keeping. The steam-engine does
not move when the fire is not kindled, nor when it is gone out; no matter
how complete the machinery and abundant the fuel, cold coals will neither
set it going nor keep it working. Let us ask Him so to shed abroad His
love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, that it may
be the perpetual and only impulse of every action of our daily life.

Chapter IV.
Our Feet kept for Jesus.

_'Keep my feet, that they may be_
_Swift and beautiful for Thee.'_

The figurative keeping of the feet of His saints, with the promise that
when they run they shall not stumble, is a most beautiful and helpful
subject. But it is quite distinct from the literal keeping for Jesus of
our literal feet.

There is a certain homeliness about the idea which helps to make it very
real. These very feet of ours are purchased for Christ's service by the
precious drops which fell from His own torn and pierced feet upon the
cross. They are to be His errand-runners. How can we let the world, the
flesh, and the devil have the use of what has been purchased with such
payment?

Shall 'the world' have the use of them? Shall they carry us where the
world is paramount, and the Master cannot be even named, because the
mention of His Name would be so obviously out of place? I know the
apparent difficulties of a subject which will at once occur in connection
with this, but they all vanish when our bright banner is loyally
unfurled, with its motto, '_All_ for Jesus!' Do you honestly want your
very feet to be 'kept for Jesus'? Let these simple words, '_Kept for
Jesus_,' ring out next time the dancing difficulty or any other
difficulty of the same kind comes up, and I know what the result will be!

Shall 'the flesh' have the use of them? Shall they carry us hither and
thither merely because we like to go, merely because it pleases ourselves
to take this walk or pay this visit? And after all, what a failure it is!
If people only _would_ believe it, self-pleasing is always a failure in
the end. Our good Master gives us a reality and fulness of _pleasure_ in
pleasing Him which we never get out of pleasing ourselves.

Shall 'the devil' have the use of them? Oh no, of course not! We start
back at this, as a highly unnecessary question. Yet if Jesus has not,
Satan has. For as all are serving either the Prince of Life or the prince
of this world, and a