“Ever toward man’s height of nobleness
Strive still some new progression to contrive,
Till, just as any other friend’s, we press
Death’s hand; and, having died, feels none the less
How beautiful it is to be alive.”
There is no doubt that we live below our privileges as Christians. Our privileges are glorious. No vision of life we can conceive of can be so exalted, so noble, so divine, as is the actual life of one who is a child of God. It is impossible to paint its possibilities in colors too bright. Because the glories of the spiritual life are not earthly, and therefore do not appeal to our physical senses, it is not easy for us to realize their value and importance. But truly to be “partakers of the divine nature,” to be “if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,” is to have the highest honor possible to a human life.
It is not possible that we can fully know the value of our privileges in the present life. However much we may see of our inheritance, there are treasures in it yet undiscovered by us, and undiscoverable here. However deep the joy which our hearts may experience, there must ever remain other depths unexplored until we enter the larger life of heaven. However lofty our attainments may be, we can at best only begin in this world to reach the excellences of spirit which belong to our perfected character. Yet it is our duty to gather into our life all that we can receive. At many points, therefore, we may reach after the better things that are ours.
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