In Love With Christ

[Thompson, Darryl]

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Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for April 5
Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org
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In Love With Christ

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Heb. 7:26.

The character of Christ was one of unexampled excellence, embracing
everything pure, true, lovely, and of good report. We have no knowledge
of His ever visiting a party of pleasure or a dance hall, and yet He was
the perfection of grace and courtly bearing. Christ was no novice; He
was distinguished for the high intellectual powers He possessed even in
the morning of His life. His youth was not wasted in indolence, neither
was it wasted in sensual pleasure, self-indulgence, or frittered away in
things of no profit. Not one of His hours from childhood to manhood was
misspent, none were misappropriated. . . . 

Jesus was sinless and had no dread of the consequences of sin. With this
exception His condition was as yours. You have not a difficulty that did
not press with equal weight upon Him, not a sorrow that His heart has
not experienced. His feelings could be hurt with neglect, with
indifference of professed friends, as easily as yours. Is your path
thorny? Christ's was so in a tenfold sense. Are you distressed? So was
He. How well fitted was Christ to be an example! . . . 

The Inspired Record says of Him: "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature,
and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52. As He grew in years He grew
in knowledge. He lived temperately; His precious hours were not wasted
in dissipating pleasures. He had a truly healthy body and true powers of
mind. The physical and mental powers could be expanded and developed as
yours or any other youth's. The Word of God was His study, as it should
be yours.

Take Jesus as your standard. Imitate His life. Fall in love with His
character. Walk as Christ walked. A new spring will be given to your
intellectual faculties, a large scope to your thoughts, when you bring
your powers into vigorous contact with eternal things which are
intrinsically grand and great.

>From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 93.