THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S from an inferior to a superior or from one equal to another, bu t when com ing from a superior to an inferior, the words pass from th e subjunctive mode and th e fu tu re tense to th e present tense of the imperative mode. Obedi ence is not optional b u t obligatory. If K ing George should invite a plain B ritish subject to dine a t Buckingham palace, court etiquette would consider the invitation the equivalent of a com mand. If th e favored subject should reply “ I pray thee have me excused” it would not only be discourtesy b u t dis loyalty. Suppose1 th e subjects of a cer tain province rebel and take up arm s ag ain st th e ir sovereign. Shall he send a royal herald to politely say “ Please lay down your arm s?” Does it seem fit ting for th e Gospel herald to address guilty rebellious man in an apologetic tone as if God A lm ighty would be very much obliged to them if they would only do th e ir duty? Nevertheless when God who m ight command, condescends to en tre a t and importune, how it agg ra vates th e gu ilt of those who contemptu ously ignore or w ilfully refuse His g ra cious invitations! The Old and New T estam ent invitations are pitched in th e same high key of royal bounty and sovereign grace. God flings wide open th e doors of the heavenly storehouse. “ Everything for nothing, th a t is grace.” THURSDAY, J u n e 26. P h il. 3:7-14. Response to God’s Love. The th ird chapter of Philippians is the believers’ balance sheet. P aul weighs th e profit and loss of h is old life under law and his new life under grace. He counts the highest advan tages of b irth , breeding and position as refuse in comparison w ith the knowl edge of Christ. His supreme am bition is to know H im and to m ake Him known. To th is end he avails him self of all possible resources and bends every effort in pressing forw ard to the goal. The perfection of th e tw elfth verse is th e culm ination of redemption. The perfection of th e fifteenth verse is C hristian m atu rity . The child of God should indulge neith er in retrospection nor introspection unduly. To be occu pied w ith self is no t to be occupied w ith God. Things behind us may be forgotten. Not memory b u t hope is the C h ristian ’s inspiration. We should for get our failures lest they dishearten us and fore-doom us to continual defeat. We should forget our victories lest th eir remembrance should generate self-con-
572 fidence and pride. It is impossible th a t an ideal should be too high. B etter aim a t perfection and miss it, th a n aim a t imperfection and h it it. Concentra tion of effort is economy. The P salm ist says, “One th ing I desire.” ' Ps. 27:4. The man born blind who had been healed said, “One th ing I know .” John 9:25. P aul says “One th ing I do.” The average man cannot do two things a t once and do them equally well. B etter say w ith Paul, “This one th ing I do” th an “These fo rty things I dabble in .” Anything th a t is worth doing a t all is worth doing well. Focalized effort is consistent w ith careful atten tion to detail. “Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.” FRIDAY, J u n e 27. Matthew 6:5-15. P ra y e r to God. P ray er is the psychological act by which th e soul seeks and finds con scious contact and communion w ith God. It is not necessarily petition. It seeks God ra th e r th a n His gifts. It is said th a t St. F rancis of Assisi was accustomed to spend hours a t prayer upon Mount Alverno and all th a t he was ever h eard to say was “ God” re peated a t intervals. T h at is elemental and essential prayer. Communion is m utual contact. The soul comes in con ta c t w ith God and God comes in con ta c t w ith th e soul. P ray er is God’s opportunity w ith man. P ray er brings us into harmony w ith the will of God. There is an eternal and unchangeable moral order in th e universe. T h at kind of prayer which would seek to change it a t any tim e and in any way is power less and futile. Unanswered prayers are as in structive as those which are answered, b u t delay is no t always denial. John 2:4, 5. C hristian prayer is offered in th e name and for th e sake of Jesus. In th e name of Jesus means in th e person of Jesus. When we are in Christ and Christ is in us, it is as if He prayed w ithin us. Having th e rig h t to use H is name, it has all th e power and v irtu e on our lips th a t it has upon His own. We have th e m ind of Christ. His desires and purposes arise w ithin us as we abide in Him even as th e sap arises in th e tree and flows th rough all the branches. P ray er is an instinct as broad as hum an natu re. We pray to God before we know H im in order th a t we may know Him. We p ray to God a fte r we know H im because we know Him. Don’t stop praying. “More things are w rought by prayer th an th is world dream s of.”
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