"He was not willing that any should perish; Jesus, enthroned in the glory above, Saw our poor fallen world, pitied our sorrows, Poured out His life for us, wonderful love. Perishing, perishing, thronging our pathway, Hearts break with burdens too heavy to bear; Jesus would save, but there's no one to tell them, No one to save them from sin and despair."
Someone says: "You are putting an awful responsibility upon us. Would you have us go out and begin speaking to everyone we meet?" No, that is not what I am saying just now. Though there is a truth there. But this: Surrender yourself to Jesus as your _Master_, for Him to take possession. Turn the channel over to Him, that He may tighten the connections, upward and outward, and clean it out, and then use as He may choose. He has a passion for winning men, and He has marvelous tact in doing it. Let Him have His way in you. Keep quiet and close to Him, and _obey_ Him, gladly, cheerily, constantly, and _He will assume all responsibility for the results_.
There is a law of personal service. It is this: Contact means opportunity; opportunity means responsibility. To come into personal contact with a man gives an opportunity of influencing him for Christ, and with opportunity goes its twin partner--responsibility.
There is another law--a higher law--the highest law of the christian life. It is this: In everything hold yourself subject to the _Holy Spirit's leading_. Whenever these two laws come into conflict remember that the lower law always yields to the higher. It is a law of life that where two laws come into conflict the lower law always gives way to the higher. That is a supreme law both of nature and in legislation. Now, the highest law of the christian life is to yield constantly to the leading of our Companion--the Holy Spirit. Then quiet time alone with the Master daily over His word for the training of the ear, and the training of the judgment, and the training of the tongue becomes the great essential.
But to-night the great question is: Have you turned the channel of power--your personality--over to Him to be flushed and flooded with His power? Will you?
"Only a smile, yes, only a smile, That a woman o'erburdened with grief Expected from you; 'twould have given relief, For her heart ached sore the while. But, weary and cheerless, she went away, Because, as it happened that very day, You were _out of touch_ with your Lord.