60
T h e K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
February 1930
Heartlessness and Despair T HE long look is not only a remedy for worldliness, but it is a remedy for hopelessness and despair. “ Lift up your eyes on high,” for we despair when we see only the things that are near—the sin, the vice, the indif ference and callousness of men—but we gain courage and hope when we see God. In our work for Jesus Christ we are much in need of the ability to look above our dif ficulties, real and near as they are, and realize the love and interest and power of our unseen Helper. “ Open his eyes, that he may see,” prayed Elisha for his despairing ser vant at Dothan. That servant could see only the things that were near—the encircling Syrian host intent upon the prophet’s destruction; but when his eyes were opened he saw the mountain was full of chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha. Oh, despairing child of God, you have seen the opposing host, but have you seen the army of celestial helpers? Take the long look about the things that are near and which work against you, to the invisible but almighty and eternal forces which are work ing for you. The nearest and most obvious facts are the facts of sin and wrong and vice and selfishness, and they are ter rible enough to make anyone despair; but faith in God gives one a long look, for he looks up and away and he sees in the place of supreme authority and dominion, the Sacrifice of Calvary with the nail-prints still in His hand and the' spear-gash still in His side, the Man who died for- H im ; and seeing Him, he cannot despair. The burdens of life are heavy, but “ all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The governments of the world are,fast drifting to destruction, but he sees One coming whose name shall be called “ Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. O f the increase o f his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne o f David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with jus tice from henceforth even forever. The zeal o f the LORD OF HOSTS will perform this.” — o— Spiritual Atmosphere HP HERE are whole communities in which the moral tone, is so low that no man can live in them long without being more or less consciously debauched. The Patriarch Lot is represented as “ righteous,” but protracted residence in Sodom dragged him down to such a depth that we shudder to contemplate the things of which he showed himself capable. This principle o f atmospheres will help to determine many questions that are apt to perplex and trouble conscientious Christian minds. Questions touching the books we read, the diversions we indulge in, the places of amusement to which we resort. “ What’s the harm ?” somebody asks, and it may not be easy always to give an answer. “ What’s the harm in the dance ?” “ The card table ?” “ The theater ?” “ The Sun day newspaper ?” It may not be possible always to formu late an indictment that will hold. To reach sound conclu sions we must go farther back and deeper down and con sider tendencies and far-reaching results. What is the matter with these things which we have named, and ever so many more such questionable indulgences ? For answer we have only to point to the multitude of church members who have been living in the atmosphere surrounding such things until they have become so enfeebled by malaria that
they have not the strength to crawl to prayer meeting or to stand upon their feet and witness for Jesus Christ, if ever by chance they do go to the mid-week meeting. “In vain they tune their formal songs, In vain they strive to rise; Hosannas languish from their tongues, And their devotion dies.” On the other hand, there is nothing so contributes to the development of robust and beautiful Christian man hood and womanhood as perpetually dwelling in the scenes eloquent with sacred suggestions and breathing an atmosphere charged with the whole psalm of heaven. Our Saviour prayed, “ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Here, in the Word, rise the glorious heights of the everlasting hills; here rolls the ocean of God’s infinite love. I may climb these heights, get inspiration and outlook over the immensities and eter nities ; I may ’wander on the shores of this ocean and drink in the breath of heaven that blows over it, and thus get hope and heartening for life’s toils and conflicts. A very beautiful aspiration was that which the Psalmist breathed when he cried, “ One thing haare I desired o f the Lord, that will I seek out: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” We have known what it is to repair to the house of the Lord in time of trouble; we have been sorely tempted and maybe had grievously sinned, and as a consequence had long time been “ tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt” until at last we said to our poor, tired souls, “ Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” And, like Noah’s weary dove, we came fluttering back to the sanctuary and there we rested; and as we listened to the sweet strains of well- remembered sacred songs and to the precious Word of God, and to the voice of prayer on the wings of which we mounted upward to the very throne of God, we said to ourselves, “ My willing soul would stay in such a plane as this and sit and sing herself away to everlasting bliss.” But, alas, we cannot stay. The sweet and solemn ser vices will presently be over and we will be gone out to the street, out into the chilly air, out amid the rush and roar of worldliness and godlessness, and we tremble with ap prehension. We know, from long and sad experience, that we will be caught up and carried away by the cur rents of the world that go long overmastered us. But, oh, if we could only “ dwell in the house o f the Lord forever,” then would we be indeed wiser and better men.-- Well, thanks be to God, we can dwell there. The real hoqse of the Lord is the Word of the Lord, so far as spiritual atmosphere is concerned. Here is a temple whose foundations are eternal. It has gorgeous windows adorned with glorious symbols through which streams the light of redemption; it has groined and pillared arches re sounding ever with the music of angelic choirs; it echoes with the voices of patriarchs, priests, prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ Himself, who is “ the Way, the Truth and the Life.” In this temple we may dwell forever. And thus abiding, thus encompassed, surrounded with the truth, breathing in the truth, permeated by the truth, we are uplifted by the truth, transfigured by the truth; and this is what our Saviour means when He prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth.”.
SEE BACK COVER FOR ATTRACTIVE OFFER. THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN OF THE KING’ S BUSINESS.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs