Conclusion of Chapter IV
Not for one moment are you asked to live thus upon the resources of nature. “Without Him you can do – nothing.” But it is “God who is,” not only who may be, “working in you, both to will, and to do, for the sake of His good pleasure,” for the sake of His blessed will. Recollect that fact, and find in it a transfigured life.
“The will of God”! Let us, to animate and endear every thought of it, remind ourselves often of its blissful purposes. True, it is sovereign; let us bow low before its sovereignty, its irresponsible and unknown ways. But in all its infinite range it is the will of Him whom we know in Jesus Christ, and who has told us such gracious things about it through Jesus Christ. If it wills for us immediately toil and trial, contradictions, disappointments, tears – as it sometimes does, as it once did for our Lord and Life – what does it always will ultimately, and with infinite skill and power to attain its end? It wills, He wills, “that not one of His little ones should perish.” He wills “that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on Him should have everlasting life, and be raised up again by Christ Jesus at the last day.” He wills “our sanctification.” He wills, as His Son wills, that they whom He has “given” to His Son should “be with Him where He is, to behold His glory.”
In belonging to such a God, for every part and detail of our lives, is there not both peace and glory? In accepting, loving, bearing, doing, the will of such a God is there not a blissful light upon every step of our road home? That road, even step by step, was trodden before us by the Son of Man, who took on Him the form of a bondservant, of a slave – the Apostle boldly uses the word – the slave of the will of His Father.
As He came down to tread it, He said, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” As He trode it, He said, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish the work; Not my will but Thine be done.” And it is He who by His Spirit dwells in us, and we in Him.
Lord Jesus Christ, who thus workest in me, work on and evermore, work now, both to will and to do; to will now not my choice but Thine; to do now Thy will from the soul. Amen.
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