The Advocate
November 1, 1899
God's Presence a Reality
Keep self out of sight; let it not come in, to mar the work, though this will be natural. Walk humbly with God. Let us work for the Master with disinterested energy, keeping before us a sense of the constant presence of God. Think of Moses,—what endurance and patience characterized his life. Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, says, “For he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” The character that Paul thus ascribes to Moses does not mean simply passive resistance to evil, but perseverance in the right. He kept the Lord ever before him, and the Lord was ever at his right hand to help him. Advocate November 1, 1899, par. 1
Moses had a deep sense of the personal presence of God. He was not only looking down through the ages for Christ to be made manifest in the flesh, but he saw Christ in a special manner accompanying the children of Israel in all their travels. God was real to him, ever present in his thoughts. When misunderstood, when called upon to face danger and to bear insult for Christ's sake, he endured without retaliation. Moses believed in God as one whom he needed, and who would help him because of his need. God was to him a present help. Advocate November 1, 1899, par. 2
Much of the faith which we see is merely nominal; the real, trusting, persevering faith is rare. Moses realized in his own experience the promise that God will be a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. He had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Here is another point in regard to faith which we wish to study: God will reward the man of faith and obedience. If this faith is brought into the life-experience, it will enable every one who fears and loves God to endure trials. Moses was full of confidence in God, because he had appropriating faith. He needed help, and he prayed for it, grasped it by faith, and wove into his experience the belief that God cared for him. He believed that God ruled his life in particular. He saw and acknowledged God in every detail of his life, and felt that he was under the eye of the All-seeing One, who weighs motives, who tries the heart. He looked to God, and trusted him for strength to carry him, uncorrupted, through every form of temptation. He knew that a special work had been assigned to him, and he desired, as far as possible, to make that work thoroughly successful. But he knew that he could not do this without divine aid.... The presence of God was sufficient to carry him through the most trying situations.... Advocate November 1, 1899, par. 3
Moses did not merely think of God; he saw him. God was the constant vision before him; he never lost sight of his face. He saw Jesus as his Saviour, and he believed that the Saviour's merits would be imputed to him. This faith was to Moses no guess-work; it was a reality. This is the kind of faith we need,—faith that will endure the test. Oh, how often we yield to temptation, because we do not keep our eye upon Jesus! Our faith is not continuous, because, through self-indulgence, we sin, and then we can not endure, as “seeing him who is invisible.” Advocate November 1, 1899, par. 4
Make Christ your daily, hourly companion, and you will not complain that you have no faith. Contemplate Christ. View his character. Talk of him. The less you exalt self, the more you will see in Jesus to exalt. God has a work for you to do. Keep the Lord ever before you. Reach up higher and still higher for clearer views of the character of Christ. When Moses prayed, “I beseech thee, show me thy glory,” the Lord did not rebuke him, but he granted his prayer. God declared to his servant, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee.” We keep apart from God, and this is why we do not see the revealings of his power.—Selection from Testimonies. Advocate November 1, 1899, par. 5