What a privilege that we sinful mortals have the privilege of speaking with God. In the closet, when walking the streets, when engaged in labor, our hearts can be ascending to God for counsel, our souls drawn out after God, a breath from heaven. All these soul longings, God will hear. All our troubles we may take to God. His hand of infinite love is moved to supply our needs. How thankful I am that we have only one day to live at a time. One day to keep our souls stayed upon, one day to watch, one day to progress in the spiritual life and thus our days may be fruitful, precious days to us.
We have a soldier's duty to perform, victories to gain, for we must not be ignorant of Satan's devices. We pray and then watch lest Satan shall steal upon us and make us forget our need of prayer, our need of vigilance and watching thereunto.
In the Christian warfare, unless there is a sharp eye on the adversary and a sharp eye on ourselves, we shall be led into Satan's snare. Our security depends on the state of our heart. God help us to take heed to ourselves or we shall certainly lose heaven. Little departures from right, little indulgences, seem a trifling thing at present, but Satan will lead us on a track that will separate us from righteousness and from God. We want not our ways but God's ways. We want to strive with all the powers of being to bruise Satan under our feet and be sure that we are right with God, that we have a clear title to our immortal inheritance.
We may have to be stripped of everything before we will come in humble submission to be led, guided, and controlled by the will of God. We want humble, trusting, childlike confidence, meekness, lowliness, no self-confidence, but humble trust in Jesus. What traits of character are we cultivating? That which will be enduring as eternity? Is our time spent in busy activity, but our souls unblessed and our heavenly Father not glorified? Eternal life is worth a lifelong, persevering, untiring effort and we cannot afford to make haphazard work. When our soul's highest interest is concerned, we cannot afford to keep Jesus in the outer courts, away from our souls.--Letter 81, Jan. 19, 1887, to Edson and Emma White. TDG 27
David, in the beauty and vigor of his young manhood, was preparing to take a high position with the noblest of the earth. His talents, as precious gifts from God, were employed to extol the glory of the divine Giver. His opportunities of contemplation and meditation served to enrich him with that wisdom and piety that made him beloved of God and angels. PP 642
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. Psalm 62:8 (King James Version)