"He is Faithful that Promised."
"In due season we shall reap, if we faint not."--GAL. vi. 9.
A Due Reaping.
Believer! all the glory of thy salvation belongs to Jesus,--none to
thyself; every jewel in thine eternal crown is His,--purchased by His
blood, and polished by His Spirit. The confession of time will be the
ascription of all eternity: "By the grace of God I am what I am!" But
though "all be of grace," thy God calls thee to personal strenuousness
in the work of thy high calling;--to "labour," to "fight," to "wrestle,"
to "_agonize_;" and the heavenly reaping will be in proportion to the
earthly sowing: "He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly;
and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully!" What an
incentive to holy living, and increased spiritual attainments! My soul!
wouldst thou be a star shining high and bright in the firmament of
glory?--wouldst thou receive the ten-talent recompense? Then be not
weary. Gird on thine armour for fresh conquests. Be gaining daily some
new victory over sin. Deny thyself. Be a willing cross-bearer for thy
Lord's sake. Do good to all men as thou hast opportunity; be patient
under provocation, "slow to wrath," resigned in trial. Let the world
take knowledge of thee that thou art wearing Christ's livery, and
bearing Christ's spirit, and sharing Christ's cross. And when the
reaping time comes, He who has promised that the cup of cold water
cannot go unrecompensed, will not suffer thee to lose thy reward!
"REMEMBER _THIS_ WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"