"Waiting."


How often we hear the desire expressed,

“I want to be waiting when Jesus comes."

it is so frequent an expression that I fear

we are in danger of using it without having

our hearts filled with its meaning. Do we realize

what it is to be waiting for Jesus? It is

to be all ready; to have everything done that

we can do; to be able to say truly, "I have

finished the work Thou didst give me to do."

Not long since, I was obliged to wait in a

depot until the time should arrive for the

train to leave. It was a large depot, at which

several railroads met, and was filled with people

who were waiting for their several trains

to start. For want of anything else to do, I

began to notice those around me. The first

thing that I particularly observed was that

every one was ready at a moment's warning to

step aboard the train. They showed by their

actions, even before they expressed it in words,

that they were "waiting for the cars." Men,

women, and children were there. They had

cut loose from business and friends, and having

made every preparation, were waiting for

the train. Not one of all that company failed

to get aboard the cars when they arrived,

simply because they had done all they could

do, and were ready and waiting.

Dear young friends, we have an event to

look forward to of vastly greater importance

than did that company; then we should have

far greater interest in preparing for it than

did they. The Lord is coming, and when he

comes, he will only accept of those who are

waiting. And none but such as have washed

their robes white in his blood will be of that

number. We have much to do before we

can be called pure in heart. Let us work

earnestly.

As the chief thought in the minds of those

who were waiting at the depot was, "The

cars are soon coming;" so should the all-

important thought with us be, The Lord is 

coming;

he will come, and will not tarry; and I

must be ready.

We should regard it as a pleasant privilege

to prepare for his coming; for he is going to

take his waiting people to live with him in a

land where there is neither sorrow nor sighing,

but where there is fullness of joy. Will

we not, then, choose life, eternal life and 

happiness, even though to obtain it we must be

continually at war with sin and Satan? The

yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden light,

to the humble, willing soul. The love of

Jesus in our hearts will sweeten every bitter

cup, and will give us peace and happiness

while we are getting ready to meet our Lord.

Just as certain as we make the needed

 preparation, God's word for it, we will hail our

coming King with, "Lo! This is our God, we

have waited for him."




 E. K. F.

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AVOID him who ridicules religion.