t all plainly enough in
theory, but in practice I find I am not kept. Self goes over to the other
camp again and again. If is not all for Jesus, though I have asked and
wished for it to be so.' Dear friends, the 'all' must be sealed with
'only.' Are you willing to be '_only_' for Jesus? You have not given
'all' to Jesus while you are not quite ready to be '_only_' for Him. And
it is no use to talk about 'ever' while we have not settled the 'only'
and the 'all.' You cannot be 'for Him,' in the full and blessed sense,
while you are partly 'for' anything or any one else. For 'the Lord hath
_set apart_ him that is godly for Himself.' You see, the 'for Himself'
hinges upon the 'set apart.' There is no consecration without separation.
If you are mourning over want of realized consecration, will you look
humbly and sincerely into _this_ point? 'A garden _enclosed_ is my
sister, my spouse,' saith the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Set apart for Jesus!
Is not this enough,
Though the desert prospect
Open wild and rough?
Set apart for His delight,
Chosen for His holy pleasure,
Sealed to be His special treasure!
Could we choose a nobler joy?--and would we, if we might?[footnote:
_Loyal Responses_, p. 11.]

But yielding, by His grace, to this blessed setting apart for Himself,
'The Lord shall _establish_ thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath
sworn unto thee.' Can there be a stronger promise? Just obey and trust
His word _now_, and yield yourselves _now_ unto God, 'that He may
establish thee _to-day_ for a people unto Himself.' Commit the keeping of
your souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, being
persuaded that He is able to keep that which you commit to Him.

Now, Lord, I give myself to Thee,
I would be wholly Thine,
As Thou hast given Thyself to me,
And Thou art wholly mine;
O take me, seal me for Thine own,
Thine altogether, Thine alone.

Here comes in once more that immeasurably important subject of our
influence. For it is not what we say or do, so much as what we _are_,
that influences others. We have heard this, and very likely repeated it
again and again, but have we seen it to be inevitably linked with the
great question of this chapter? I do not know anything which,
thoughtfully considered, makes us realize more vividly the need and the
importance of our whole selves