December 22
The Christian's Response
The Christian's Daily Treasury" Even so, come, Lord Jesus." — Revelation 22:20.
WHILE revelation presents Jesus to our view as the Friend of sinners, in the attitude of entreaty, it invests him with the robes of glory and majesty, as the Judge of quick and dead, and points us to a great day of universal retribution. While the wicked shall dread his coming, the righteous shall hail his approach. " Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Notice
THE CHRISTIAN'S RESPONSE. This is the language of
Lively faith. Not the faith that is dead, being alone; not the faith of the formalist, but that which is vital, evangelical, which works by love, and purifies the heart.
Confident expectation. He who knows in whom he has believed, and, from his own experience and the witness of the Spirit, is sure that he is interested in the Saviour, may adopt this language. According to the divine promise, he is "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
Earnest desire. Christians not only look, but long, for the coming of Christ; therefore they are spoken of as those that love his appearing. They desire it, because then they shall be like him, and see him as he is.
Patient acquiescence. Thus they are waiting and watching for him. They have not, or ought not to have, such a desire to depart, as to render them unfit for present duties, or impatient under trials; their language is, Come, Lord Jesus, in thine own time, and in thine own way. Seeing we look for such things, what manner of persons ought we to be! How humble, prayerful, devout, holy, serious, and watchful! Christians, we shall then have a key to unlock the mysteries of his providence; let us therefore suspend our judgment. The beauty of a thing, says one, appears at the moment of its maturity, which God waits for. He that tastes the blossom, instead of the fruit, will pass a wrong judgment upon it; he that would limit his idea of the beauties of vegetation, to their appearance in the winter season, would judge very blindly. Wait, therefore, and see the end of the Lord.
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