“Abide with Us”
The sun was setting. Two disciples were on their way home to Emmaus. As they walked and spoke sorrowfully together, Jesus Himself approached and joined them. He asked them why they were sad and what they were talking about. The disciples explained that they were talking about Jesus of Nazareth, His life, the miracles He had performed, His teachings, and how He was a great Prophet. But the priests and rulers were jealous of Him and handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. And as if this weren’t enough, some women had gone to the tomb and found it empty. The most astonishing thing was that the women had seen angels who told them Jesus was alive.
As the Stranger walked with them–because they did not yet know who He was–He began to explain to them what the Scriptures had prophesied. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27. As they neared Emmaus, the sun was setting. They had almost reached home. Then the Stranger “made as though He would have gone further. But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” Luke 24:28, 29.
The journey of this world’s history is also about to end. The sun is about to set. God’s Spirit is withdrawing. Before the flood, God said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3. What is happening today in the world? Disasters, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, famine. We personally experienced a severe earthquake here in Athens; it is not something one easily forgets. The end of the world is at hand. The eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is right before us. The curtain which veils a glorious future will soon be lifted; and if we are faithful, we shall soon be home. Jesus Christ said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3.
Is your heart troubled? Are you persecuted at home because of God’s word? Are you sad because your spiritual brethren, your parents, or your friends don’t understand you? Jesus Christ tells you not to let your heart be troubled but to believe in God and in Him.
Are you living by faith? Has it become part of your daily life? A living faith doesn’t doubt God’s word. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah were people of faith. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:13-16.
And, based on the same promise, we also look for that city whose streets are of gold and whose foundation contains different kinds of precious stones. It has twelve gates of pearl, three gates on each side. The servant of God was shown that city in vision. She saw wonderful houses having the appearance of silver, set on four pillars decorated with beautiful pearls. The throne of God and the Lamb will be there, and the angels and the redeemed will worship Them. They will see Jesus’ face, have His name written on their foreheads, and reign with Him.
Yes, Jesus Christ went to prepare a place for His children. And while He is doing this, we should be cooperating with Him in transforming our characters into Jesus’ image. His spirit and work need to be revealed in us, and His spirit is LOVE. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:14, 16.
“Pride and weakness of faith are depriving many of the rich blessings of God. There are many who, unless they humble their hearts before the Lord, will be surprised and disappointed when the cry is heard: ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh.’ Matthew 25:6. They have the theory of the truth, but they have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. Our faith at this time must not stop with an assent to, or belief in, the theory of the third angel’s message. We must have the oil of the grace of Christ that will feed the lamp and cause the light of life to shine forth, showing the way to those who are in darkness.” –Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 155.
People are surrounded by spiritual darkness, because they follow their own ways, far away from Jesus. For us not to fall into darkness, we need to constantly plead for Jesus to come into our hearts, just as the two disciples constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” Luke 24:29.
When it appears that the Lord is going away, when we think He has left us, when we run into difficulties, then our faith is tried. Are you troubled, brother, sister? Jesus is eagerly waiting to come in and bless your bread–to give you the spiritual bread that comes from heaven, to open your understanding and show you that everything in this world is vanity and that Jesus should be everything to you! Jesus Christ loves you and suffered for you; He expects you to invite Him to have supper with you. He wants to open your eyes so you know Him!
“And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?” Luke 24:30-32. Yes, Jesus Christ wants our hearts to burn when He speaks to us through the word.
When I first accepted the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, my heart was aflame. That same day a blimp was floating in the sky above the city, and it said, “GOODYEAR.” That was like a message from heaven to me! “For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.
Today we are living in the time of grace. Tomorrow it will be too late. Anyone who wants to come to Jesus Christ with a sincere, repentant heart will be saved. Let’s work on our characters while it is still day, because night is falling, and then no one will be able to work. In a little while we will know what night means.
God’s Spirit is grieved and is withdrawing from the earth. The nations are rising up against each other and preparing for war. Satan is deceiving the whole world and trying to eliminate God’s law. We cannot be indifferent and let him succeed! Night is falling. Let us rise and complete the work the Lord has assigned to us. Let us repent wholeheartedly so we may receive the wedding garments that the Lord offers us as a free gift. And at the same time, let us preach the gospel and the present truth.
Do we feel discouraged? Do people refuse to accept the good news of the gospel? Sometimes the Lord trains us; He educates His workers and allows them to be disappointed and experience failure. His purpose in this is to teach them to overcome difficulties.
Think of Elijah, who faced the angry King Ahab and 450 prophets of Baal. He had nothing with which to withstand them except faith in God’s power; he called on the God of his forefathers– Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He waited in full assurance for the fire to fall from heaven and consume the sacrifice he offered on the rebuilt altar of God so God’s name would be glorified.
Jesus Christ expects a fire to lighten the whole world. This fire will be the last conflict in the great controversy between good and evil. What will be the major issue in the controversy? The Sabbath. Jesus said, “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.” Luke 12:49-52.
Who will be able to stand during this terrible time of conflict? Only he whose character has been changed into the image of Jesus Christ. He who constrains Jesus Christ to abide with him and invites Him to come and have supper with him.
The following is an important statement from Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 306, 307, under the title, “Preparation for Christ’s Coming”: “Because the time is apparently extended, many have become careless and indifferent in regard to their words and actions. They do not realize their danger and do not see and understand the mercy of our God in lengthening their probation, that they may have time to form characters for the future, immortal life. Every moment is of the highest value. Time is granted them, not to be employed in studying their own ease and becoming dwellers on the earth, but to be used in the work of overcoming every defect in their own characters and in helping others, by example and personal effort, to see the beauty of holiness. God has a people upon the earth who in faith and holy hope are tracing down the roll of fast-fulfilling prophecy and are seeking to purify their souls by obeying the truth, that they may not be found without the wedding garment when Christ shall appear.”
Time is short. God is sitting on His throne, far above the follies of this world. His eye examines the children of men. In the great day of judgment, everyone will receive according to what he has done. God sent His Son to the world, not to judge it but to save it from sin. His love was greater than that of a mother for her child. Every time we do not confess the Lord with our words, feelings, and actions, Jesus says: “ ‘…I endured, that I might conquer him who had the power of death, unbar the prison house, and open for you the gates of life. I submitted to shame and agony because I loved you with an infinite love, and would bring back My wayward, wandering sheep to the paradise of God, to the tree of life. That life of bliss which I purchased for you at such a cost, you have disregarded. Shame, reproach, and ignominy, such as your Master bore for you, you have shunned. The privileges He died to bring within your reach have not been appreciated. You would not be partaker of His sufferings, and you cannot now be partaker with Him of His glory.’ Then were uttered these solemn words: ‘He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 387.
We are living in a time of grace. Let us thank the Lord with a grateful heart that we still have opportunity to repent, return to our first love, love God and our brethren, and preach the gospel of salvation to the world. Soon the sun will sink below the horizon, night will fall, and there will be no more opportunity to walk in the light. There will be only darkness, despair, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
Let us urge Jesus to come into our home, into the temple of our heart, and say to Him: “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.”
–Frosso Georgoudi, Greece
