Daily Devotional

"...And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Rom. 12:1, 2.

The mercies of God, here brought before us, are innumerable; and the greatest of these is the gift of His Son. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." The Lord has claims upon us that we do not appreciate. We are under obligation to our Creator to preserve to ourselves the very best condition of health, that the object of our existence may be answered.

There is an abundance in our world to supply the necessities of every human being, were the gifts of God put to the best use. If those who have an excess would not be prodigal of their means and of their time, there would be none crying for hunger, and none destitute of clothing; for our Heavenly Father has made abundant provision to satisfy all the real wants of His children. Hunger, cold and nakedness need not exist in our world if man loved God and his neighbor. To man, God has entrusted much. He has given him talents of means, and talents of intellect; and his lineage is from God. His Maker designs that man shall exemplify the dignity of his nature by preserving to himself the very best condition of physical strength and power of intellect, that these may be devoted to His service, not degraded and brought into slavery to perverted appetite.

Men were not created to be subject to poverty, disease and suffering, not for thoughtless inattention to their physical and spiritual wants, but for dignity, purity and elevation of character in this life, and for joy unspeakable and full of glory in the future immortal life. The mercies of God are distributed and diversified throughout the earth; and if man would be obedient to nature's laws there would not be a tithe of the misery which now exists. Health and life are imperiled by the indulgence of appetite. Our woes more frequently spring from the improvident use of the abundance than from scarcity. Young men in our cities and towns are surrounded with temptations to indulge in perverted appetite. Vice is gilded over; like apples of Sodom, it appears beautiful without, but is ashes within.