Joy in Service; Forgetting, and Pressing Onward; Until the Day Dawn | Page 6

clear idea of why God sent you into the world. Few have, but it
would seem to quite remove God from actual government of the world
to say that, therefore, he had no purpose. That glowing picture which
the apostle paints of the rising temple should forbid the doubt. Every
stone has its place and is needed. It may need to be broken and hewn, to
be polished; it may be hid in an unseen place within the wall; no man
may notice it. But the Builder meant it to be there, and it contributes its
share to the work before which the ages of eternity shall fall in wonder;
that work which is to manifest to the principalities and powers in the
heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God. We may dismiss the
doubt therefore, since God is God. We have been made and sent here
for a purpose. God's will is meaning to use us, and it is our duty and
privilege now to carry out, as far as possible, that will of him that sent
us, so far as he has made it known. And certainly, brother man, enough
of the Father's will is made known to teach us our work.
We may rejoice to do his will as revealed in conscience. He has placed
within the soul of man a guide which, within certain limits, and as
applied to special acts and circumstances, infallibly indicates his will.
So far as it acts, no man can say he is ignorant; and the true child of
God will give heed and say, "This is the will of God." Conscience will
itself be re-enforced by being so regarded; and it is practically
impossible to question conscience, as to most of the practical duties of
life, without plainly hearing, "This is the way."
But we may further rejoice to do his will as revealed in Scripture. Here
he has gone beyond the starlight of conscience and flooded the world
with the sunlight of his revelation. The Scriptures contain the will of
God for our salvation. They speak in no doubtful tone. We may be as
certain as Jesus was what the will of the Father is. Paul called himself
an apostle "by the will of God"; so may we. "This is the work of God,
that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." It is the will of God that we

trust him, that we serve him, that we be holy as he is holy, that we
extend his knowledge. These are as absolute commands as are those of
the Decalogue; and the true child will take this revelation for his
guidance, and by its light will try to carry out his Father's will.
But you may say, "Much of this direction is general, it is not specific.
What is the specific will of God for me?" I answer therefore, finally,
that we may, like Christ, rejoice to do his will as revealed in providence.
I have tried to show that even Christ followed where the Father led,
embraced opportunities, met new circumstances, prepared for "the
hour." And certainly we are to do so. The will of God for each one of
us is unfolded by the events of life. These are not causeless. They are
not a chance medley of good and bad. God rules: not a sparrow falls
without him. And therefore, as providence unrolls the will of God for
us, the true child is to accept and obey. Now he brings an opportunity;
now he lays a burden. Now he tries us with prosperity; now with
sorrow. Now he sends us into battle and temptation; now he lays us on
beds of pain and idleness. Now he wounds, and now he heals; the way
opens under his Divine guidance. It may lift us up, it may cast us down.
As with Christ, I say, so with us. It may give us a soul to save, it may
cause our plans to be rejected, it may lead to Gethsemane, it may
translate us to glory; but in all it is the will of him that sent us, the work
he has for us to do. In all, infinite wisdom, the Father's goodness, and
eternal righteousness move. He shows the way, and man's highest
privilege--yea, man's strength and food--is to do his will, because we
love and trust and adore him so entirely that what he wishes, that we
are glad to do.
I hold, therefore, before us Christ's joy in service as not beyond our
power to imitate; and I ask if conscience and reason do not testify that
this is the loftiest ideal in life which we can have. When we reach
heaven, this will be realized. But here, in the desert, now, in this world
of