January 20

Third Week in Advent.—Friday

No man can come to Me, except the Father, Which hath sent Me, draw him. S. John 6:44.

No man, therefore, can come to Christ by reason of natural fitness to appreciate the teaching or the promises of Christ. It is, therefore, by a special act of Divine grace upon each soul that we are drawn to Christ, and accordingly these two truths are especially necessary for us to bear in mind: 1. God will draw onward to Christ each soul which He finds faithful according to the measure of gifts, moral and spiritual, which have been received. 2. Nothing is so destructive to the attraction of grace as the self-complacency whereby men are tempted to think that they have some claim to be drawn further. There are various degrees in which men may come to Christ, but they are all imperfect if they fall short of a real feeding upon Christ. Those who come to Christ He will in nowise cast out. That, however, is no true and effective coming which is merely by way of external approach, whether in worship, faith, or feeling. There must be the complete coming, so that the worshipper may be identified with Christ, to Whom he comes by actual feeding according to His covenanted ordinances.

I come, Almighty King:

Thy mercy's gentle call

So sweetly draws my soul to bring

The tribute of its all:

Enough to know Thou lovest best

The large desire of lowly breast.

I come, O Christ, my Lord:

I cry for Living Bread,

Found but in Thee, the Living Word,

Which all Thy Saints hast fed:

Enough to know who eateth Thee

In everlasting life shall be.