Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)

Ms 137, 1908

Honoring God by Obedience

1908

Previously unpublished.

Micah 6:2-8. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 1

When human beings do not respond to the blessings given, when they do not follow the light God has permitted to shine upon their pathway, but take counsel of themselves, walking directly contrary to the path the Lord has marked out, the Lord cannot fulfil His promises. When a man acts perversely, showing that he has lost his gratitude, the Lord cannot continue to speak to him words of encouragement. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 2

What a keen rebuke these words are to the members of the human family, for whom God has done so much. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 3

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib, but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupted; they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.” [Isaiah 1:2-4.] 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 4

God draws a contrast between dumb animals and His people. He calls upon those whom He has endowed with reasoning faculties to consider their course of action in the light in which their Creator views it. He asks them to realize that their actions have shown positive resistance to His will and His way. He strives to lead them to see where they have failed by presenting the contrast between them and the dumb animals. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 5

Micah 6:9, 10, 11-16. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 6

Jeremiah 8:7. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 7

What sterner rebuke could be given to a people who have been given great light and wonderful opportunities, and yet have not had spiritual enlightenment sufficient to understand the dealings of God with them, and do not come into right relation to Him? Endowed with superior faculties, and with reasoning faculties, they could have reasoned from cause to effect and traced out the dealings of God with His people; but they did not heed the reproofs and corrections sent them. In stubbornness of heart, they gave no heed to the warnings and corrections of God, but stood before Him in selfish bigotry, making the reproofs of no effect. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 8

Those who make light of the punishments God sends will see the time when His judgments will fall heavily upon our world, and there will then be no time for repentance. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 9

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.” [Matthew 22:11.] For every guest at the feast, there had been provided a wedding garment. This garment was a gift from the king. By wearing it, the guests showed their respect for the giver of the feast. But one man was clothed in his common citizen dress. He had refused to make the preparation required by the king. The garment provided for him at a great cost he disdained to wear. Thus he insulted his lord. To the king’s [question] “How camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment?” he could answer nothing. He was self-condemned. Then the king said, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.” [Verses 12, 13.] 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 10

Read with most earnest interest the sixth chapter of Matthew. Matthew 6:26, 33. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 11

The birds of the air and the flowers of the field are brought forward to testify to man’s lack of faith. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 12

The measure of divine attention bestowed on any object is proportionate to its rank in the scale of being. The little brown sparrow is watched over by Providence. The flowers of the field, the grass that carpets the earth receive the notice and care of the heavenly Father. The great Master Artist has taken thought for the lilies, making them so beautiful, that they outshine the glory of Solomon. How much more does He care for man, who is the image and glory of God. He longs to see His children revealing a character after His similitude. As the sunbeam imparts to the flowers their varied and delicate tints, so does God impart to the soul the beauty of His own character. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 13

He has a special care for them, and He expects special returns from them in thanksgiving and praise. We are to acknowledge His precious gifts and His goodwill toward us. His gifts are large and unceasing. He is never wearied in bestowing them, and He expects much more from those who claim to be His by grace and faith and baptism. Unbelief and a lack of thanksgiving are the sure result of self-satisfaction. By silence, by a failure to respond to God’s goodness in words of praise, men place themselves where they are less thankful than the birds of the air. They are reproved by the birds, which day by day offer up their melodies of praise. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 14

God’s rebuke is upon those who are thus unthankful. He desires us to show forth in our lives the beauty of holiness. 23LtMs, Ms 137, 1908, par. 15