SUNDAY COLUMN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 160, 19 April 1947, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN

DEVOTIONAL READING (Conducted by the Ashburton Ministers’ Association.) “THE DISCERNING LIFE ” ft In the Philippian prayer the Apostle prays. “That your love may abound’ and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that ye may distinguish the things that differ” (Phil 1: 9, 10, Anter. K. V. Marg.), thus linking on to the increase in love the same outlook that recognises values, as eternal or fleeting. This again supports our line of thought suggested in Jude 20: 23. The built-up life issues in a prayerful, interceding life. The prayerful’ life realises the value of being kept in the love of God, and the love life looks for mercy, and shows mercy all the time. It rises to its fullest development in the discernment, of truth. It is this judical, well-balanced, discerning approach to men and things that, finds a ripe harvest in stability of character, a determined holding fast of that which is good, and a shrinking away from that which is evil. This is also emphasised in the injunctions in 1 Tliess. 5. Again and again the exercise of the sense of discernment is enjoined, and maturity of Christian character, as in Piebrews o: 14, is the outcome. Love exults not over wrong triumphant, but shows glad sympathy with truth. The strength of love is not seen in condoning wrong standards, and taking a weak line for the sake of unity. In this way it is easy to sacrifice principles. But it is seen in a well-bal-anced attitude, firm where essentials lure concerned, and yet tender to all. 1 It was a great moment in Solomon’s life when in a dream-vision Gotl appeared and said. “Ask what I shall give thee.” And the answering request commended itself highly to God, “Give, therefore. Thy servant, an understanding heart to judge Thy people that I may discern between good and bad.” Absolute monarch that lie was, lie yet realised his need of intuitive wisdom. It was the request that pleased God. SpurreH’s rendering gives the prayer: “A discerning heart to judge Thy people.” Every servant of God needs to pray the same prayer constantly for the many complex situations and confused issues that have to be faced in life. As the writer of Ecclesiatstes, Solomon again makes reference to this need of the human heart. In 8: 5, “A wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgement.” Perfect discernment knows what to do and when to do it. We so often meet the right thing done at the wrong moment, or the wrong things said at the critical moment, that we are driven to the words expressed by Solomon, “I am a little child, I know not how to go out or to come in.” It emphasises the fact that the best preparation for obtaining the gift of a discerning heart is the lowly mind, the humility that recognises, that “all 'things are of God.” and the lack of wisdom that drives us to God “who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” The only conditiqn to the obtaining is that we “ask in faith, nothing wavering.” II Every reader will admit that in these days we need discernment in things, theories, and i^eople. The use of the word “things” has a very wide, general application. The Chinese of old realised this when compiling the term “a thing” they put together the two most remote positions, tung of east and si of west. All between east and west is a tiling, a tung-si. If we would realise the value the Word of God puts upon the term “things,” read the end of 1 Cor. 2.. and, as a well-known Bible teacher has said, underline the Holy Spirit’s emphasise on things. This whole passage leads to the climax that the natural man reeeiveth not the things ot the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can lie know, for they are spiritually discerned. The discerning life does not accept | a thijig because it looks good. It weighs facts. It sees very often that the apparently good is the enemy of the best. It looks to the heart of it, and not its outward appearance. To use a homely market illustration, the criterion of value is not in the picked front-row fruit, hut in the quality at the hack of the stall. The great man of God, Samuel, had to hear Jehovah saying to him, “Man looketh on the outward appearance, the Lord looketh on the heart.” The Holy Spirit assures us, “All things are yours, and ye are Christ’s.” To meet the events of life that challenge us, with a quiet, judicial mind will save many from a pitfall and many an undesirable situation. As the subject links itself with the love life, can we pray a better prayer than Miss Waring’s couplet: I ask Thee for a thoughtful love. Through constant watching wise. HI Discernment Of Theories— The multiplicity of theories and fancies in' the present day is bewildering. If in St. Paul’s time there were many voices in the air, much more now! Many seem to regard the production of a new theory of life as an event of great magnitude, while all the time they aie rejecting God’s simply stated plan of salvation and His purpose in the life of the world, i.e., to call to Himself obedient children, to whom, when tested and tried. He can communicate Himself and lift them to a life of eternal love. As we face theories may we not use this question as a solvent. Does this i lead men to obey God and lift to the closest-fellowship with him? The discerning life sees that the ultimate is eternal life, and all that helps on the way there is of value. There are theories that exalt men and puff them up, and at the same time they dethrone the Lord Jesus Christ, while the longer a. devout Christian lives, lie sees the increasing distance that grace has bridged. It comes to a poor, helpless \ sinner in the mire, and lifts him up to reign with Christ in the highest glory. IV Discernment With People—To a few is given the valuable gift of the discerning of spirits, hut so many of us may feel ordinary people without such endowment. The more do we need to pray for spiritual wisdom in dealing with the people we are meeting every day. Again we come for inspired guidance to Judge 22. 23, where we have flic backbone'of all this thought. “On some have mercy who are in doubt some save, snalching them out of (lie fire, and on some have mercy will) fear.” We meet all sorts and conditions of men and women. The yearning of the faithful heart is to know how to meet their need. Varying needs demand j

varying treatment. The gentleness ot Christ and patient merciful forbearance with some; the strong hand that grips and reveals the danger to another ; and yet to another mercy witli fear combined because of the hatred to sin that is .lacking in them, but must be present to us. Do we not find our Lord’s example our help, in that He hafed the sin but loved the sinner. And so. separate qualities as they are, yet they are linked in indissoluble union. Built up on our | most holy failh ; praying in the , | Holy Ghost; kept in the love of God— j [these qualities become dynamic forces I jto one great end. The built-up merges " into an interceding life of love, and that manifests itself in the discerning wisdom of soul winning. “He that is wise winneth souls” I