by Dr. Vance Havner
I am well aware that what is in mind in these verses is a reverential fear of God and not a nervous fear of judgment. We are not to be subject to bondage all our days through fear of death. He that feareth is not made perfect in love and perfect love casteth out fear. Many verses could be brought up to reprove us for an improper fear, for trembling when we ought to triumph. But we have with us many dear souls who, for one reason or another, are sore beset by fightings within and fears without. They get scant help from most ser mons and books that seem, somehow, to move all around their problem but never actually touch it. Some of these fearful souls were born that way. They are temperamentally set in a minor key. Others have be come that way through great adversity or illness. Mel ancholy plays devilish tunes on unstrung nerves. Some are afflicted with that perverse ingenuity of mind, of which MacLaren writes, that manages to distill a bitter vinegar of accusation out of grand words in the Bible which were meant to afford them but the wine of glad ness and of consolation. Whatever the precise form of their trouble, these trembling souls will get scant help from most preachers and teachers and books. Certainly they can expect noth ing from the school of happiness boys who fairly trip through the Christian life with a “ tra-la-la.” Chris tians with naturally sunny dispositions who have not had much trouble can do nothing but theorize at best and a cheap gay optimism will not do for Mr. Fearing. Indeed it will not do for anybody. Try as you will, you a
cannot build up from the gospels a hail-fellow-well-met Jesus giving hooray pep-talks. The Man of Sorrows Who sighed and wept and groaned in spirit because He knew the world’s heartbreak does not fit into our cheer leader brand of American Christianity very well. There is a world of difference between what this world calls happiness and what God calls joy. There are other Christians of robust rugged consti tution and faith who will have little patience with Mr. Fearing. Strong of will and dogmatic, they seem so sure and positive that they but make him the more wretched and drive him to despair. They may admonish him to “ snap out of it” but they cannot help him for their sturdy natures just cannot understand such fel low-travelers and may terrify him further by accusing him of some secret sin when perhaps he has already confessed more than he is guilt of. Other earnest and well-meaning souls would like to help Mr. Fearing and they try but they have never had any such experiences as his and that totally disqualifies them. Our Saviour was tempted in all points like as we are and that is one reason why He can help us. But not every Christian has been along the desolate sloughs of despondency and passed sleepless nights and been tor mented by bugaboos and hobgoblins of the soul. It is impossible to help such weary pilgrims through such lowlands if you have not been their way. Experience grants an insight because “ you know how it is.” This scribe knows whereof he writes. He made his way through several dismal years when, like Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, he could not distinguish the THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter