Of David it is said that he
"went on and grew great," or as translated by another, "went on
going and growing" (2 Sam. 5:10).
"The LORD God of hosts was
with him" (5:10). He was progressing in the establishment of his kingdom.
His enemies were being laid low by his armies. The well-being of his people was
being assured, prosperity was marking his rule. He was going on and growing.
Should it not be thus with us who
believe, in these glad Christian days? We should go and grow.
We should be found progressing on
our heavenly homeward way. Is there not danger, great danger, of
settling down satisfied with knowing that our sins are forgiven, that our souls
are saved, that eternal life is ours, that heaven is secured for eternity?
In the thought of God for His own
these blessings, great as they may be, are but the beginnings of the good that
is ours as Christians. They are the A, B, C, and not the X, Y, Z; the starting
point, and not the terminus, of the believer’s benefits. Beyond these there is
much land to be entered upon and we should press on to possess our possessions,
to enjoy all that God has made ours in Christ.
This energy of faith is found in
the apostle Paul. Thirty years after his conversion he tells us his earnest
endeavor in the words, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). He still pressed on his way
to finish his course. He did not stop to count the milestones already past. He
did not measure the distance already traversed. The goal was still before him.
He had been laid hold of by Christ for glory and until that was reached he
would not rest. Meanwhile, his heart was set on the glory of Christ and the
furtherance of His interests. "That I may know Him, and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto
His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead" (Phil. 3:10,11). What "going" is in these words! And the
apostle calls upon Christians to be thus minded and to "be followers
together" of himself (3:17). Should we not stir up ourselves to pursue,
shaking ourselves free of all that would hinder us?
* * *
Furthermore, we should be found growing.
We begin as babes in Christ. This is right. But we should grow up to be men in
Christ.
Parents rejoice to see their
little ones develop. They delight in the baby ways, but they look for growth as
the days pass by, and that childhood and youth will be succeeded by manhood and
womanhood.
So it is for us to grow up into Christ
in all things, to have our faith grow exceedingly (2 Thess. 1:3), to "grow
in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2
Pet. 3:18), that we may attain perfection, maturity, and full growth as
Christians, and thus be more and more for the pleasure of our Lord, and more
and more fruitful for His praise and for the blessing of others.
Our Lord has graciously provided
for all this "going and growing." We do not have to set about these
things in our own strength. God has given to us the Holy Spirit to empower us
and to guide us in our way. He has given to us boldness to enter into the
holiest, right of access into His immediate presence. There at the throne of
grace we obtain and fine grace for seasonable help. He has given to us His Word
upon which to feed as new born babes, desiring "the sincere milk of the
Word that we may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). Giving diligence in reading
and meditating upon the holy Scriptures, we shall be able to say with the
prophet of old, "Thy words were found and I did eat them; and Thy Word was
unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart" (Jer. 15:16). True prosperity
will be ours.
God has given to us for our
encouragement others like-minded with ourselves, fellow-members of His body,
the assembly. Companying with them we shall find mutual help and edification.
May going and growing mark us all
more and more.
"I will go in the strength of
the Lord GOD" (Psa. 71:16).