(Concluded from p. 135.) OCCUPYING TILL HE COME

The parable of the pounds (Lk. 19:12-27) brings a word for our consciences. It calls us to attention and diligence in using for our Lord all that which He has committed to us in stewardship. It is required of us as stewards that we "be found faithful."

"And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come." "Ten servants-ten pounds." Each of the ten had his pound. Each had the same amount put into his charge to trade with. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 shows us the sovereign knowledge of the Lord, who gives to each according to His wisdom and according to the several abilities of those with whom He entrusts the talents. Here it is the individual responsibility, diligence and devotedness of each servant which are in view. "To every man his work" is the way this is expressed in Mk. 13:34. Every Christian has a pound. Every one has a mission to fulfil, a service to perform. Thus everyone- is called to perform his part, everyone is to use actively, constantly, the good deposit entrusted to him.

There is a danger lest we should leave all service to those who appear to have greater gifts and powers than we ourselves possess. Let us beware of this. In the day of manifestation everyone shall receive according to his own labor.

Use what you have and you will be given more. Employ your time in the things of our Lord and in seeking the welfare of others for His sake. If we live selfish, self-centered, self-occupied lives, seeking "our own and not the things which are Jesus Christ's," we shall see all burnt up "in that day" though we ourselves are saved in His great grace. And all that we have gained of spiritual intelligence and understanding in His mind will be of value for our fuller service in His kingdom glory.

HOLDING FAST TILL HE COME

The message to the believer in the midst of departure and darkness and the depths of Satan, as seen in "Thyatira" in Rev. 3, is "That which ye have already hold fast till I come."

It is a day when many, through the opposition of falsely-named Science, are giving up the fundamental truths of Christianity. The apostasy so long foretold seems setting in apace. Thus every believer is called to be steadfast and unmoveable. The exhortation, "Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong," falls upon our ears. The end draws nigh, and the attack of the enemy is pressed harder and still harder as the days pass. We need to keep the faith amid all the giving up on every hand.

Privilege great indeed it is to have the truth committed to us in any measure; but we have to watch lest in any way we should have any part of our possessions wrested from our grasp by the force or the subtlety of the foe.

"The words of the Lord are pure words:as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psa. 12:6). As we hold to, and proclaim the truth we shall find our Lord's support, for "He is a shield and buckler to all who trust in Him." And it is but "a little while" before His return. If it so be that we have to suffer for His sake or on account of maintaining the truth, we may rejoice that for this we are counted worthy. Our Lord has suffered for us. He has died here and "the servant is not greater than his lord."

SHOWING HIS DEATH TILL HE COME

This is one of our sweetest and choicest privileges. From the glory where He now is He gave to Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, that which he delivered to the saints at Corinth-"That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed," thought of His loved ones left in the world of His refusal and gave them a feast by which to recall Him in His great love. Instituting "The Lord's Supper" He gave us that which ever reminds us of the great foundation of all our blessing, His death for us, His body given and His precious blood shed on our behalf.

It awakens our affections towards Himself now risen, for "hereby perceive we the love because He laid down His life for us." It brings before us the fact that we are in the world out of which He has been cast. And it is the unfurling of His standard where His rights have been refused, and the announcement that He who has died here lives again and comes to set up His kingdom. It is the privilege of every true Christian to answer to the Lord's request and thus remember Him. It may be some reader may say, "I am not worthy to do this." But Christ is worthy that we should fulfil His request. No one could claim worthiness save that with which He clothes us for His own presence.

May it be ours "until He come" to be watching and waiting for His return, and to be like men who are awaiting their Master, with lip and with life saying, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Inglis Fleming