In
Love With Christ
For
such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Heb. 7:26.
The
character of Christ was one of unexampled excellence, embracing everything
pure, true, lovely, and of good report. We have no knowledge of His ever visiting
a party of pleasure or a dance hall, and yet He was the perfection of grace
and courtly bearing. Christ was no novice; He was distinguished for the high
intellectual powers He possessed even in the morning of His life. His youth
was not wasted in indolence, neither was it wasted in sensual pleasure, self-indulgence,
or frittered away in things of no profit. Not one of His hours from childhood
to manhood was misspent, none were misappropriated. . . .
Jesus was sinless and had no dread of the consequences of sin. With this exception
His condition was as yours. You have not a difficulty that did not press with
equal weight upon Him, not a sorrow that His heart has not experienced. His
feelings could be hurt with neglect, with indifference of professed friends,
as easily as yours. Is your path thorny? Christ’s was so in a tenfold
sense. Are you distressed? So was He. How well fitted was Christ to be an
example! . . .
The Inspired Record says of Him: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature,
and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52. As He grew in years He grew
in knowledge. He lived temperately; His precious hours were not wasted in
dissipating pleasures. He had a truly healthy body and true powers of mind.
The physical and mental powers could be expanded and developed as yours or
any other youth’s. The Word of God was His study, as it should be yours.
Take Jesus as your standard. Imitate His life. Fall in love with His character.
Walk as Christ walked. A new spring will be given to your intellectual faculties,
a large scope to your thoughts, when you bring your powers into vigorous contact
with eternal things which are intrinsically grand and great.
From
Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 93.
