“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.” (Psalm 107:23, 24.)
HE is but an apprentice and no master in the art, who has not learned that every wind that blows is fair for Heaven. The only thing that helps nobody, is a dead calm. North or south, east or west, it matters not, every wind may help towards that blessed port. Seek one thing only: keep well out to sea, and then have no fear of stormy winds. Let our prayer be that of an old Cornishman: “O Lord, send us out to sea—out in the deep water. Here we are so close to the rocks that the first bit of breeze with the devil, we are all knocked to pieces. Lord, send us out to sea—out in the deep water, where we shall have room enough to get a glorious victory.”—Mark Guy Pearse. Remember that we have no more faith at any time than we have in the hour of trial. All that will not bear to be tested is mere carnal confidence. Fair-weather faith is no faith.
‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ Matthew 5:5 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Micah 7:7–10
Meekness arises from the poverty of spirit mentioned in verse 3. It is the temper of a soul convinced of the guilt and misery of sin, and seeking salvation by the blood of Jesus. Hence it is wholly a grace of the gospel, and accordingly the heathen philosophers, who said many fine things of their moral virtues, never once thought of putting meekness into their catalogues. It stands opposed to pride, self-will, impatience and resentment, and its trial and exercise lies both towards God and man. Where there is true humiliation begun in the heart, the Lord’s dealings are often suited to try and exercise this grace: (i) in spirituals. In waiting for manifestation of pardon. This is wearisome work to the flesh, when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast and one or another obtains or seems to obtain pace before us. The meek soul, amidst a thousand fears and discouragements, sees it has no right to complain (reasons as in Lamentations 3:26, Micah 7:9), and is grieved at every rising of a contrary spirit. And so under all backslidings and desertions. (ii) in temporals. In a time of affliction. See it in Job 1, in Hezekiah (Isaiah 38), acknowledging that all is less than he has deserved. Contentment with the situation of life. It is this temper makes the precept practicable—in everything give thanks—and checks our spirits when they would repine and be seeking great things for ourselves. While in all these things, the carnal unrenewed heart is impatient and tosses like a wild bull in a net. FOR MEDITATION: I asked the Lord that I might grow Lord, why is this, I trembling cried, In faith and love and every grace; Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? Might more of his salvation know, ‘’Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied, And seek, more earnestly, his face. ‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.
’Twas he who taught me thus to pray, These inward trials I employ, And he, I trust, has answered prayer; From self and pride to set thee free; But it has been in such a way, And break thy schemes of earthly joy, As almost drove me to despair. That thou may’st find thy all in me.’
Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? John 11:40.
Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your commonsense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture heroically on Jesus Christ’s statements when the facts of your commonsense life shout ‘It’s a lie’? On the mount it is easy to say—‘Oh yes, I believe God can do it’; but you have to come down into the demon-possessed valley and meet with facts that laugh ironically at the whole of your mount-of-transfiguration belief. Every time my programme of belief is clear to my own mind, I come across something that contradicts it. Let me say I believe God will supply all my need, and then let me run dry, with no outlook, and see whether I will go through the trial of faith, or whether I will sink back to something lower. Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against just now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” The final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe steadfastly on Him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. May God keep us in fighting trim! Faith is unutterable trust in God which never dreams that He will not stand by us.
“And he went out carrying his own cross.” (John 19:17.)
THERE is a poem called “The Changed Cross.” It represents a weary onewho thought that her cross was surely heavier than those of others whom she saw about her, and she wished that she might choose another instead of her own. She slept, and in her dream she was led to a place where many crosses lay, crosses of different shapes and sizes. There was a little one most beauteous to behold, set in jewels and gold. “Ah, this I can wear with comfort,” she said. So she took it up, but her weak form shook beneath it. The jewels and the gold were beautiful, but they were far too heavy for her. Next she saw a lovely cross with fair flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely that was the one for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were piercing thorns which tore her flesh. At last, as she went on, she came to a plain cross, without jewels, without carvings, with only a few words of love inscribed upon it. This she took up and it proved the best of all, the easiest to be borne. And as she looked upon it, bathed in the radiance that fell from Heaven, she recognized her own old cross. She had found it again, and it was the best of all and lightest for her. God knows best what cross we need to bear. We do not know how heavy other people’s crosses are. We envy someone who is rich; his is a golden cross set with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. Here is another whose life seems very lovely. She bears a cross twined with flowers. If we could try all the other crosses that we think lighter than our own, we would at last find that not one of them suited us so well as our own.—Glimpses through Life’s Windows.
If thou, impatient, dost let slip thy cross, Thou wilt not find it in this world again; Nor in another: here and here alone Is given thee to suffer for God’s sake. In other worlds we may more perfectly Love Him and serve Him, praise Him, Grow nearer and nearer to Him with delight. But then we shall not any more Be called to suffer, which is our appointment here. Canst thou not suffer, then, one hour or two? If He should call thee from thy cross today, Saying: “It is finished—that hard cross of thine From which thou prayest for deliverance,” Thinkest thou not some passion of regret Would overcome thee? Thou would’st say, “So soon? Let me go back and suffer yet awhile More patiently. I have not yet praised God.” Whensoe’er it comes, that summons that we look for, It will seem soon, too soon. Let us take heed in time That God may now be glorified in us. —Ugo Bassi’s Sermon in a Hospital.
‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth.’ Ephesians 6:1–3 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Kings 5:1–14
Let me add a word on the case of children who fear the Lord and have the trial of parents who treat them harshly upon that account. You are to obey your parents in the Lord. When their will is inconsistent with the will of God, you stand excused. If they will reproach you for your profession you must pray for grace not to be frightened out of it. If they would persuade or force you with the practices of the world you must not comply. But even in these things you must remember that they are your parents, and endeavour to behave with all meekness and patience. Your disobedience, if they will call it such, must be confined to such points in which you are sure you have the express warrant of Scripture on your side. In all other respects you are still bound, and if you would not prejudice them against the truth, endeavour to let them see that the knowledge of the gospel has strengthened the ties of duty and made you more observant, obliging and respectful than you were before. We are all concerned in this subject. We all stand or have stood in this relation. May the Lord lead you to reflect how you have behaved in it. FOR MEDITATION: If to JESUS for relief While I know his providence My soul has fled by prayer; Disposes each event; Why should I give way to grief, Shall I judge by feeble sense, Or heart-consuming care? And yield to discontent? Are not all things in his hand? If he worms and sparrows feed, Has he not his promise past? Clothe the grass in rich array; Will he then regardless stand Can he see a child in need, And let me sink at last? And turn his eye away?
This is my personal collection of thoughts and writings, mainly from much smarter people than I, which challenge me in my discipleship walk. Don't rush by these thoughts, but ponder them.
Milo 