Within You

By Robert S. Candlish       "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ..." (Col. 3:16).       Let the word of Christ so dwell in you. Let it be Christ himself, dwelling in you; Christ himself, the living word. Let his word, or himself the word, dwell in you richly; moulding, fashioning, vivifying, regulating, your whole inner man; all its powers, faculties, affections; its susceptibilities and sensibilities; its movements of will. Let his word, let himself in his word, give his own tone and temper to all your emotions of joy and sorrow; of fear, or anxiety or love, or hope.  Let all within you be thus imbued, not stiffly and artificially, but spontaneously and gladly, with the word of Christ dwelling in you richly by the Spirit; and so becoming Christ himself dwelling in you as the word of life. Then, let there go forth from you, not stiffly and artificially, but spontaneously and gladly and lovingly, streams of overflowing benignity and benevolence; rich and gracious influences of holy zeal and love and joy; to the glory of God, celebrated in songs of praise; and the edifying of the church, in wise teaching and admonition.