ingle moment, and it is to be all Christ
moment by moment, and learn to accept it from Him and trust Him for it,
the life of Christ becomes the health of our soul. Health is nothing but
life in its normal, undisturbed action. Christ gives us health by giving
us Himself as our life; so He becomes our strength for our walk.
Isaiah's words find their New Testament fulfilment: They that wait on
the Lord shall walk and not faint, because Christ is now the strength of
their life.

It is strange how believers sometimes think this life of dependence too
great a strain, and a loss of our personal liberty. They admit a need of
dependence, of much dependence, but with room left for our own will and
energy. They do not see that even a partial dependence makes us debtors,
and leaves us nothing to boast of. They forget that our relationship to
God, and co-operation with Him, is not that He does the larger part and
we the lesser, but that God does all and we do all--God all in us, we
all through God. This dependence upon God secures our true independence;
when our will seeks nothing but the Divine will, we reach a Divine
nobility, the true independence of all that is created. He that has not
seen this must remain a sickly Christian, letting self do part and
Christ part. He that accepts the life of unceasing dependence on Christ,
as life and health and strength, is made whole. As God, Christ can enter
and become the life of His creature. As the Glorified One who received
the Holy Spirit from the Father to bestow, He can renew the heart of the
sinful creature and make it His home, and by His presence maintain it in
full health and strength.

O ye all who would fain walk and please God, and in your prayer-life not
have your heart condemn you, listen to Christ's words: "Wilt thou be
made whole?" He can give soul-health. He can give a life that can pray,
and know that it is well-pleasing to the Father. If you would have this,
come and hear how you can receive it.

WHAT CHRIST ASKS OF US.

The story invites us to notice three things very specially. Christ's
question first appeals to the will, and asks for the expression of its
consent. He then listens to man's confession of his utter helplessness.
Then comes the ready obedience to Christ's command, that rises up and
walks.

1. Wilt thou be made whole? About the answer of the impotent man there
could be no doubt. Who would not be willing to have his sickness
removed? But, alas, in th