Few Christians realize what an honorable sphere is open to them, of living devotedness to Christ. We have an example of this in Paul—he was ready to die for the name of Jesus. He had nothing more to gain or hope for here. We want more of this earnest devotedness of heart to the Lord. We want to get above the heavy atmosphere in which most Christians live. Our testimony should not be confined to the seasons of united worship, but abroad in the world and among the multitudes of poor dying sinners around we would seek to testify of Jesus, both by our words and our ways.
How happy we ought to be as Christians! Nothing can make us unhappy if we have a single eye to Christ—calling on the Lord out of a pure heart. It is the want of this which causes much of the nervous depression and lowness of spirits we meet with in many Christians. If Christ were the one object of our hearts, His glory the one thing we had in view, we should not be thinking or caring about ourselves at all. We want just to yield ourselves to the Lord. Isaiah 6 illustrates this. First, the prophet says, "Woe is me," etc.; when purged, the word follows, "Here am I, send me." These principles are carried out through the book of Isaiah; the testimony is first to Israel's uncleanness, and then, in the latter days, they appear as the willing messengers to others of the grace of God.
May we know the privilege of living devotedness to Christ. It is an honor to be used of Him. At the same time we must remember that direction is needed as well as devotedness of heart. As on a railroad the steam is the propelling power, but without the rails the train would run into the fields or anywhere else, so the Word is needed to guide our zeal for the Lord.