“All the days of my appointed time will I wait.” — Job 14:14
A little stay on earth will make heaven more heavenly. Nothing makes rest so sweet as toil; nothing renders security so pleasant as exposure to alarms. The bitter quassia cups of earth will give a relish to the new wine which sparkles in the golden bowls of glory. Our battered armour and scarred countenances will render more illustrious our victory above, when we are welcomed to the seats of those who have overcome the world. We should not have full fellowship with Christ if we did not for awhile sojourn below, for He was baptized with a baptism of suffering among men, and we must be baptized with the same if we would share his kingdom. Fellowship with Christ is so honourable that the sorest sorrow is a light price by which to procure it. Another reason for our lingering here is…
forthe good of others. We would not wish to enter heaven till our work isdone, and it may be that we are yet ordained to minister light to soulsbenighted in the wilderness of sin. Our prolonged stay here is doubtless forGod’s glory. A tried saint, like a well-cut diamond, glitters much in theKing’s crown. Nothing reflects so much honour on a workman as aprotracted and severe trial of his work, and its triumphant endurance of theordeal without giving way in any part. We are God’s workmanship, inwhom He will be glorified by our afflictions. It is for the honour of Jesusthat we endure the trial of our faith with sacred joy. Let each mansurrender his own longings to the glory of Jesus, and feel, “If my lying inthe dust would elevate my Lord by so much as an inch, let me still lieamong the pots of earth. If to live on earth for ever would make my Lordmore glorious, it should be my heaven to be shut out of heaven.” Our timeis fixed and settled by eternal decree. Let us not be anxious about it, butwait with patience till the gates of pearl shall open.
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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen