Soldiering On For Christ

        While talking to a friend in Wisconsin this week who shares my love of flower gardening and hearing her say, "Our flowers are still under lots of snow", couldn't help contrasting that with what we have here in the South, USA.  Pansies, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, petunias, dogwood and redbud all in glorious bloom. -- a sight to behold.

        Then, moving my thinking to a more serious level I thought, wouldn't it be nice if this Christian life we're living were all strolls through beautiful flowers with blue skies, sunshine and a spring breeze.  But life can't be all ease, as any of us knows who has named the Name of Christ.

        Our Master never even hinted it's be a walk in the park.  In fact, Jesus left no doubt just what could lie ahead in these words to those God-called men he led:  "...Whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."  (John 16:2)  Don't think it needs to be put plainer than this for most of us who love Christ unconditionally.

        But making every effort to live in accord with God's commands will always bring one through.  And conversely, not doing this, disobeying the One we are taught to adore is sooner or laster to cost us so much more.

        But this less challenging path is not for you or me.  We intend to continue on through sunshine and and storm, assured that with Christ we will prevail.  And think of all the inspiring examples of those who have gone before us, who endured incredible at times rather than be remiss in their duty to God and to mankind.  The carnal mind's hatred of anyone who loves God's holy child was not able to hold them back.

        In the company of those illustrious souls is certainly the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.  This was a woman who loved Christ more than the world itself, and I love what Mary Baker Eddy has to say along these lines:  "Admiral Coligny, in the time of the French Huguenots, was converted to Protestantism through a stray copy of the Scriptures that fell into his hands. He replied to his wife, who urged him to come out and confess his faith, 'It is wise to count the cost of becoming a true Christian.'  She answsered him, 'It is wiser to count the cost of not becoming a true Christian.'  So, whatever we meet that is hard in the Christian warfare we must count as nothing, and must think instead, of our poverty and helplessness without this understanding, and count ourselves always debtors to Christ, Truth."  (From her Miscellaneous Writings.)