Scripture: "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth.hath He given to the children of men."—PSALM cxv. 16
God created heaven as a dwelling for Himself—perfect, glorious, and most holy. The earth He gave to man as his dwelling—everything very good, but only as a beginning with the need of being kept and cultivated. The work God had done, man was to continue and perfect. Think of the iron and the coal hidden away in the earth, of the steam hidden away in the water. It was left to man to discover and to use all this, as we see in the net-work of railways that span the world, and the steamers that cover the ocean. God had created all to be thus used. He made the discovery and the use dependent on the wisdom and diligence of man. What the earth is to-day, with its cities and habitations, with its corn-fields and orchards, it owes to man. The work God had begun and prepared, was by man to be carried out in fulfillment of God's purpose. And so nature teaches us the wonderful partnership to which God calls man for the carrying out of the work of creation to its destined end.
This law holds equally good in the kingdom of grace. In this great redemption God has revealed the power of the heavenly life and the spiritual blessings of which heaven is full. But He has entrusted to His people the work of making these blessings known, and making men partakers of them.
What diligence the children of this world show in seeking for the treasures that God has hid in the earth for their use! Shall not the children of God be equally faithful in seeking for the treasures hid in heaven, to bring them down in blessing on the world? It is by the unceasing intercession of God's people that His Kingdom will come, and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
"Ever blessed Lord, how wonderful is the place Thou hast given man, in trusting him to continue the work Thou hast begun. We pray Thee, open our hearts for the great thought that, through the preaching of the Gospel, and the work of interession, Thy people are to work out Thy purpose. Lord, open our eyes—for Jesus' sake. AMEN.
