We cannot be losers by trusting God, for He is honored by faith, and most honored when faith discerns His love and truth behind a thick cloud of His ways and providence. Happy those who are thus tried! Let us only be clear of unbelief and a guilty conscience. We shall hide ourselves in the rock and pavilion of the Lord, sheltered beneath the wings of everlasting love till all calamities be overpast.
Continue in prayer.
Our prayers often resemble the mischievous tricks of town children, who knock at their neighbor’s houses and then run away; we often knock at heaven’s door and then run off into the spirit of the world; instead of waiting for entrance and answer, we act as if we were afraid of having our prayers answered.
The effective life and the receptive life are one. No sweep of arm that does some work for God but harvests also some more of the truth of God, and sweeps it into the treasury of life.
Separation never comes from His side.
Alone with Jesus! What a sweet and holy spot! What a blessed refuge to which the soul may betake itself from the charges of Satan, the accusations of the world, and the sorrows of life! Sweet spot for the heart to unfold itself, to tell its hidden tale in the ear of Infinite love, tenderness, and compassion!
Alone with Jesus! How different a front would Christianity present to the world if the Lord’s people were oftener there! What humility, and gentleness, and love, would characterize all their dealings! What holiness stamped on the very brow, that all might read! What few judgments passed on others, how many more on ourselves! What calmness and resignation and joyful submission to all the Lord’s dealings!
Be much “alone with Jesus!” Then will the passage to glory be one of sunshine, whether it be through the portals of the grave or through the clouds of heaven.
I spake unto thee in thy prosperity.
We shade our eyes with the hand to shut out the glare of the strong daylight when we want to see far away. God thus puts, as it were, His hand upon our brows, and tempers the glow of prosperity, that we may take in the wider phases of His goodness. It is a common experience that, looking out from the gloom of some personal affliction, men have seen for the first time beyond the earth plane, and caught glimpses of the Beulah Land. Let us not shrink from the Hand which we know is heavy only with blessing.
The man who lives in God knows no life except the life of God.
Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not.
The Parish Priest, of austerity, Climbed up in the high church steeple To be nearer God, that he might hand His word down to the people. And in sermon script he daily wrote What he thought was sent from heaven; And he dropped it down on the people’s heads Two times one day in seven. In his age God said, “Come down and die.” And he cried out from the steeple: “Where art thou, Lord?” And the Lord replied: “Down here among My people.”
Be not afraid, only believe.
Be not downcast if difficulties and trials surround you in your heavenly life. They may be purposely placed there by God to train and discipline you for higher developments of faith. If He calls you to “toiling in rowing,” it may be to make you the hardier seaman, to lead you to lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and, above all, to drive you to a holier trust in Him who has the vessel and its destinies in His hand, and who, amid gathering clouds and darkened horizon and crested billows is ever uttering the mild rebuke to our misgivings “Said I not unto thee, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God.”
When God does the directing, our life is useful and full of promise, whatever it is doing; and discipline has its perfecting work.
