Paul's Seven Wishes! # 3

Paul's Seven Wishes! # 3

Dear reader, have you ever experienced any such change?

Are you panting, praying, striving to be like Jesus?

Are you willing to be anything that Jesus was - that you may be like Him?

Are you willing willing to suffer even death - that you may be conformed to Him?

My soul, this is a very high attainment - aspire to it! Seek grace day by day at the throne of grace - that you may so love, so admire, so adore the Saviour - as to desire to be conformed to Him in life, in death, and forever!

Sixthly, "To be WITH Christ." (Philippians 1:23).

Paul dearly loved his work. He was greatly attached to the church - which needed his presence, gifts, and labors. He deeply sympathized with poor perishing sinners - who needed the gospel.

But such was his love to Jesus, that he felt himself in a great strait. "I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" He says nothing about place, or employment, the absence of sorrow, or the possession of joy; his heart was fixed on the person of Christ.

To be with Christ was his desire. To be with Christ anywhere - was enough. To be with Christ forever - was a sufficient Heaven.

Paul had no idea of the soul sleeping, or of an intermediate state where Christ was not. His idea was, "Absent from the body - present with the Lord!" Therefore he was willing to lay down his body, to put off the tabernacle - if by doing so, he may be with Christ. To be with Christ, to him was far better than life with all its comforts. To be with Christ, to him was far better than the world with all its privileges and pleasures. To be with Christ! This is the flower of bliss, the crown of glory, the perfection of happiness. To be with Christ! Paul could desire nothing beyond this!

My brother, can you sympathize with Paul here? Does not Jesus sometimes come to you? Are not His visits peculiarly sweet? Do you not, at such times - desire to be forever with Him? Do you not? What! a Christian and a stranger to the visits of Jesus - or, enjoy the visits of Jesus, and not desire to be with Him forever and altogether? How can one understand this? If one tastes of the grapes of Canaan - one wants to go and see the vineyards. If one obtains a pledge of the inheritance - one wants to go and take a full and eternal possession of it.

My soul, you do at times long to depart and be with Jesus! Oh, that this were more frequently my sweet experience! All saints feel this, and, blessed be God, that promise extends to it. "The desire of the righteous shall be granted!" Paul's desire is now realized; and if we desire as he did - ours, to will be realized by and bye!

Seventhly, "To REJOICE in the Day of Christ." Paul was constantly looking forward to Christ's second coming, and pointing believers to it. He expected great things then, therefore he longed for it, rejoiced in anticipation of it, and prepared to enter into all its glories and joys.

The Day of Christ is that day specially set apart for His glory, when He will openly wed His church, crush under His feet satan and all his foes, and appear in His own glory, and in His Father's glory too. Such a day has never yet been seen. Such another period, there never will be.

Paul's desire was to meet all his converts then, and present them to his glorious Master. "For what," said he, "is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you?" "That you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."

Jesus is coming to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all those who believe; and Paul desired to see all his children there, as mirrors to reflect the glory of Jesus, as monuments on which will be inscribed his triumphs. This would add to his joy. This would open sources of unutterable pleasure. This would produce exquisite delight. Happy Paul, the day of Christ will be a triumphant day for you! The coming of Jesus will be a glorious event to you!

Reader, what will it be to you? Do you expect the fulfillment of that sweet passage then - "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear - then you shall also appear with Him in glory!"

~James Smith~

(continued with # 4)