Sabbath-School Worker
April 1, 1895
Communion with Christ
“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” If Christ is our personal Saviour, we shall be meditating upon his goodness and mercy and love. His presence will be with the believing, praying soul. If the believer has an intelligent knowledge of what prayer means, he will not only have stated seasons of prayer, and, after engaging in prayer at these seasons, think that his duty is done, but he will understand by experience what the Scripture means when it says, “Enoch walked with God.” He will continually keep his mind uplifted toward God, and communion with God will give more and more desire for God, and the mind will be enlarged by contemplating the character of God. Thus he will be feeding on the flesh and blood of the Son of God, who declares that he is the bread of life sent down from heaven. SSW April 1, 1895, par. 1
He who continually communes with God, as did Enoch, will converse of the majesty of God. Enoch kept his mind continually fixed upon God. He lived in an age which was no more conducive to piety than is our own. The Lord will walk with anyone who chooses his companionship. He invites you to come. He says: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” What an exalted privilege is it to bear the yoke with Christ, for he says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light”! SSW April 1, 1895, par. 2
Had the rabbis, Pharisees, priests, and rulers received Christ, and believed his words, what a different history would have been theirs! Christ is “the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” He who had wrought in so wonderful a manner in bringing his people out of Egyptian bondage, and who had gone before them in the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, was in the midst of them, the one of whom it is written that in him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and yet they received him not. He was the express image of his Father, the brightness of his glory, yet “his own” had so far separated themselves from purity and righteousness that they could not discern God in Christ. “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.” “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Had they rightly interpreted the Scriptures, and taken the yoke of Christ, they would not have found his yoke rigorous and his burden wearisome; but they would have known that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. SSW April 1, 1895, par. 3
If they had understood Christ, they would have understood the Father, for all heaven was given to them in the gift of Christ. Oh, if the Jewish nation had but opened their eyes and hearts to Jesus, they would have known that he was longing to bestow upon them every blessing! They would have had the assurance of his presence, the revelation of the invisible world, the knowledge that angels are their comrades in the great battle for eternal life. They would have understood that more than angels were with them, for they would have become acquainted with the Commander of the universe of heaven. They would have heard his voice saying, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” You are engaged as my soldiers to fight the good fight of faith, and you will not fail nor be discouraged. Though Satan may press you, you will look to me, and know that you are fighting in the very presence of the universe of heaven, and that your invisible Leader will be your fortress, “a present help in time of trouble.” It is in this way that all the children of God are to be overcomers. They will endure as seeing Him who is invisible. They do this by earnest, unceasing prayer, following on to know the Lord, whose goings forth are prepared as the morning. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” SSW April 1, 1895, par. 4