Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-11

thus submissive to the will of his Lord. !
not in any weak and passive way, but
ready to throw every ounce of energy |
into the accomplishment of that will as
soon as he saw clearly what it was
How Paul must have delighted the |
heart of Christ.
Could Paul, think you, have attained
his life success in any other way than
just this? If he had sought to achieve
a career and had marked out plan for
his life, could he have done what he
did? Would he have been really sue
cessful even though as rabbi, or author,
or statesman he had made name for
himself? Is there not lesson here
for us all, and especially for those who
are facing life in a new sense at the
present time? Do we not believe he
Lord Jesus to whom we gave ourselves
in the first glowing conservation, has
purpose of his own towork out through
our individual lives? Must we not
believe that he has apprehended us for
something? Must we not then set be-
| fore ourselves as theu supreme search
| of life to appreheL- that plan of His,
to lind out and endeavor to realize or
actualize that plan? Can we expect
to attain any real success in life else
Where at all commensurate with that
possible to us in the line of his plan
for us? Do we dare in view of this
truth to plan for ourselves? Surely
our best efforts will be but marred and
broken fragments in comparison with
His. We do not know the future. we
do not know the world. we do not
know ourselves. With shortsighted-
ness, often with wilfulness, we make
our plans They are thwarted. they
are deflected, they are destroyed. We
are made discouraged and hopeless
His plans are sure; under them we can
woln in hope.
Here tnen is the Christians ideal
to accept for his life that plan ofChrist,
which he knows exists, although he
does not know what it is, to press on
/, if so be he may apprehend that
| for which also he was apprehended by
| Christ Jesus. This will not make all
, alike; it will not send every young
man in the ministry; in the wide
reaching plan of God there is place for
J the greatest variety. Rose and elm,
/ lily and oak are found in the world
Oh nature. A Peter, Paul, a John re,
r veal the diversities of gifts and at
: tainments with the same Spirit which
, is possible under the plan of Christ
Nor will the acceptance of this prin-
D cipe diminish theenergy and strenuous
e activity with which we may live
( Nothing can be ATTAINED without
q pressing on. Submitting to the will OF
d Christ does not can passive resigna'
s ton. 1t means choosig his will. L
: means the slave. at the word from hi!
Master, springing to do His bidding
n putting every power of mind and ood!
n into exercise to win the approval of tht
n Lord. Paul is our example here. HI!
n tireless activity, his courageous facing
t of every danger, all directed by tn
will of his Master,-in this was the Sc
: cret of his success and shall be OF ours
The acceptance of this principle o
q life does mean living by faith. To few
does Jesus reveal at the beginning hi
plan for them. Luther Wesley, Moo
G dy, Carey, Martyr, Livingston, none o
Il them could have foreseen what Jesu
= would do with them when they bega
= to follow Him. For most only a ste
d at a time is clearly seen, and the mean
- ing of this is often hidden. We seen
/. to walk IN the dark; but gradually a
II the web of life unrolls. we trace NOR
II and more of the divine pattern. IN
= events of today show us the meanln
= o. those of yesterday. Still our choic
a of the plan of Christ for our lives. IL
J. wolves pressing on toward an unknow
: goal. 1t means the sailing out on
= trackless sea toward an unknown por
is We need not fear however. If we nav
o the pilot aboard. How peautlluli
II Paul expresses the situation togethe
= with the motive which lies back OF
e That life which now live in the hes
II | live in the faith, the faith which
e. in the Son of God, who loved me. an
1t gave himself up for me-" In that loN
20 manifested by such a sacrifice we
h well as Paul many confidentially res
. Though we cannot see the way ID
IS who is our Saviour and our Mastt
n does see and we can trust Him.
IS This then is the ideal | would MOI
Il out before you, my friends AS yo
ID face life and look forward to its wor
n. do not sit down and try to frame III
i plan for yourselves. Seek rather II
IL that leading of the Spirit which sha