“My Praise Shall Be Continually of Thee.”

        After the woman of Capernaum had been healed by the touch of faith, Jesus desired her to acknowledge the blessing she had received. The gifts which the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret.  “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, That I am God.” Isaiah 43:12.

        Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked with our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls.

        It is for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. By this means faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a watered garden. His health shall spring forth speedily; his light shall rise in obscurity, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon him.

        “What shall I render unto the Lord 
For all His benefits toward me? 
I will take the cup of salvation, 
And call upon the name of the Lord. 
I will pay my vows unto the Lord, 
Yea, in the presence of all His people.”

“I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: 
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 
My meditation of Him shall be sweet: 
I will be glad in the Lord.”

        “Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? 
Who can show forth all His praise?”

        “Call upon His name; 
Make known among the peoples His doings. 
Sing unto Him, sing praises unto Him:” 

        “Talk ye of all His wondrous works. 

        Glory ye in His holy name: 
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.”

        “Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, 
My lips shall praise Thee. . . . 
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; 
And my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips; 
When I remember Thee upon my bed, 
And meditate on Thee in the night watches. 
For Thou hast been my help, 
And in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.”

        “In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; 
What can man do unto me? 
Thy vows are upon me, O God: 
I will render thank offerings unto Thee. 
For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: 
Hast Thou not delivered my feet from falling, 
That I may walk before God in the light of the 
living?”

        “O Thou Holy One of Israel. 
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto Thee; 
And my soul, which Thou hast redeemed. 
My tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness all 
the day long.”

        “Thou art my trust from my youth. . . . 
My praise shall be continually of Thee.” 

        “I will make Thy name to be remembered:. . . 
Therefore shall the people praise Thee.” 
Psalm 116:12-14, R.V.; 104:33, 34; 106:2; 
105:1, 2 (A.R.V.), 2, 3; 63:3-7, A.R.V.; 
56:11-13, A.R.V.; 71:22-24, 5, 6; 45:17.

        “Freely Ye Have Received, Freely Give.”

        The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. When God blesses His children, it is not alone for their own sake, but for the world’s sake. As He bestows His gifts on us, it is that we may multiply them by imparting. The Samaritan woman who talked with Jesus at Jacob’s well had no sooner found the Saviour than she brought others to Him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples. The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be gathered. But through the woman whom they despised a whole cityful were brought to hear Jesus. She carried the light at once to her countrymen.

        This woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. No sooner does he come to know the Saviour than he desires to make others acquainted with Him. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. In doing this work a greater blessing is received than if we work merely to benefit ourselves. It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we are brought near to the Saviour.  

        Of those who receive His grace the Lord says:

        “I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26, A.R.V.

        “On the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37, 38, A.R.V.

        Those who receive are to impart to others. From every direction are coming calls for help. God calls upon men to minister gladly to their fellow men. Immortal crowns are to be won; the kingdom of heaven is to be gained; the world, perishing in ignorance, is to be enlightened.

        “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal.” John 4:35, 36.

        For three years the disciples had before them the wonderful example of Jesus. Day by day they walked and talked with Him, hearing His words of cheer to the weary and heavy-laden, and seeing the manifestations of His power in behalf of the sick and afflicted. When the time came for Him to leave them, He gave them grace and power to carry forward His work in His name. They were to shed abroad the light of His gospel of love and healing. And the Saviour promised that His presence would be always with them. Through the Holy Spirit He would be even nearer to them than when He walked visibly among men.

        The work which the disciples did, we also are to do. Every Christian is to be a missionary. In sympathy and compassion we are to minister to those in need of help, seeking with unselfish earnestness to lighten the woes of suffering humanity.  All may find something to do. None need feel that there is no place where they can labor for Christ. The Saviour identifies Himself with every child of humanity. That we might become members of the heavenly family, He became a member of the earthly family. He is the Son of man, and thus a brother to every son and daughter of Adam. His followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity, and heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to saints.

        Millions upon millions of human beings, in sickness and ignorance and sin, have never so much as heard of Christ’s love for them. Were our condition and theirs to be reversed, what would we desire them to do for us? All this, so far as lies in our power, we are to do for them. Christ’s rule of life by which every one of us must stand or fall in the judgment is, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” Matthew 7:12.

        By all that has given us advantage over another,–be it education and refinement, nobility of character, Christian training, religious experience,–we are in debt to those less favored; and, so far as lies in our power, we are to minister unto them. If we are strong, we are to stay up the hands of the weak.  Angels of glory that do always behold the face of the Father in heaven, joy in ministering to His little ones. Angels are ever present where they are most needed, with those who have the hardest battles with self to fight, and whose surroundings are the most discouraging. Weak and trembling souls who have many objectionable traits of character are their special charge. That which selfish hearts would regard as humiliating service, ministering to those who are wretched and in every way inferior in character, is the work of the pure, sinless beings from the courts above.

        Jesus did not consider heaven a place to be desired while we were lost. He left the heavenly courts for a life of reproach and insult, and a death of shame. He who was rich in heaven’s priceless treasure became poor, that through His poverty we might be rich. We are to follow in the path He trod. He who becomes a child of God should henceforth look upon himself as a link in the chain let down to save the world, one with Christ in His plan of mercy, going forth with Him to seek and save the lost.

        Many feel that it would be a great privilege to visit the scenes of Christ’s life on earth, to walk where He trod, to look upon the lake beside which He loved to teach, and the hills and valleys on which His eyes so often rested. But we need not go to Nazareth, to Capernaum, or to Bethany, in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. We shall find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in the crowded alleys of the great cities, and in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation.  We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and to inspire hope in the hopeless.

        The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart that hardens under reproof will melt under the love of Christ.  The missionary can not only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin. Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, and those possessed of evil spirits shall hear His voice. Through His human agencies He desires to be a comforter such as the world knows not. The Saviour has given His precious life in order to establish a church capable of ministering to the suffering, the sorrowful, and the tempted. A company of believers may be poor, uneducated, and unknown; yet in Christ they may do a work in the home, in the community, and even in “the regions beyond,” whose results shall be as far-reaching as eternity.

        To Christ’s followers today, no less than to the first disciples, these words are spoken:  “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.” “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Matthew 28:18, 19; Mark 16:15.  And for us also is the promise of His presence, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20.

        Today no curious multitudes flock to the desert places to see and hear the Christ. His voice is not heard in the busy streets. No cry sounds from the wayside, “Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.” Luke 18:37. Yet this word is true today. Christ walks unseen through our streets. With messages of mercy He comes to our homes. With all who are seeking to minister in His name, He waits to co-operate. He is in the midst of us, to heal and to bless, if we will receive Him.

        “Thus saith Jehovah, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.”

        “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that 
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; 
That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; 
That saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” 
Isaiah 49:8, 9, A.R.V.; 52:7.

        “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places:. . . 
For the Lord hath comforted His people. . . . 
The Lord hath made bare His holy arm 
In the eyes of all the nations; 
And all the ends of the earth 
Shall see the salvation of our God.” 
Verses 9, 10.