Pleasing Products
Last evening the setting sun shone through the misty gray cloud and lit up the field and forest before me with a mellow radiance that filled my heart with the highest degree of admiration. My soul was called out in contemplation of the work of God. The glowing sun, the gilded cloud, the golden grain, and forest green bathed in the mellow light, presented a picture of indescribable beauty to me and turned my thoughts to wondering what must be the beauty of a landscape in heaven. They have no sunsets there, but they have a light, and that light is the light of the Lamb. What can the light of a sunset here be, compared with the light of the Lamb over there? What can the beauty of a field here be when compared to the beauty of the fields of heaven? We call a common wildflower beautiful; but when it is compared with some of the florist’s best productions, its beauty fades away. The scene before me is beautiful; but its beauty would fade away, I know, if compared with a scene in the eternal glory-world.
The beauty of the scene drew my soul out in tender, yearning love to God, the Creator of all. A sweet, heavenly solemnity filled my inner being. God’s presence was round about me, hushing all to a deep silence. The love of God was as a swelling tide in my soul. There is none on earth I desire so much as He and none in heaven but Him. My soul followeth hard after Him. I adore His name. I want His will done in me perfectly. Oh, that He will season every word and be in every thought! And may every act be but the moving of His life and will in me! I was conscious of His presence. The room where I sat was filled with His glory. It was good to be there.
This text of scripture was brought with much power to my mind: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21) Especially did these words rest upon my mind with a peculiar sweetness: “Working in you that which is well pleasing in thy sight.” Oh, what an intense desire filled my heart for God to work in me that which was most pleasing unto Him! My soul leaped toward Him and pleaded to be more like Him. I would have more of His meekness and lowliness, and how I longed that the Lord would work these in me until He was fully pleased! I found upon examination that Wilson’s translation rendered this text in these words: “Producing in you that which is well pleasing in his presence.” Again such intense, burning desire came into my heart to be all God wanted me to be that I threw my heart’s door open and cried, “O Lord, produce in me such things as please Thee; such things as will satisfy Thy love toward me.”
In my meditation I saw a dreary, barren waste of land—barren, I say, except here and there a thorn bush, a wild cactus, a thistle, or a briar. A man came, and with a sharp instrument he cut these all to the ground and cleared them all away. The field now looked clean and ready for the planting. The man then came and after well fertilizing the field, he sowed seed over the whole. Then he came and took the roots of the thorn and the thistle, of the cactus and the briar, out of the ground, lest shoots, springing up, would hinder the growth of the plants. Then began the careful husbandry. The plants were watered as they had need. The soil was kept moist and warm. One thing I noticed particularly was that the man was careful not to allow the ground to become hard, or compact. Where it hardened, it would turn the water off instead of drinking it in, that the roots of the plants might be nourished. Wherever it began to harden, he would break it up with a sharp instrument he had for that purpose. I understood that the plants would not grow well if the ground hardened around them. I saw the plants grow and bud and blossom and produce that fruit which was well pleasing in the gardener’s sight.
Then I saw my own heart. It was once a parched land, a dreary, barren waste with here and there a thorn, a thistle, a cactus, or a briar. But a sharp two-edged sword was laid to them and all was cut down, and they were washed away. These were my sins, and it was the blood of Jesus that washed them all away. Then the precious seeds of truth were planted in my heart. Again the quick and powerful sword was applied. This time it took all the roots and remains of sin out of my heart. Then all was clean. There was nothing to hinder the growing of the plants that my heavenly Father had planted. Then began the husbandry. Oh, how beautiful! God working in me “to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) That oncebarren waste began to blossom as the rose; waters broke out and streams, and the thirsty land became springs of water. Glory to my Savior’s name! Wherever my heart has begun to harden, the Spirit of God has been active to break it up; for the heavenly plants will not grow in a hard heart. Oh, how very tender and soft the heart must be kept! This world has a very hardening influence upon the heart; therefore it must be kept far away and the heart guarded with all diligence.
I am conscious today that the plants are growing and that they are budding and producing some fruit, and, oh! I hope the Master is well pleased. This is a serious thought: “Is my heart producing that which is well pleasing unto the Lord?” I want God to get the best yield possible. If it needs more breaking up, I pray that it may be broken, no matter what the cost. God’s grace will help me to bear the pain. Oh, what worlds of glory fill my soul! I have the sweet consciousness that my heart is as the soft, pliable clay in the potter’s hands. No part is resisting the will of God.
Two days ago I received a letter from a brother who is soon going to India. It read in part, “If the Lord is laying it upon your heart to go to India, I should be pleased to have you join me.” I thought, “It is not possible that God wants me to go to India.” Then I thought, “Lord, Thou hast died for me, and what should I not be willing to do for Thee?” I came face to face with this matter. Then I thought, “If the burning stake were before me and the Lord should give me my choice, to go to the stake or to go to India, I should hardly know which to choose, but before either I could say, ‘Thy will, O God, be done.’ ”
In my meditation I well understood that the working of the Spirit in our hearts is to go on and that they are to bear more fruit throughout our life, and it may be, and I believe will, through all eternity. A good, thrifty, strong tree taken from the nursery and transplanted in our garden will grow more rapidly and bear fruit earlier than a dwarfed one.
In the nature of things, if the same careful husbandry is given, the graces in our hearts will grow more rapidly each succeeding year of our life. A falling body will fall faster the second minute than it did the first. A plant will grow more the second week than it did the first, and more each succeeding week until it reaches maturity. The graces in our souls, if well watered, will grow more rapidly each year of our life and it does not yet appear what we shall grow to be; but we know that when the Vine-Dresser comes, “we shall be like him.” (1 John 3:2)
Another scene is before me. This scene has for its origin the words, “For it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) The scene is the ground work for a painting. All is prepared and ready for the work of the artist. He now appears and begins his work. It progresses slowly, but stroke by stroke it is finished. We look and find that he has painted an exact likeness of himself. Answering to this scene, is the Spirit of God working in me “to will and to do of his good pleasure.” My heart is prepared to become the ground-work of an impression. Christ is the artist. He is working in me. He is giving a stroke here and there. The progress is slow, but I am conscious that some work is being done. It does not yet appear what it shall be; only I know that when it is finished, it will be like Jesus. Christ is working in me His own life and holiness, and someday I shall be like Him in the sense of a full redemption of soul and body.