August 28
Daily Gleanings of the Saintly LifeBirth Wednesday after Trinity
Walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4.
FRAME to thyself, or ask some one to help thee to form for thee, some simple rules which may help to guard thee or check thee from giving way to thy sin, or which may aid thee in gaining the grace thou desirest. These things thou mightest do, once for all, or for a long time, while thou art engaged in battling with and destroying this sin (thy besetting sin). It will not hinder thy work to think how thou mayest please God. Thus far is like making the instruments of thy daily work. When thou once hast them, they may require sharpening from time to time, but thy daily work is to use them. Thy daily exercise may be very short. God looks not at the length of words, but at the earnestness of thy heart. If thou hast much, give plenteously. When thou wakest, offer up thy whole self to God, soul and body, thoughts, purposes, and desires, to be for that day what He wills. Think of the occasions of the sin likely to befall thee, and go to Him Who died to redeem thee, tell Him in simple words thy trials. Be not ashamed of telling Him thy trifling troubles. We listen gladly to our children as they tell us their little troubles. To God all of ours is in itself alike little. All which concerns our soul is not little to Him Who sent His Son into the world to redeem us; it is not little to Him Who became man and died for us. The measure of the soul's value is
His love Who is Infinite.
Remember Calvary—its dying groan,
Its dying prayers and sacrifice for man,
Its sufferings His—its sins, its cause, your own,
Then turn to sloth and slumber if you can;
Sleep, and forget the hope, the heaven that lies
Beyond earth's conflicts. Sons of God, arise!
Q