31 Meditations for Advent and Christmas
"The King Who is to come; O come let us adore Him."
13th Day: ADVANTAGES OF THE KING'S SERVICE
"The King Who is to come; O come let us adore Him."
13th Day: ADVANTAGES OF THE KING'S SERVICE
We are bound to serve our King, because He
has every claim on us. He is our God, our Creator,
our Saviour, our rightful Monarch. But is it to our
interest to serve Him?
His service is a happy service. We never can be solidly or permanently happy unless we enroll ourselves to it. To serve any other master is slavery, and cannot satisfy the cravings of our heart. In the service of our King is the most perfect liberty that is within the reach of mortal man. If we make the will of our King our own will, we shall al- ways be able to do our own will by doing His. Our higher and rational will will never be thwarted, and we cannot fail to be happy all our life long.
His service is one in which we are always safe. No one can harm us. Our King engages to supply us with weapons and armor, which if we employ we shall be perfectly safe from the hands of our foes. If ever we are wounded or slain, it is entirely our own fault. It is because we do not use our arms, or because we neglect His orders or advice. Dangers we shall have to pass through; suffering we shall have to endure, but no real injury; nay, what is the most difficult and painful will be the means of the most brilliant success.
When the victory is won, we shall have a most magnificent reward. We shall have a share in the glory and in the happiness of our King Himself. He will invite us to a celestial banquet of endless delights, of which we shall never grow weary; we shall bask in the joy of His love, and in the exquisite happiness of being always with Him, and with His angels and saints, and of gazing forever on His Divine beauty. How is it, then, that I am so slack in His service?
His service is a happy service. We never can be solidly or permanently happy unless we enroll ourselves to it. To serve any other master is slavery, and cannot satisfy the cravings of our heart. In the service of our King is the most perfect liberty that is within the reach of mortal man. If we make the will of our King our own will, we shall al- ways be able to do our own will by doing His. Our higher and rational will will never be thwarted, and we cannot fail to be happy all our life long.
His service is one in which we are always safe. No one can harm us. Our King engages to supply us with weapons and armor, which if we employ we shall be perfectly safe from the hands of our foes. If ever we are wounded or slain, it is entirely our own fault. It is because we do not use our arms, or because we neglect His orders or advice. Dangers we shall have to pass through; suffering we shall have to endure, but no real injury; nay, what is the most difficult and painful will be the means of the most brilliant success.
When the victory is won, we shall have a most magnificent reward. We shall have a share in the glory and in the happiness of our King Himself. He will invite us to a celestial banquet of endless delights, of which we shall never grow weary; we shall bask in the joy of His love, and in the exquisite happiness of being always with Him, and with His angels and saints, and of gazing forever on His Divine beauty. How is it, then, that I am so slack in His service?