Once as I walked along the road on a steep hill, I caught sight of a boy on a bicycle near the bottom. He was pedaling uphill against the wind and was obviously working tremendously hard. Just as he was exerting the greatest effort and painfully doing the best he could do, a streetcar, also going up the hill, approached him. It was not traveling too fast for the boy to grab hold of a rail at the rear, and I am sure you can guess the result. He went up the hill as effortlessly as a bird gliding through the sky.

This thought then flashed through my mind: “I am like that boy on the bicycle in my weariness and weakness. I am pedaling uphill against all kinds of opposition and am almost worn out with the task. But nearby there is great power available—the strength of the Lord Jesus. All I must do is get in touch with Him and maintain communication with Him. And even if I grab hold with only one little finger of faith, it will be enough to make His power mine to accomplish the act of service that now overwhelms me.”

Seeing this boy on his bicycle helped me to set aside my weariness and to recognize this great truth.

THE LIFE OF FULLER PURPOSE

ABANDONED

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!

Seeking all His fullness, whatever the cost;

Cutting all the moorings, launching in the deep

Of His mighty power—strong to save and keep.

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!

Oh! The sinking, sinking, until self is lost!

Until the emptied vessel lies broken at His feet;

Waiting till His filling shall make the work complete.

Utterly abandoned to the will of God;

Seeking for no other path than my Master trod;

Leaving ease and pleasure, making Him my choice,

Waiting for His guidance, listening for His voice.

Utterly abandoned! No will of my own;

For time and for eternity, His, and His alone;

All my plans and purposes lost in His sweet will,

Having nothing, yet in Him all things possessing still.

Utterly abandoned! It’s so sweet to be

Captive in His bonds of love, yet wondrously free;

Free from sin’s entanglements, free from doubt and fear,

Free from every worry, burden, grief, or care.

Utterly abandoned! Oh, the rest is sweet,

As I tarry, waiting, at His blessed feet;

Waiting for the coming of the Guest divine,

Who my inmost being will perfectly refine.

Lo! He comes and fills me, Holy Spirit sweet!

I, in Him, am satisfied! I, in Him, complete!

And the light within my soul will nevermore grow dim

While I keep my covenant—abandoned unto Him!

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.—A stone . . . cut out without hands.—Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.—The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Be ye . . . ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.

The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.

Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou has caused me to hope.—O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.—Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.—Be strong, . . . and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.—Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.

Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver.

The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Be instant in season, out of season.

Others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud, ... a man lefthanded.

After him was Shamgar, ... which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

The Lord looked upon [Gideon], and said, Go in this thy might: ... have not I sent thee?

And he said unto him, O my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

The Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me, ... lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.—My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.—Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.—The battle is not yours, but God's.

The Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's.