Phoebe Palmer

When Jesus was speaking to His Father just before He died, He prayed that His followers would have His joy fulfilled in themselves (see John 1:13).

This privilege, like all privileges of the Christian, has been purchased by the blood of Christ and is therefore a high and holy responsibility. That is to say, the provision on God’s part of privileges for us creates the obligation on our part to attain to their enjoyment.

But are you a joyful Christian? Have you a Christ-like experience in this regard? I do not ask you whether you have joyous emotions, but is the joy of Christ fulfilled in yourself?

Daily my heart is cleaving more closely to Christ and getting more detached from earthly objects. The weaning process is going on. I find the closer I get to the heart of Infinite Love—the nearer to the Son of Righteousness—the more sensitively do I feel, to my heart's deepest core, everything that is contrary in spirit, word or action to the law of love.

If we do, indeed, get nearer to the Son of Righteousness, we cannot help but see with greater vividness everything that is unrighteous and unlovely. And then the sight of the eyes will affect the heart.

When Jesus was speaking to His Father just before He died, He prayed that His followers would have His joy fulfilled in themselves (see John 1:13).

This privilege, like all privileges of the Christian, has been purchased by the blood of Christ and is therefore a high and holy responsibility. That is to say, the provision on God’s part of privileges for us creates the obligation on our part to attain to their enjoyment.