Milo

13 AUGUST

Helplessness stirs us to prayer

‘O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.’ Psalm 43:3
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 61:1–8

A conviction of helplessness and insufficiency is implied. When an awakened sinner has seen the world to be what indeed it is and has obtained some apprehensions of heavenly things, still it is at a distance and much darkness lies upon the way to obtain. Only in this the soul is satisfied and certain: that it has no strength and wisdom of its own whereby to escape deserved evil or to obtain the desired good. It stands in need of assistance and this stirs it up to prayer, even the prayer of my text, for there is likewise implied some beginnings of knowledge that our help is in the name of the Lord—that if he does it not, it can never be done. We are not brought to this at once. When we first begin to open our eyes, we are very prone to seek deliverance by our own arm, by confessions, resolutions and outside services. We begin to attempt a reformation, to set about a new life and perhaps go on so very quietly for a while. Our great enemy loves to see us busied in building a house upon the sand and may suffer us to carry it on to a good height, for he knows that he is able with one puff of temptation to blow it down again. Then when we think it strong, he is suffered to come to try our work and soon it falls before him. After many such disappointments, we at last see how poor and helpless we are and cry to the Lord, O send forth thy light and thy truth.

FOR MEDITATION: The resolutions I made seem to be still good and the means of peace and happiness, but I fear I have broken every one. I am willing to think I stand till I am really fallen, and then, by presuming to rise by my own strength, I lie grovelling long before I can be persuaded of my insufficiency. I would endeavour to guard more against this error for the future and make it a particular point of my prayers … so I may more fully than ever feel the reality and necessity of his assistance; and that when I say that I can do nothing good without him, can forbear nothing evil without him, nor hope for any peace or pardon without him, I may speak entirely from my heart and that this absolute dependence upon him only, may be the ruling principle of my life. Amen.
Diary, 1 February 1752

SERMON: PSALM 43:3 [3/5]

August 12th

The theology of rest

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Matthew 8:26.

When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but Our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones. Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God. We get to our wits’ end, showing that we have not the slightest confidence in Him and His government of the world; He seems to be asleep, and we see nothing but breakers ahead.
“O ye of little faith!” What a pang must have shot through the disciples—‘Missed it again!’ And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced downright joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.
There are stages in life when there is no storm, no crisis, when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breakingpoint and not break in our confidence in Him.
We have been talking a great deal about sanctification—what is it all going to amount to? It should work out into rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight but a deep joy to Him.

August 12

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.” (2 Peter 1:4.)

WHEN a shipwright builds a vessel, does he build it to keep it upon the stocks? Nay, he builds it for the sea and the storm. When he was making it, he thought of tempests and hurricanes; if he did not, he was a poor shipbuilder.
When God made thee a believer, He meant to try thee; and when He gave thee promises, and bade thee trust them, He gave such promises as are suitable for times of tempest and tossing. Dost thou think that God makes shams like some that have made belts for swimming, which were good to exhibit in a shop, but of no use in the sea?
We have all heard of swords which were useless in war; and even of shoes which were made to sell, but were never meant to walk in. God’s shoes are of iron and brass, and you can walk to Heaven in them without their ever wearing out; and His life-belts, you may swim a thousand Atlantics upon them, and there will be no fear of your sinking. His Word of promise is meant to be tried and proved.
There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to make a show-thing of Him, and not to use Him. He loves to be employed by us. Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Thou dost not make use of Christ as thou oughtest to do.
O man, I beseech you do not treat God’s promises as if they were curiosities for a museum; but use them as every day sources of comfort. Trust the Lord whenever your time of need comes on.—C. H. Spurgeon.

“Go to the deeps of God’s promise,
And claim, whatsoever ye will;
The blessing of God will not fail thee,
His Word He will surely fulfill.”

How can God say no to something He has promised?

12 AUGUST

The emptiness of the ‘enchanted places’

‘O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.’ Psalm 43:3
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Ecclesiastes 2:1–11

Here we observe what is implied: a conviction of the emptiness and vanity of the present state. This world and all that is in it may be compared to what some writers have fancied of enchanted places. It has been supposed that by the power of a sorcerer people have been surprised with fine sights, noble buildings, pleasant gardens, entertained with music and feasting, till by and by the charm has been broke; all these gay things have vanished, and they have found themselves disappointed and alone. Such an enchantment is the world. Such a magician is the devil. He deceives the sight and stupefies the mind of sinners. They think themselves in a world of delights. They propose nothing but pleasure and joy. They look no farther than the present life. But when the Word of God comes powerfully to the heart, then the enchantment is broke—all those fine things are gone at one. The soul is like a hungry man that has been dreaming of eating, and now it awakes and finds itself empty. Then it sees and feels this cannot be its rest. It can no longer feed upon the wind. It wants something more substantial. How have I been seeking the living among the dead, expecting to enjoy peace and happiness in a state of sin and misery! But now I see I never can be happy unless the mighty God vouchsafes to be my portion—not until I arrive at his heavenly hill, the place of his holiness. No happiness for me till guilt is pardoned, sin subdued and Satan trampled under my feet.
FOR MEDITATION:
Blinded in youth by Satan’s arts,
But while he listens with surprise,
The world to our unpractised hearts,
The charm dissolves, the vision dies,
A flattering prospect bows;
’Twas but enchanted ground;
Our fancy forms a thousand schemes,
Thus if the Lord our spirits touch,
Of gay delights, and golden dreams,
The world, which promised us so much,
And undisturbed repose.
A wilderness is found.

SERMON: PSALM 43:3 [2/5]

August 11th

This experience must come

And he saw him no more. 2 Kings 2:12.

It is not wrong to depend upon Elijah as long as God gives him to you, but remember the time will come when he will have to go; when he stands no more to you as your guide and leader, because God does not intend he should. You say—‘I cannot go on without Elijah.’ God says you must.
Alone at your Jordan. v. 14. Jordan is the type of separation where there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. You have to put to the test now what you learned when you were with your Elijah. You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come, and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.
Alone at your Jericho. v. 15. Jericho is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things. When you come to your Jericho you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God, you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.
Alone at your Bethel. v. 23. At your Bethel you will find yourself at your wits’ end and at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you get to your wits’ end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don’t; stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament. Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.