God’s Pleasure unto Zion, February 22

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Psalm 51:18. The Lord has provided His church with capabilities and blessings, that they may present to the world an image of His own sufficiency, and that His church may be complete in Him, a continual representation of another, even the eternal world, of laws that are higher than earthly laws. His church is to be a temple built after the divine similitude, and the angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod from heaven, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the divine measurement, and polished to shine as an emblem of heaven, radiating in all directions the bright, clear beams of the Sun of righteousness.—Testimonies to Ministers, 17. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself. In describing to His disciples the office work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sought to inspire them with the joy and hope that inspired His own heart. He rejoiced because of the abundant help He had provided for His church.—The Desire of Ages, 671. He rejoiced in the consciousness that He could and would do more for His followers than He had promised; that from Him would flow forth love and compassion, cleansing the soul-temple, and making men like Him in character; that His truth, armed with the power of the Spirit, would go forth conquering and to conquer.—The Acts of the Apostles, 23.