The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 546

SANCTIFICATION

506

mines the course of the ship; not character of the crew, but

rigging and cargo, nor the

its

its directmi,

the destination of the voy-

Hence, when we see our craft steering away from God, we swing the rudder the other way and compel it to turn age, its final haven.

toward God. Notice the rigging and the cargo.

The former may be

magnifi-

The

cent: excellent talent, superior mind, a rich state of grace.

may be

latter

very precious: a treasure of knowledge, of moral

And we can

power, of consecrated love, of melting and adoring piety. yet with that excellent rigging and that precious cargo,

away from God and aim at self. Then only is there when, without regard to rigging and lading, a man

steer our craft selj-denial

causes his craft to run directly to the glory of God.

The

And

intention is everything.

it is this

very intention which

can so bitterly mislead us. That small wheel of our intentions is so exceedingly sensitive that a mere touch of the finger can reverse This is why we are such ready believers in the goodits action. ness and beauty of our intentions.

Hence the need

who

of deep, correct, intimate knowledge of

possesses this?

stantly refines

And

since

by His

light the

Holy

self.

And

Spirit con-

and chastens our self-knowledge, is it not perfectly we imagine ourselves to be quite ad-

natural that, while to-day

vanced

in self-denial, only

we

taken

To

next week

we

discover

how bitterly

mis-

are?

seek and look for one's highest good and eternal salvation,

not in every creature, but in God; to use spiritual or material gifts

not for ourselves, but for His glory

;

own

lord,

esteem

to

things of no account compared to the eternal

;

all

perishable

unwilling to be one's

but as God's servant to enter His employ

;

no longer

to

money or treasure, or even one's know oneself the appointed steward

possess any precious things, as children, as one's own, but to

of the Lord; to

have no more care or anxious thought, but renoun-

cing every trust in man, in capital or fixed income, or in any other creature, to trust only

and solely

in the faithful

with one's lot and with God's will tions

;

God;

to

be at peace

and, finally, to direct

all

inten-

and emotions away from oneself upon the Beloved and Glori-

ous One,

—

regard to

is this

it

not far-reaching?

And

can our own progress in

ever satisfy us?

And yet such self-denial is required to render our works ^^^^ works indeed, in which the angels can rejoice.

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