Blessed Master! I thank Thee for being anew reminded of the purpose of
Thy Redeeming Love. Thou gavest Thyself that Thou mightest cleanse for
Thyself a people of Thine own, zealous in good works. Thou wouldest make
of each of us a vessel of honour, cleansed and sanctified, meet for Thy
use, and prepared for every good work.
Blessed Lord! write the lessons of Thy word deep in my heart. Teach me
and all Thy people that if we would work for Thee, if we would have
Thee work in us, and use us, we must be very holy, holy as God is holy.
And that if we would be holy, we must be serving Thee. It is Thy own
Spirit, by which Thou dost sanctify us to use us, and dost sanctify in
using. To be entirely possessed of Thee is the path to sanctity and
service both.
Most Holy Saviour! we are in Thee as our sanctification: in Thee we
would abide. In the rest of a faith that trusts Thee for all, in the
power of a surrender that would have no will but Thine, in a love that
would lose itself to be wholly Thine, Blessed Jesus, we do abide in
Thee. In Thee we are holy: in Thee we shall bear much fruit.
Oh, be pleased to perfect Thine own work in us! Amen.
1. It is difficult to make it clear in words how growth in
holiness will simply reveal itself as an increasing simplicity
and self-forgetfulness, accompanied by the restful and most
blessed assurance that God has complete possession of us and
will use us. We pass from the stage in which work presses as an
obligation; it becomes the joy of fruit-bearing; faith's
assurance that He is working out His will through us.
2. It has sometimes been said that people might be better employed
in working for God than attending Holiness Conventions. This is
surely a misunderstanding. It was before the throne of the
Thrice Holy One, and as he heard the Seraphim sing of God's
Holiness, that the prophet said, 'Here am I, send me.' As the
mission of Moses, and Isaiah, and the Son, whom the Father
_sanctified and sent_, each had its origin in the revelation of
God's Holiness, our missions will receive new power as they are
more directly born out of the worship of God as the Holy One,
and baptized into the Spirit of Holiness.
3. Let every worker take time to hear God's double call. If you
would work, be very holy. If you would be holy, give yourself
to God to use in His work.
4. Note the connection between 'sanctified' and 'meet for _the
Master's use_.' True holiness is being possessed of God; true
service being used of God. How much service there is in which
we are the chief agents, and ask God to help and to bless us.
True service is being yielded up to the Master _for Him to
use_. Then the Holy Ghost is the Agent, and we are the
Instruments of His will. Such service is Holiness.
5. 'I sanctify _Myself_, that _they also_:' a reference to others
is the root principle of all true holiness.
Twenty-eighth Day.