TEHILLIM 1-40

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Our first parents were put to the test by a subtle, low-reasoning, faithless serpent. We are put to the test by the mind of the serpent implanted in our nature. This serpent-mind prompt us to distrust God and to believe in ourselves, to judge according to appearances, to secure present pleasure regardless of consequences: in brief, to gratify, at any cost, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

There would have been no trial for Adam had no commandment been given. So with us. God is proving us by the commandments that He has laid down. These are numerous and effect us in every relationship of life: as husbands, as wives, as parents, as children, as servants, or as neighbours.

As sincere men and women, let us in all these bearings of life find out what the will of the Lord is—like David let us not rest till we are able to say,

"With my whole heart have I sought thee, O let me not wander from thy precepts."

Fidelity to the divine law, week in and week out, is exceedingly irksome, but it is essential to eternal life.

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life."

Shall we complain because God has appointed probation before exaltation? Let us not be so unreasonable. Let us rejoice rather at the wisdom and beauty of the method. Let us remember that if we are faithful our day of exaltation will surely come. Probation is not for ever. It will terminate both individually and racially. In no individual instance does it extend beyond a brief life-time, and racially it is within the compass of 7,000 years.

In either case, is not this, in view of the eternal ages beyond, "a little while?"

London.

Bro A. T. Jannaway.

The Christadelphian, Sept 1889

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

By constant and methodical reading, the law of God will come to be graven on our hearts, and we shall be able to say with David "Beware of the danger of supposing that because we have once known, it is no longer necessary to read diligently.

A greater or more fatal mistake could not be made. While we are in the flesh, the natural mind is ever with us, spontaneously generating its anti-godlike maxims. principles and feelings. Unless we oppose to these the constant antidote of Scripture reading, the natural mind will obtain the ascendant, even after we have known the way of righteousness.

The mind is weak, the memory of Divine things treacherous. If we are earnestly bent on working out our own salvation, we shall be earnestly devoted to the practice of daily devoting a portion of time to those things which have been written aforetime for our learning and profit. The neglect of this will ensure the decay of the best spiritual health that was ever enjoyed.

This lesson cannot be too strongly insisted upon. Nothing should be allowed to interfere with it. It is our health—our life—our salvation. Give in to the likes of the natural man in this matter, and it will at last be your death Give place to the demands of the Spirit in this matter, and it will be at last to your great peace and joy.

Sunday Morning 69

The Christadelphian, Sept 1875

20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

How can we get this affection? By a genuine appreciation of the truth—a condition of mind which is to be reached by disposing the mind to think seriously about the truth.

It is because men will not think upon the truth that they so lightly esteem the writings concerning it. The truth will bear thinking about. The more we ruminate on it, the more beautiful and precious will it appear.

Is not this the experience of all who have set themselves the task of working out subjects relating to the truth? Is there anything so beautiful, so reasonable, so satisfying as the truth? Is it not suited to all our sad wants? Does it not unravel to us the bewildering perplexities of our present vain life? Does it not at the same time fill us with bright hopes as to the future?

Does it not take us in hand, as it were, with the care and tenderness of a loving parent, and lead us gently on and on through the enigmatical darkness of our probation, ever speaking to us by the way words of encouragement and warning? If our minds are steadfastly set towards the truth, the love of it will follow, and also the love of its literature.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, Oct 1906