Worldly Christians Cannot Wait or Watch For Christ.
To truly wait for Christ we must be unworldly. If we love this world and the things which are in it, how can we look for the One who is to take us from it forever? But if we have learned the emptiness of the world, to see through its tinsel and to discern the power of its god and prince that is behind, hurrying men on to destruction; we long to leave it, and, thus doubly welcome Christ; first for His own sake, and next, for taking us away from it all to the Father's house.
I shall never forget some time ago when I had to fetch a dear old lady from a boarding house, where she had been badly treated, seeing her sitting in the little dark underground room in which she had been kept, in a large arm chair, with bonnet, shoes, cloak and gloves all on, earnestly waiting my arrival. Although I could not come before twelve, so anxious was she to leave the place that she had insisted on getting up between four and five o'clock that morning and being fully dressed, and she had been sitting thus in that chair for six or seven hours all ready and waiting to go. I cannot describe her look of intense joy and satisfaction when I entered the room just as she was thinking herself quite forsaken, and her delight when at last she found herself safely in the carriage. What a feeble picture this is of what our attitude ought to be, and what our joy will be at Christ's coming!
Christ's Coming Draws Near
Everything bespeaks its nearness. Vain though it must be for us to attempt to fix an hour, which the Lord says no one knows but the Father, still in many ways He has indicated His approaching return. First, in the remarkable spread of the gospel preaching and work among young and old throughout Christendom, thus rapidly gathering in the number of His elect. Secondly, in the fact that the midnight cry, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him," that was unheard (save by a very few) eighty years ago, is now sounded everywhere; and thirdly, in that the signs of the last times, spoken of in 2 Tim., etc., are to he seen on every side of us. Many, however, think that unless it is quite sure that Christ will come in our time, it is no use waiting for Him, because it will be in vain. This is a great mistake. In no sense it in vain. As regard ourselves, it exercises its purifying influence on our lives, draws us nearer to Christ, and keeps us more separate from the world. With regard to Him it is just as precious to His heart, as if He came. Unlike a king or president who can only see those who are waiting at the moment he passes, He has watched, and knows every "waiter and watcher" whose heart has communed with Him through the long dark night -not one is forgotten. And if you thus patiently wait and watch for Christ, you will be amongst those in glory whom Christ will specially come forth to serve. Oh! may He speak to each of our hearts in power, that many sleepers may henceforth become watchers to His praise and glory.
(Continued and to be continued)