It is impossible for believers in Christ to know all their treasures for they are unsearchable, as we are told in Eph. 3:8. But Christ would have His people search, have them look at their priceless gifts often, that their hearts may be strengthened for the roughness of the way. It is rough now, we are living at least in the beginning of the "perilous times;" and we need to have our hearts filled with visions of our unsearchable riches. Those who are Christ's possess such abounding resources, such treasures of mercy, and it is very great loss to be cast down by the difficulties and present dangers, when by having our hearts filled with the reality of the present and eternal gifts given to us freely in Christ, we might be rejoicing overcomers.

Unsearchable riches means that no matter how much we find, there is always more to be found. We shall never, we can never, even lower the supply; how much less exhaust it. One phrase is used for an expression of it-in christ. The born again one has an entirely new relation to God; he is "in Christ" before Him.

"All His joy told out unhindered,
Nought but Christ His eye can see;
Christ into His joy has entered,
And in Christ He welcomes me.
Would I know how dear to God?
Priceless as Christ's precious blood."

That is the way two sainted servants of God, the writer and the translator, expressed the vision God gave them of this treasure, and their words may open up to some a deeper insight into the meaning of "in Christ."

" 'There,' He saith, 'and thus I meet thee,
On the mercy-seat above;
There I commune with thee, greet thee,
Tell thee all thy Father's love
There thy blest reward shall be
All that Jesus is to Me.'

"One with Him, O Lord, before Thee,
There I live, and yet not I;
Christ it is who there adores Thee;
Who more dear, or who more nigh?
All the Father's heart mine own-
Mine-and yet His Son's alone."

In these words we have a glimpse of what "in Christ" means. And also of the meaning of Gal. 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ:nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." He uses His own ways of opening up His Word, and the words of the old German hymn translated by Mrs. Bevan may open up some of the treasure which Christ has for us in these trying days, while we wait for His coming.

"Place of glory, place of blessing
Place where God His heart displays,
All in Thee, O Christ, possessing,
Thine the voice that leads our praise;
Thine the new eternal song,
Through the ages borne along,

"As within His Temple olden,
Was there seen no costly stone, (1 Ki. 6:18)
Nought but cedar carved and golden,
Nought but Christ, and Christ alone-
So the stones so dearly bought,
God in heaven beholds them not.

"All the worth I have before Him
Is the value of the blood;
I present when I adore Him,
Christ, the First-fruits, unto God.
Him with joy doth God behold,
Thus is my acceptance told."*

*The hymn quoted from is found on pp.110-112 of Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso and Others, Vol. 1.*

God does not see us now, here in this world, as we are seen by the world or by other believers; He sees us as we are in christ. This is what is revealed in Eph. 2:4-10. If we would have the joy and strength of knowing as we may now know Christ, we shall find it in the secret place, Ps. 91:1; 73:17. In these scriptures and those following them we get views of the place believers have "in Christ:" also the awful gulf which lies across the path of the apparently prosperous unbeliever.

Is there a hard day ahead? Perhaps many of them in prospect? We are not of the world, not to fear for ourselves or for any interests we may have. We have in Christ, and from Him, that which shields His own in all the turmoil and temptation. We are in Him before the One who sees us in Him, and loves us as He loves Him. Of old time Jehovah said to His own, "I, even I, am He that comforteth you:who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man [frail, mortal man] that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass; and forgettest Jehovah thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?" (Isa. 51:12,13).
It was to the saints at Ephesus that the warning was given:"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption"(Eph. 4:30). Paul began 'to preach at Ephesus in A. D. 56. Acts 20 was about A. D. 60. 2 Tim. 1:15 was written about six years later. Rev. 1:1-7 was written in A.D. 90. Put these scriptures together, remembering that the Epistle was written A. D. 64, and you get a vivid picture of the need of watching for the child of God. Those to whom such words as are found in the Epistle were sent, could in a few years so depart from the truth that Christ had to send such a message as Rev. 2:4,5 to them. There was just a remnant in most of the Churches of Rev. 2 and 3; Philadelphia was a remnant herself; believers had almost disappeared from Laodicea; all this while John was still living. Acts 20:29,30 was quickly fulfilled. There were a few names only in Sardis (Rev. 3:4) that were undefiled; Philadelphia is the bright spot as the end is neared; there a "little strength" is commended, but there is found one token of the power of faith in an evil day; "Thou hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name."

This calls us back to Acts 20:32:"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace." His Word is in our hands. It is our greatest treasure. It is given us to keep. His precious Word and His name, these we have; with the Holy Spirit to teach both directly by our study of Scripture, and also through the ministry of the servants God has raised up for His people's blessing. What treasure God's people have to draw their hearts away from the world. J. W. Newton