Ye Are Complete In Him [Contd.]
“The religion of Christ will take away all the ruggedness of the character, and will melt and subdue the soul. It is the Spirit of God that we need. Let the work begin by turning to the Lord with full purpose of heart, that the heart may be softened, and that Christ may mould and fashion you after his own divine image. But many feel that they cannot go to Jesus in confidence. They say, “It does not seem as though God heard my prayers. I have tried and tried to rid my soul of sin, but I cannot do it.” Then say, “Lord, I am powerless to cleanse and save myself, and I cast my helpless soul on thee.” That is what Jacob did. All night long he had been wrestling with One whom he supposed was his enemy; but it was the great I AM, the mighty God, the Prince of peace; and just as long as he continued his wrestling, he found no comfort, no hope. It was a life-and-death question with him, and his strength was almost exhausted. Then the Angel touched his thigh, and he knew that he wrestled with no common adversary. Wounded and helpless, Jacob fell upon his bosom, just as you and I must do, just as any soul does when he falls upon the Rock and is broken. “Let me go for the day breaketh,” pleaded the angel; but Jacob ceased not his intercession, and Christ had to make terms with this helpless, broken, penitent soul, in accordance with his own character: “And let him take hold of my strength, and make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.” Our precious Saviour cannot tear himself away from a soul wounded and helpless, and crying unto him for aid. Jacob pleaded with determined spirit, “I will not let thee go except thou bless me.” Who was it that inspired this spirit of persistence?—It was He who wrestled with the patriarch: it was He who gave him the victory, who changed his name from Jacob to Israel, and said, “As a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed.”
But many of you say, “The nearer I seek to come to Christ, the worse I feel. “Did not Jacob have this very experience? As you see the wounds and bruises that sin has made in you, look upon the bruised body of your divine Redeemer, wounded in your behalf, that the marks which sin has made may be healed. Have you not again and again felt distressed and agonized in looking to yourself for merit? I have. And now the question is, What will you do? You can say, “Lord Jesus, I cannot blot out one stain of sin from my soul. I must come to thee: ‘Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me.’ I can only come saying,— ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling.’” Excerpt from Bible Echo and Signs of the Time February 15, 1892 By Ellen G. White]