Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

of self-sacrificing service was but a reflection of the spirit and work of Christ. He realized that the Master was building a king dom upon the same foundation of self-abnegation which was em bodied in his own life. The spiritual nature, which the Holy Spir it had formed within John, was responding to Christ’s nature, delivering him from false concepts of the Saviour’s mission. By beholding, he was changed more into the divine likeness. His now fresh and more accurate understanding of the char acter and work of Christ led him to consecrate his life anew to the cause he loved. As he thus stepped onto higher ground, his life was united more closely with Christ’s. “Understanding more clearly now the nature of Christ’s mis sion, he yielded himself to God for life or for death, as should best serve the interests of the cause he loved.” The Desire of Ages , 218.2. Such a consecration as John’s is a true Christian’s commit ment to living service. The trusting child of God does not choose his or her future. We are not to set our hearts on never being sick, or always being delivered from suffering and death. We should expect problems, trials and difficulties in our daily Chris tian walk. We recognize that we are God’s witnesses, called to manifest righteousness under whatever conditions the Lord may choose for us. We may serve God until we are very old as did Mo ses and Abraham, or we might die by violent means at a rela tively early age as did John the Baptist. We could even be called upon to spend time in slavery and prison as did Joseph, or we might serve in royal halls as did Daniel and his companions. We may be unknown, or famous as were the apostles and the great Bible heroes of the Old and New Testaments. If we are one of the 144,000, we will, like Enoch and Elijah, be translated to heaven without seeing death. In the marriage ceremony, contracting couples promise to love, honour, and cherish each other in sickness and in health, in prosperity or adversity, and through life until death. Similar ly, as true Christians, we offer ourselves in service to God on the ATrue Commitment