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Do you want to have religion in daily life? See to it that it exists in your heart, that you love God with your whole soul, and you will not fail to render daily sacrifice acceptable to your Maker. There is a reason why religion is possible in daily life. It is that daily work brings out the Christian temper, shows the Christian character and develops it. Christianity is like a beautiful tree, with the branches of sturdy virtue growing on it, and healing leaves quiver on those branches, and occasionally it is covered with the blossoms of kindness and gentleness; and in the summer-time of the soul it is laden with the fruits of generosity and self-sacrifice. Where shall we plant that tree? To put it in some close courtyard, where neither scorching sun nor biting wind can reach it, would be to make it languish and die. No! out in the open, among other plants and trees, where broad sunshine is felt and winds are blowing — there it must be reared if it is to be healthy. There are things to be resisted in daily life which show how necessary every-day religion is. Every man takes a lower self with him which stands like a demon at his elbow. You hear its cynical laugh and its hissing whisper, "Take care of number one." That lower self has to be resisted by young people at home, by older people in shopping, by business men in dealing with other business men. There is injustice standing with a stiletto before us with threatening mien; a coward at heart but a bully in manners. Resist him. There is impurity sliding stealthily along the pavement. Resist him. Intemperance destroys with its poison tens of thousands. Oh! in the name of all that is noble and powerful in God's truth, resist him. It is said that we do not lay enough stress on the doctrines of Christianity in thus teaching, as we so often do, the necessity of a practical religion. But I think we shall see that the two cannot be divorced from one another. You cannot have religion in daily life unless you have Christ in daily life. To have Him is to have His teaching, and the truths which explain His mission and character. Take some of the principal ones, and we shall see how they illustrate and enforce our subject.

1. The incarnation. This teaches us that God was in the flesh, that the very God came to our common duties. What could be more inspiring than the knowledge of this fact? Why, it at once brings God down to be our Guide and Helper. Our common life is no longer common when we find ourselves side by side with the very God who undertakes our work for us and with us.

2. The Atonement is a cardinal doctrine. How can we understand and apply it? Apply it to daily sins, to common guilt; to the transgressions which we ourselves have committed. It is an awful struggle, this fight against sin. It was said that Constantine saw a flaming cross in the sky on the night before his battle with Maxentius, and that thenceforth he gave his soldiers the sign of the cross on their shields. This is a parable of what we must do. By the blood of Christ we conquer. In the power of the Cross we can go forward.

3. There is the doctrine of inspiration. We see a book before us which professes to tell us how to live, how to work, how to believe, how to die, how to enter eternal felicity. We might discuss that statement and define it, and refine upon it for years, and get no nearer any valuable truth. But if once we turn to the Book, and seek to guide daily life by its precepts, all becomes clear. We get inspiration in actual experience, and our souls are lifted near to God.

4. Nay, the very Godhead is best understood in the light of every-day life. How can we ever penetrate the great mystery of the Trinity? Yes, it is there that we understand who God is and what He may be to us. Every breath tells of His power, every blessing witnesses of His kindness, every incident points to His Providence, and death itself is the door that admits to His presence chamber. Oh! how glad and solemn, how beautiful and responsible your life may be; redeemed from triviality and sin, you are now a child of God by faith in His Son, an heir of immortality and marching forward to glory! Remember, then, whose you are, and whom you serve.

(S. Pearson, M.A.)

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KJV: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

WEB: Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.