August 1, 1905

Strength for Weakness

EGW

The Lord would have your thoughts center upon Him. For every service, every self-denial, every sacrifice we make, the Lord has guaranteed to requite us, not because it is a debt He owes us, but because His heart is full of infinite love, full of mercy and tenderness, overflowing toward us in that He will repay us a hundred fold in this life, and give us in the world to come life everlasting. The reason why so many are weak, is that they do not cultivate faith, but look at the objectionable and discouraging features. They do not consider that all the universe of heaven is waiting to become co-laborers with them, waiting to make them the living agencies to bless the world with the message God shall give them to bear.BTS August 1, 1905, par. 1

The Lord Jesus is our strength and happiness. He is the great storehouse from which the human agent may on every occasion, draw strength and happiness. How grieved He is when, after He has given us a rich experience in His willingness to help us in any emergency, we withdraw our eyes from His sufficiency to look on and bemoan our own weakness. We forget to behold Him and to trust Him as the one ever ready to help those who need His help. We have no right to bemoan our own weakness and inefficiency, because He has shown Himself to be an ever present help in time of need. In the place of studying our poor, ignorant, worthless selves, we need to study Jesus, and become more and more able to behold Him, talk of Him, apprehend His character, avail ourselves of His kindness and helpfulness, and receive the blessings He proffers us. As we receive of Him, we have something with which to help others. Thus receiving and imparting, we grow in love toward God, increasing in faith and peace, and assurance, and holiness, which is wholeness, toward Him. We give to Him all that there is of us, that the blessings which He has brought within our reach may be communicated to others as freely as they have been communicated to us from the Lord Jesus our Restorer. To every one who believes, He is as the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God. His branches reach to the lower world, in order that the blessings He has purchased for us may be brought within our reach. From this tree we may pluck and eat, and then guide others to it, that they also may eat.BTS August 1, 1905, par. 2