Our sick-beds are often as the doorstep of heaven; even when we are cast down, there is a sweet solace in our sorrow, and a profound joy about our apparent grief which we would not give away; God gave it to us and the world cannot destroy it. They who love Jesus Christ early, have the best hope of enjoying the happiest days as Christians. They will have the most service, and the service of God is perfect delight. Their youthful vigor will enable them to do more than those who enlist when they are old and decrepit.
The joy of the Lord is our strength; and on the other hand, to use our strength for God is a fountain of joy. Young man, if thou give fifty years of service unto God, surely thou shalt rejoice all thy days. The earlier we are converted, having the longer time to study in Christ’s college, the more profound shall be our knowledge of him. We shall have more time for communion, more years for fellowship. We shall have more seasons to prove the power of prayer, and more opportunities to test the fidelity of God than we should if we came late. Those who come late are blessed by being helped to learn so much, but those that come in early shall surely outstrip them. Let me be young, like John, that I may have years of loving service, and like him may have much of intimate acquaintance with my Lord.
From a sermon entitled "The Young Man's Prayer," delivered June 7, 1863. Flickr photo by Wolfgang Staudt; some rights reserved.
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