October 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
479
NOVEMBER 3 “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). Resignation is putting God between one’s self and one’s grief. —M adame S wetchine . Our blessed Jesus walks among the roses and lilies in the garden of His church, and when He sees a wintry storm coming upon some tender plants of right eousness, He hides them in the earth to preserve life in them, that they may bloom with new glories when they shall be raised from that bed. The blessed God acts like a tender father, and consults the safety and the honor of His children, when the hand' of His mercy snatches them away before that powerful tempta tion comes which He foresees would have defiled and distressed and almost destroyed them. —I saac W atts . NOVEMBER 4 “Looking unto Jesus the author and fin isher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2). In the Old Testament saints we have il lustrations of the faith life, but they are imperfect examples after all. But in Christ we have God’s own ideal of what the life of trust should be. That is the reason we are not to be occupied with them, but with Him. The force of the word “looking” is not simply to fix your gaze upon Jesus, but that you must look away from everything else. Faith is the means by which we see God. Seeing God is the secret of all our blessedness. To lose sight of Him is to find ourselves in endless difficulties. So it is said of Moses: “He endured _as seeing him who is in visible.” Notice the chain—the sequence of the benefits which faith’s vision of God secures. First we see it was the secret of endurance: “He endured.” Then it was the secret of having a right estimate of things: “Esteeming the reproach of Christ.” Then it was the secret of a right choice: “Choosing rather to suffer afflic tion.” And lastly, it was the secret of a wise decision: “He refused to be called,” etc. Now these are the things we are contin ually called to do in our course through life, and the secret of it all lies in faith’s vision of God “as seeing him who is in visible,”— E van H. H opkins . NOVEMBER 5 “I f ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things an, the earth" (Col. 3:1, 2). Oh, that man would less anxiously seek after transitory joy, would less busy him self with the trifling affairs of a perishing world; how pure a conscience might he maintain! Oh, that he could divorce his spirit from all vain solitude and, devoting it to the contemplation of God and the truths _of salvation, place all his confi dence in the divine mercy! In what pro found tranquillity and peace would he possess his soul! The closet long continued in becomes delightful; but when seldom visited, it is beheld with reluctance, weariness, and dis gust. In solitude and silence the holy soul advances with speedy steps, and learns the hidden truths of the oracles of God. —T homas A’K empis .
NOVEMBER 6 “Whatsoever a man sowetH, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The seed sown in the ground contains in itself the future harvest. The harvest is but the development of the germ of life in the seed. A holy act strengthens the inward holiness. It is a seed of life grow ing into more life. He that sows much thereby becomes more conformed to God than he was before, in heart and spirit. That is his reward and harvest. And just as among the apostles there was one whose spirit, attuned to love, made him emphatically the disciple whom Jesus loved, so shall there be some who, by previous discipline of the Holy Ghost, shall have more of His mind, and under stand more of his love, and drink deeper of His joy, than others—they that have sowed bountifully, — F. W. R obertson . NOVEMBER 7 “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8). They who are God’s, without reserve, are in every state content; for they will only what He wills, and desire to do for Him whatever He desires thém to do ; they strip themselves of everything, and in this nakedness find all things restored an hundredfold. —T houghts for the Q uiet H our . Oh, what is life?"" A toil, a strife, Were it not lighted by Thy love divine. I ask not wealth, I crave not health : Living or dying, Lord, I would be Thine! Oh, what is death, When the poor breath In parting can the soul to Thee resign ! While patient love Her trust doth prove: Living or dying, Lord, I would be Thine ! Throughout my days, Be constant praise Uplift to Thee from out this heart of mine; So shall I be Brought nearer Thee : Living or dying, Lord, I would be Thine ! —F enelon . NOVEMBER 8 But rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" (Lk. 10:20). A deeper gladness has flooded the whole range of human experience since Jesus lived and died. We have an intenser joy in life, and our common toil has a new sanctity. The delights of love and home and friendship have been purified. The heavy burden of our cares has been light ened. Sin and death have been robbed of their power. The joy Jesus came to give is the joy. of the. Spirit. The joys of sense He called upon us to gratify spar e l y and watchfully. Even the joys of a nobler quality are to be accepted with a certain soberness. The joys of the Spirit are to be entered into with’ a complete abandonment. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might re main in you, and that your joy might be full.” In spiritual joy there are four de-
grees. Jesus distinguishes three of them here. There is a joy which Jesús discour aged. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you.” That is the joy of service. “But rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” That is the joy of the redeemed. There is a joy Jesus indulged. “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these tilings from the wise and prudent, and hast re vealed them unto babes.” That is the joy of the acceptance of the will of God. And then there is a joy about which Jesus was silent. “Who for the joy that was set be fore him endured the cross.” That is the joy Christ desired.— W. M. C low . NOVEMBER 9 “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" (Ex. 33:14). There may be hours of prostration when we ask only for rest; we pray for the cessation of suffering; we seek repose from' conflict with ourselves and with God’s providence. But God gives us more. He is more generous- than we have dared
BILHORN BRO S. 7 7 W . L ake S t., C h ica g o
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