Him in all things—in the hidden resources of your mental and spiritual life, in the abilities and opportunities of your physical life, and in all the strength of your will and heart. Here and now you are being conformed to the image of His Son; here and now you are “ at-one-ness” with Him! The infinite possibilities of the NOW! No longer do you await tomorrow to live, for the purpose and goal of living—of “knowing” and “glorifying” God—is NOW! The promise is now, God’s faithfulness is now, His possessions are now, His will and purpose is now, His presence is now, His life is now, His love is now, His challenge is now, His power is now, His triumph is now. “All things are possible” NOW “for all things are yours, and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” “ God with us—Emmanuel.”
marvelous words “Emmanuel—God with us” an untold number of times, but they have more or less confined themselves to the Christmas season, or to times of special spiritual insight and the feeling of God’s presence. However, “ GOD WITH US” can become the most revolu tionary fact in your life, and this coming year of 1952 can be one of glorious adventure in the realization and appro priation of God’s Word, and just God himself! Every hour can become remarkably vibrant with the fall of His footstep, the tender warmth of the clasp of His hand, and the thrilling whisper of His voice. Depths of being can awaken within you that you never knew were deaf, or blind, or dead until you became breathlessly aware that He was with you—with you as you had never known Him to be before! Perhaps that is why God has to break you so completely, break you until all other hope or refuge is gone and you are forced to abandon yourself wholly to Him! The direness of your need necessitates a surrender of yourself to Him in a depth of consecration far beyond any previous committal, and you are suddenly shocked to acknowledge that much of your surrender has been only, halfheartedly given, and that it has been more theoretical than actual. You can true yourself to reality by matching yourself with God’s standard—“to live is CHRIST.” “ Oh,” but you say, “ I mean that.” But just put yourself to the test now. What are you living for, after all? What did you live for this past year, yesterday, today? What are you living for tomorrow? Is it actually Christ, or is it something that you want to have, to be, or to do? Is it something else, or someone else, or just yourself? Sweep all of these possibilities away and what remains? Do you still want to live? If your goal and circumference is Christ, then you -can meet with no frustration, no defeat; there will be an im movable center and an unchanging horizon—“to live is CHRIST”—the Changeless, Adored One of all creation, the “ God with us,” the Incarnate One! God demands first place in your total being now and always, and if you do not volun tarily love and serve Him as His “ bond-slave,” His very love necessitates the removal of every barrier to such a conquest of your heart. The Great Lover of your soul gives you no rest until you freely give yourself in complete abandonment to possession of Him, and to His possession of you, to His sovereign will and control now! It is not your “being” or “ doing,” but £gain, it is “ God with us”—His life your life, His love your love, His power your power, His will your will, His work your work—such oneness with Him that “ all things are possible” and tritfmph is assured. It is splendid to laugh in the face of defeat, to claim certain victory over everything, to make the promises of God anchors for today and ladders for tomorrow, and to challenge the impossible with the Presence and Power of God! Yes, at long last you discover what is “ Living” and the “Now” of it. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. . . . I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” To know God and to glorify Him—this is truly reducing life to its simplest equa tion. Complexities vanish. How clear is the way! How easily is every problem solved! You have only one thing to do—all else is tributary, incidental, or irrelevant. Today, tomorrow, to whatever time or place God will bring you, you will seek to know Him for Himself, for what He can be to you, for Page Fourteen
THE HOLY CHILD UNKNOWN The lowly babe was bom to die! His birth’s Reproach, cruel omen of His coming shame. The Lord of Glory made the least of earth; And yet to be despised of men He came. God had ordained that course He must pursue; His nature veiled to those already blind; The Holy Child unknown but to a few, Whose prayers unlocked the secrets of God’s mind. Was He to fill Messiah’s kingly role? This Man of Sorrows rule from David’s throne? First must He loose and free man’s bondaged soul, Until redeemed a people for His own. In weakness thus He came, His glory shorn; To know dark Calvary’s terror, Christ was born. —Blanton TV. Jones T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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