03.10. Live Today!
10. Live Today! Not next year, next week, or even tomorrow — but live today, and live to purpose! Put aside all anxiety about the work you may have to do in the future — and this very day do your best, do your utmost to please the Master — and leave the concerns of tomorrow in His hands.
Make a little fence of trust
Around today;
Fill the space with loving work,
And therein stay.
Look not through the sheltering bar
Upon tomorrow;
God will help you bear
What comes,
Of joy or sorrow.
Live today! For life is so little — and yet so great. It is marvelously little if you look at it in itself. "There is only one beat of my heart between me and death," said a man to me once. It is true in another sense of each one of us. Not only in a time of extreme illness but in full health — let but something come and cause the heart to cease to beat — and we are gone! A young lady was sitting at the fireside working while her sister was reading. Her mother spoke to her, but had no reply. In a moment, while the needle and work were still in her hand, her spirit had suddenly departed! The longest life is but short. Each year we live, more rapidly it seems to fly. And never can we be certain of its continuance even for an hour. We cannot stay here in this world forever. Those younger than ourselves are coming up after us and pushing us onward and forward, and soon we fall into the deep river of death, and leave room to others to take our place. How frail, how fickle, is our sojourn here!
Though they seem to us so real — yet how little are . . .
our busy toils,
our joys and sorrows,
our cares and fears,
our losses and gains,
our successes and our disappointments!
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more! But take the lamp of truth. It gives another view of life. If it tells of its frailty, its uncertainty — it tells also of its greatness. It reveals a glory, a grandeur, a reality about our present brief existence, which we should never have imagined.
Life is your one great opportunity. If the stability or welfare of a kingdom hung upon the outcome of a single battle, how anxious would be the king or general in command to put forth every possible effort to gain the victory! And the permanent glory and peace of a mighty kingdom, even of your soul, depend under God on your being able by divine grace to fight the battle of life well. Could we listen to the secret thought of many a one in a dying hour, could we tell what is passing within while the lip is no longer able to speak, would we not often hear the sorrowful lament, "I have lost my life and cannot recall it. Oh that I could give all I once possessed to have back but a year of my short life below."
Life is great and precious, for you are now molding and building up a character which will abide evermore. Every hour, every day you are forming habits which permanently affect your being in the future. Whatever you think, or say, or do — your commonest actions, your very looks, your cherished thoughts — are all the die, the stamp, the impression of which you will never lose. Your very neglects and omissions of duty, also leave their mark behind.
Live in prayer, holiness, watchfulness;
be humble, trustful, loving, unselfish;
walk with God, and do His will —
and you become more and more like the Savior, and thus fit for His presence. On the other hand, yield yourself up to fleshly indulgence, be the slave of appetite, worldly sloth, selfishness, passion, or sin of any kind — and the character becomes more and more depraved and marred, until all its beauty is forever lost.
Life is great and noble, because of its marvelous powers for usefulness. A man in America had once a field which he valued but little, and was about to sell. But a friend gave him good advice, "Mind what you do," said he, "I believe there are oil-springs in your field if you only search for them; and, if so, your field will be worth a large sum." He found the words of his friend were true. Oil-springs were discovered, and the field became to him the source of immense wealth.
Young friend, do not waste life. Do not throw it away. Do not reckon it of small value. If only you search for them, you will find oil-springs in it. You will find it full of power for blessing to yourself and to others. You will find it, if well improved, a means of bringing spiritual light, and health, and comfort to those around you and to many beside. If only your life is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and spent for the glory of God — then think how much you may make of it. The influence of a holy example, the fruit of lips filled with divine truth, a purse closed to all extravagance and luxury — but open to the claims of sorrow and distress, a heart devoted to Christ’s cause and the souls he died to save — each of these may be as an oil-spring, a fountain of temporal and spiritual good to many of your fellow-creatures.
Once more. Life is great beyond all expression, because eternity is inseparably linked to it. If upon the use of one day or one hour, the comfort and happiness of the rest of your life depended — you would be very careful to use it aright. But infinitely greater is the disproportion between our little day of life here — and the vast eternity that follows. Yet upon the one hangs the other.
How shall we think of eternity? How shall we measure it? How shall we grasp it? How shall we get at least some faint idea of that ever-abiding, unending existence, which stretches away into the far horizon, and whose boundary we can never reach?
Take it in this way. Suppose that for every flower that blooms in summer time you could count a thousand years — and add together the sum of all. Suppose that, for every leaf that trembles in the breeze you could also count a thousand years — and then could add together these two sums. In a similar manner, for every bird or insect that flies in the air, for every living creature that treads the earth, for every fish that is found in the mighty deep — count a thousand years. Then, if you can, add together these vast totals, and imagine the time they demand, and remember that, when these cycles of ages have rolled by, the great clock of eternity has only just begun to tick!
True, our highest thought is at fault; it is utterly beyond us. But God is true, and from everlasting to everlasting He abides, and the souls that He has made. And this great eternal future hangs on this short passing life! What a reality does this give to it! What a vast importance attaches to every moment of it! But how may you use it aright? How may you redeem its precious hours? How may you make the best of every day as it comes around?
Remember that the only true life is that spent in union with Christ. Your life must be one with His, by the link of faith. By humble, hearty dependence on . . .
His promise,
His power to save,
His precious blood,
His perpetual intercession on your behalf
— you have that life, that eternal life, that indestructible life, which no disease, no accident, no decay of nature can ever affect.
Unless you begin here, life must be a failure. Without this, its noblest aims can never be accomplished. Would you have life truly blessed, let it be passed in close fellowship with the Son of God. Let Christ dwell in you by faith. Live in Christ, live for Christ, live like Christ, live with Christ — and Christ will show forth through you His joy, His love, His light, His grace — and thus both to yourself and to many about you, life shall abound in ten thousand blessings.
If you would use life well, let the seven days of the week he elevated and sanctified, by the careful observance of Sunday. Sunday is the market-day of the soul. On that day you may gain your richest treasure. Getting good and doing good, true worship, heart-felt praise, thoughtful hearing of the Word of life, glad service for the King among the lambs of the flock, in the Bible class, or in visits to those you can reach on Sunday better than other days, the best book well studied, and another book or two which you find helpful in the Divine life. All this will make your Sundays stepping-stones to the Father’s house and sweet seasons of refreshment that will cheer you before the work of another week begins.
If you would use life well, trade well with "the pound," the talents which the Master commits to your charge. Beware of rust. Sloth is rust, and will destroy the greatest talent, if it be indulged. Whatever gifts you possess, trade with them diligently. Let no grass grow under your feet. Lose neither time nor opportunity. Abhor all trifling with the few precious years you may have to live.
Remember that many talents are forever lost through being left unused — while a single talent well employed may grow exceedingly. Strive to use all your talents, and not to neglect one. You may have five talents, and make good use of four, while perhaps the fifth is the most precious of all — and yet it is forgotten and despised. To avoid this danger, carefully consider what talents and gifts you have. Often stop and ask yourself whether you are making the most of them.
What precious talents are these three, if God has preserved them to you — sight, hearing, and speech! What a power for self-improvement and for usefulness do they afford!
What a precious gift is money! Whether more or less, if liberally and freely given, if self-denial is exercised in the way in which you spend it — what burdened hearts may be relieved, what helpful books may be given on birthdays to friends, or scattered far and wide among those who need them! What open doors may be entered for preaching the gospel of Christ, and what untold good may be done both at home and abroad!
What a precious gift is influence! If you are consistent and in earnest, your daily life may tell for good on all about you! What you are, has often a far greater effect than what you directly aim at doing for others. Your being an abstainer, may save some young friend from the pit of strong drink. Your prayerfulness may awaken the conscience of someone who sleeps in the same room with you, and who never bends the knee. Your habit of plain dressing, may save another from the snare of vanity and display. In the use of your talents, especially remember the enormous power of littles. There are tradesmen in our large towns who are driving a splendid trade, making thousands a year — and yet they very seldom take half a sovereign, but most of their trade is done in very small amounts. The multitude of customers makes up for the smallness of the sums received.
Here is a lesson for you who wish to trade well with that which is put into your charge. If you cannot do great things — do many little things. You may immensely increase your talents by continual use and diligence. Never disregard the least opening for good. Ever be on the look-out for quiet and humble ways of pleasing Christ and doing something for His glory. A penny saved by an act of self-denial,
a kindly word, even a pressure of the hand,
some expression of your sympathy for one in trouble,
a book lent to a servant in the kitchen,
a suggestion that may guide a young Sunday-school teacher,
a note to cheer a sufferer on Sunday morning when shut out from the means of grace,
a soft answer to one who is nervous or irritable,
a quarter of an hour given to pass on to another a page or two in your reading that has stirred or encouraged you,
a hearty Christian letter to an old schoolfellow at Christmas or the New Year
— a thousand such ways of trading with your pound you may embrace where you could not find one for any greater or more showy effort.
"Live today!" But are you living? Are you alive to God? Are you cleansed in the atoning blood, and renewed by the quickening Spirit? Are you journeying with your face Zionward? Are you walking in faith, love, and obedience? Are you prepared for a sudden call to appear before God? If some unlooked-for danger arises, if there is an accident to the train or the steamer in which you are traveling — can you calmly face it, knowing that all is well with your soul? If some fever or disease should attack you, could you in peace commit yourself to the Keeper of Israel?
I am permitted to mention an incident in the life of a very dear and valued friend. As a young man he was laid low with an attack of cholera. Though surrounded by every comfort and assistance that kindness and medical skill could suggest, he rapidly grew worse. One evening he heard the medical man speaking in a whisper to the sister who was nursing him. His quick ear caught the words, "He cannot live until the morning!" No words could express the distress and fear that filled his soul. Death so near — and he altogether unprepared to meet it! No ray of hope pierced the midnight darkness that brooded over his spirit. What could he do? Where could he turn? In the deepest agony, almost in despair, he had but one resource. "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" was his one cry and prayer. Many, many times all night long did he still plead this one petition, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" And the cry was heard. God is very pitiful and of tender mercy. So his prayer was not in vain. He who heard the prayer of the dying thief, heard his likewise. The disease abated. In the morning he was better. Life was given back almost from the grave. Nor was the lesson lost. He never went back. He sought the Savior and yielded himself to His service. He never forgot the claims of young men, and never failed to do all in his power for their temporal and spiritual welfare. But you would not wish to run such a terrible risk! You must never forget that if one thief was saved — the other continued in worldliness, impenitence and unbelief, even to the last. And might it not be your case too, if now you refuse the loving voice of Jesus? And how much you lose! What peace, what faithful guidance, what power for usefulness, you forfeit even now — if you delay coming to Christ. Why should not your whole life, short or long, be bright and joyous in the Lord’s service, and then end in the brightness of the celestial city?
Surely you will come. Surely you will kneel down and ask life of Him who gives abundantly. Surely you will trust Him utterly for all you need, and henceforth strive to please Him in all you do. May He dispose your heart to do it, and by His own blessed Spirit work in you to will and to work of His good pleasure!
Only a step
From life to death!
The leaves are falling, and the flowers fade,
The sun is setting, deeper grows the shade,
Shorter the breath!
Only a step
From death to Life!
The trees are budding, and the flowers spring,
The sun is rising, light and joy to bring —
Ended Earth’s strife!
Only a step
Jesus, my light,
O take You step with me; O draw near,
Hold You my hand, for then I cannot fear.
All must be bright.