Milo

April 17

“The hand of the Lord hath wrought this.” (Job 12:9)

SEVERAL years ago there was found in an African mine the most magnificent diamond in the world’s history. It was presented to the King of England to blaze in his crown of state. The King sent it to Amsterdam to be cut. It was put into the hands of an expert lapidary. And what do you suppose he did with it?

He took the gem of priceless value, and cut a notch in it. Then he struck it a hard blow with his instrument, and lo! the superb jewel lay in his hand cleft in twain. What recklessness! what wastefulness! what criminal carelessness!

Not so. For days and weeks that blow had been studied and planned. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. Its quality, its defects, its lines of cleavage had all been studied with minutest care. The man to whom it was committed was one of the most skillful lapidaries in the world.

Do you say that blow was a mistake? Nay. It was the climax of the lapidary’s skill. When he struck that blow, he did the one thing which would bring that gem to its most perfect shapeliness, radiance, and jewelled splendor. That blow which seemed to ruin the superb precious stone was, in fact, its perfect redemption. For, from those two halves were wrought the two magnificent gems which the skilled eye of the lapidary saw hidden in the rough, uncut stone as it came from the mine.

So, sometimes, God lets a stinging blow fall upon your life. The blood spurts. The nerves wince. The soul cries out in agony. The blow seems to you an apalling mistake. But it is not, for you are the most priceless jewel in the world to God. And He is the most skilled lapidary in the universe.

Some day you are to blaze in the diadem of the King. As you lie in His hand now He knows just how to deal with you. Not a blow will be permitted to fall upon your shrinking soul but that the love of God permits it, and works out from its depths, blessing and spiritual enrichment unseen, and unthought of by you.—J. H. McC.

In one of George MacDonald’s books occurs this fragment of conversation: “I wonder why God made me,” said Mrs. Faber bitterly. “I’m sure I Don’t know what was the use of making me!”

“Perhaps not much yet,” said Dorothy, “but then He hasn’t done with you yet. He is making you now, and you are quarreling with the process.”

If men would but believe that they are in process of creation, and consent to be made—let the Maker handle them as the potter the clay, yielding themselves in resplendent motion and submissive, hopeful action with the turning of His wheel—they would ere long find themselves able to welcome every pressure of that hand on them, even when it was felt in pain; and sometimes not only to believe but to recognize the Divine end in view, the bringing of a son unto glory.

  “Not a single shaft can hit,
  Till the God of love sees fit.”

17 APRIL (PREACHED OLNEY FAIR DAY, 17 APRIL 1775)

Legal fears and gospel hopes

‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ Revelation 22:17
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Romans 15:1–13

The manner in which the Word of God addresses our consciences affords a proof that it is indeed from him who knows our frame. Hope and fear are the main principles of our conduct. And what so worthy of our fear as the terrors of the Lord? His justice, power, holiness, his hatred of sin, and the wrath that hangs over sinners, is therefore set forth in lively colours that we may be stirred up to flee for refuge to Jesus. But alas in vain, unless he is pleased to accompany the letter of the word with the operation of the Spirit—then the sinner hears and trembles and can no longer put the thoughts away, but cries out with earnestness, ‘Alas! What must I do to be saved?’ [Acts 16:30]. As the law is designed to awaken our fears, so the gospel is sweetly suited to engage our hopes. How glorious are the revelations there made of the Lord Jesus Christ—the riches of his grace, and the happiness of the eternal world—to a believing soul. In comparison with these, everything else appears but loss and dung. This prospect enlivens the soul to tread upon every difficulty and to press on to the prize. When faith obtains a view of that which is within the veil, hard things become easy and bitter things sweet. With respect to all that stands in the way it says, ‘None of these things move me.’ But it is seldom thus at the first setting out. Faith in the beginning is small as a grain of mustard, weak as a bruised reed. A sight of sin, the workings of unbelief, the temptations of Satan, unite to discourage the sensitive sinner. Thus it is, thus the Lord knew it would be. And therefore he has provided the most tender, endearing and repeated invitations. He says: Matthew 11:28; John 6:37; Isaiah 1:18; and in many other places to the same effect.
FOR MEDITATION:

A Word from JESUS calms the sea,
‘Upon my promise rest thy hope,
The stormy wind controls;
And keep my love in view;
And gives repose and liberty
I stand engaged to hold thee up,
To tempest-tossed souls.
And guide thee safely through.’

SERMON: REVELATION 22:17 [1/6] [EASTER MONDAY EVENING]

April 16th

Can you come down?

While ye have light, believe in the light. John 12:36.

We all have moments when we feel better than our best, and we say—‘I feel fit for anything; if only I could be like this always!’ We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for this workaday world when there is no high hour. We must bring our commonplace life up to the standard revealed in the high hour.
Never allow a feeling which was stirred in you in the high hour to evaporate. Don’t put your mental feet on the mantelpiece and say—‘What a marvellous state of mind to be in!’ Act immediately, do something, if only because you would rather not do it. If in a prayer meeting God has shown you something to do, don’t say—‘I’ll do it’; do it! Take yourself by the scruff of the neck and shake off your incarnate laziness. Laziness is always seen in cravings for the high hour; we talk about working up to a time on the mount. We have to learn to live in the grey day according to what we saw on the mount.
Don’t cave in because you have been baffled once, get at it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by your own act. Never revise your decisions, but see that you make your decisions in the light of the high hour.

April 16

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed.” (Heb. 11:8)

WHITHER he went, he knew not; it was enough for him to know that he went with God. He leant not so much upon the promises as upon the Promiser. He looked not on the difficulties of his lot, but on the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, who had deigned to appoint his course, and would certainly vindicate Himself. O glorious faith! This is thy work, these are thy possibilities; contentment to sail with sealed orders, because of unwavering confidence in the wisdom of the Lord High Admiral; willinghood to rise up, leave all, and follow Christ, because of the glad assurance that earth’s best cannot bear comparison with Heaven’s least.
—F. B. M.

It is by no means enough to set out cheerfully with your God on any venture of faith. Tear into smallest pieces any itinerary for the journey which your imagination may have drawn up.

Nothing will fall out as you expect.

Your guide will keep to no beaten path. He will lead you by a way such as you never dreamed your eyes would look upon. He knows no fear, and He expects you to fear nothing while He is with you.
The day had gone; alone and weak
I groped my way within a bleak
And sunless land.
The path that led into the light
I could not find! In that dark night
God took my hand.
He led me that I might not stray,
And brought me by a new, safe way
I had not known.
By waters still, through pastures green
I followed Him—the path was clean
Of briar and stone.
The heavy darkness lost its strength,
My waiting eyes beheld at length
The streaking dawn.
On, safely on, through sunrise glow
I walked, my hand in His, and lo,
The night had gore.
—Annie Porter Johnson.

16 APRIL (PREACHED EASTER DAY, 15 APRIL 1770)

A living hope

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ 1 Peter 1:3
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: John 4:15–31

The knowledge and appearance: a lively or a living hope, or enlivening. They are heirs, but at present under age and therefore under restraint, but they know what they are born to. A king’s son while very young has but faint thoughts of his state and rank, but as he grows up, and the nearer he comes to possession, his views enlarge. So believers grow in hope. From the first there is a pleasure to know what they are born into. This hope is lively, the object great, the ground sure, being the promise of God and the resurrection of Christ, who has said, Because I live, ye shall live also [John 14:19]. It is living hope because it springs from a living faith—and it is enlivening, comforting and supporting them under all the griefs and troubles of life (1 Corinthians 15:19). What could we do without it?
The inheritance:
(i) incorruptible, cannot waste or come to nothing. The soul is immortal and must be miserable except its portion was enduring.
(ii) undefiled, uncrossed with trouble, disappointment, temptation and sin.
(iii) unfading. A flower is the emblem of all worldly good—if it looks fair it is but for a season, and soon withers. Such are our pleasures. They always end in weariness and if not plucked from us fade of themselves. But not so hereafter. O for a manifestation of the Spirit, that we may receive an impression of this glory that shall be revealed.

FOR MEDITATION: The frame of mind to which these thoughts should raise us:
(i) Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; to us the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus he is our God and Father. This is the language of faith, love, trust and joy.
(ii) Praise to Jesus by whom we have access to God. We had continued strangers if he had not brought us nigh.

SERMON: 1 PETER 1:3 [2/2]