THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
12
2. To fit ourselves for its duties. One fu tu re we may contemplate. Our fau lt is not th a t we look forw ard but th a t we do not look far enough fo r ward. Why trouble w ith th e world when we have heaven? Why look along th e low level among the m ists of earth and forest swamps, when we can see th e road climbing to the heights? Why be anxious about w hat th ree 'hun dred and sixty-five days may bring, when' we know w h at E te rn ity will bring? Why divert our God-given fac ulty of hope from .its tru e object? Why to rm en t ourselves w ith casting the fashion of un certain evils, when we can en ter th e g reat peace of “ looking for th a t blessed hope?” II. The safe hands which keep the future. “The F a th e r h ath pu t in H is . own power.” We have not to depend upon an impersonal fate; not upon a wild whirl of chance, nor upon “ laws of averages,” “ n atu ra l laws,” “tendencies” and “ sp irit of th e age,” nor even on theistic Providence, bu t upon a F ath e r who “ holds all things in His own power,” and wields all for us. So will not our way be made righ t? W hatever the fu tu re may bring, it will be loving, paternal discipline. He shapes it all and keeps it in His hands. Why should we be anixous? That great- name of “F a th e r” binds Him to tender, wise, disciplinary dealing, and should move us to calm and happy tru st. III. The sufficient stren g th to face th e future. “The power of the Holy Ghost com ing upon you” is promised h ere to the disciples for a specific purpose; bu t it is promised and given to us all through Christ, if we will only take it. And in Him we shall be ready for all the future. The Spirit of God is the tru e in te r p rete r of Providence. He calms our n atu re and enlightens our understand ing to grasp th e meaning of all our experiences. The Spirit makes joy
th ing more we are really ignorant. We know th a t certainly th e g reat m ajority of us will be alive a t th e close of th is New Year; b u t who will be the excep tions? A g reat many of us, especially those of us who are in th e monotonous stretch of m iddle life, will go on sub stan tially as we have been going on for years past, w ith our ordinary duties, joys, sorrows, cares; bu t to some of us, in all probability, th is year holds some g reat change which may darken all our days or b righ ten them . In all our for ward-looking th e re ever rem ains an element of uncertainty. The fu tu re fron ts us like some sta tu e beneath its canvas covering. Rolling m ists hide it all, except here and th ere a peak. I need not rem ind you how merciful and good it is th a t it is so. Therefore coming sorrows do no t diffuse anticipa to ry b ittern ess as of tain ted w ater per colating th rough gravel, and coming joys are not discounted, and the present has a reality of its own, and is not colored by w hat is to come. Then— th is being so— w h at is the wise course of conduct? JN ot a con fident reckoning on tomorrow. There is nothing elevating in anticipation which paints the black surface of the fu tu re w ith th e same earth ly color as dye th e present. There is no more complete waste of tim e th a n th a t. Nor is proud self-confidence any wiser, which ja u n tily takes for granted th a t “ tomorrow will be as th is day. The conceit th a t things are to go on as they have been fools men into a dream of permanence which has no basis. Nor is th e fearfu l apprehension of evil any w iser. How many people spoil the present gladness w ith though ts of fu tu re sorrow, and cannot enjoy the blessedness of united love for thinking of separation. In brief, it is wise to be b u t little concerned w ith the f.uture, except— 1. In th e way of tak ing reasonable precautions to prepare for its prob abilities.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker