DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 January 1929, Page 6

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

SOMETHING FOR SUNDAY.

UPS AND DOWNS.

(By F.T.R., for the Chronicle), In our last week’s article we quoted from Eleanor Farjeon’s pretty little poem, “A Game of Ball.” The question of humanity’s place in the game has since occurred to us. There was an unexpected meeting of old acquaintances at the railway station. The usual question passed on both sides, “How have you been getting on all these years?’’ The answer, too, was a very usual one; “Oh, well; ther? have been ups and downs, you know. Perhaps a few more downs than ups. ’ ’ Then a soft, musical voice chimed in; “We’ve generally managed to fall on our feet, like the birds.” The fact is that, although our memories are keen with regard to both upward and downward movements, we are mor» apt to cherish the pleasant ones. The exaltation of the mountain air affects us more profoundly than the miasma of the valley. We are so largely influenced by present experiences. Like the Duke of York’s men, who “When they were up, they were up; and when they were down, they were down,” A little .reverse serves to colour in inky tints a great deal of the past, and any undoubted success covers it with rainbow tints. But the evil days are sooner forgotten, because of the natural inclination to dwell on happier memories; they get crowded out. If wo ask the question, Is life just a game of ball?, we open the door for many other questions. Fate, chance, Providence, and the human will all claim to bo heard. It is a game in which there are many players and many balls, no two of either being alike. It is a fanciful idea that man, collectively or individually is like a ball being bandied and kicked about by agencies which he, cannot control. It is howere a wrong idea, inasmuch as it weakens his sense of responsibility and power to assort himself. It is not in harmony with the divine revelation of man’s dignity, although, as we know, millions' of our weaker brothers and sisters have been exploited for the amusement and profit of the stronger ones. The bail, us mi accessory of sport, docs not appear to have figured much in the recreations of the people referred to in our Bible. In fact, the word “ball” is only mentioned once. But that reference is tragically significant. A little over 700 years 8.C., there was a Persian invasion of Judea, at which time one Shebnah undertook various engineering works as a means of protection. His methods, however, were extremely radical, and were directed mainly to the strengthening of his castle stronghold. ; The city’s water supply was diverted, and houses were demolished lo furnish stone for this Shebnah. Then came the message; “the burden of the valley of vision’ —-“Go unto this treasurer, even un‘<> Shebnah, and say, Behold tin- Lord will cany thee away . . He will surely violently furu and toss thee like'a ball into a large country: there thou shalt die.” Here, wo have the only Scripture refenfice to a “ball,” and it is a case of “lost ball”: on that is thrown or kicked beyond the boundary of human serviceableiu-ss; lying buried in the sand or hidden in the desert scrub.

The old deceiver thought to have a lovely game of ball when he first approached mankind. “Ye shall be as gods,” he said. He would toss’them

up to the seventh heaven. oi‘ course, they came down again, and the rebounding has gone on ever since. He thought to find an easy subject in Jesus, just ending His long fast in the desert. * ‘You are hungry; yet you are the Sou of God: why net change these stones into bread? You are unknown; yet you are endowed with Almighty power to rule: ally yourself with me, and I will give you the secret. Put God to tho test; He says He gives His angels charge over you; make a spectacular descent from this high place, so that the people may see and believe.’” The final answer of Jesus, ‘ ‘ Thou shall not tempt the fe Lord thy God,” settles the question of man’s place iu the hands of such players. It is, if we may put it in secular terms, a triumph of common -sense. It i ! 0« cognises that back of all things is God; but that the freedom of action t£ mankind is enough to make him responsible for his own ups and jjlowns. In his right mind, man is not An accessory of sport for angels, wheth cr good or bad. "Whatever happens, whether ups or. downs, it is required that he should captain his own fortunes. _ If anyone ever knew the need for patience unde. 1 hustling conditions, Jesus did; and it was He who said to his harassed, followers, “In your patience, possess ye your souls.” Wo can find only one definite use of the word “ball” in Scripture. There is, however, an obscure reference in one of the psalms to something of la spherical shape which reflects the helplessness of those who oppose the Almighty’s work. The words are, “Make them, O God, like a wheel.” A traveller in the East tells us that he has seen these wheels. They are the dried bushy heads of wild plants, of a fair size. With every current of wind they are set rolling until they become quite circular, ami at a distance resemble wheels being trundled by invisible hands. Their freedom has become their destruction. And as East and West are subject to the same'laws by which all things material and spiritual are governed, perhaps we may see here the force of the advice to “stand fast,” and not to be carried about by every wind. Nature is full of things which tell us of tips and downs. The long stretch of beach on which we reside has been playing at sea-saw for unknown ages. Th ; ei - e kre literally millions of tons of pebbles, every one of which is a rounded piece of the . rocks whose crags - at one time could only have been reached by the birds. In all these ups and downs nature seems to be seeking an equilibrium, a state of

rest; yet for us in our present stage of development such motion is an elament of our life. We could not do without the tides.

The Psalmist was impressed by the old-time story of the sea going up by the mountains ami down by the valleys. It was like the upheavals and declensions of the nations, and still holds good as a simile. But he was in awe of the waterspout; that pull ef the deep watery firmament above on the troubled ocean. “Deep calleth unto deep”; one goes up and the other comes down to meet in a roaring swirl. He sees human experience here; something which calls to the height, and something which meets it halfway. He wisely gives the watersprout a wide berth, for He who “rides upon the storm,” and is rvell able to care for his children, expects neither recklessness nor ignorance of, natural forces. Ho secs here the experience of his own soul. “My soul is cast down within me,” but. it “thirsteth for God.” He has no desire to be caught in the maelstrom, and recognises that the, ups and downs 'of life all tend to a settling down in peaceful understanding and appreciation of the divine will. The Lord will command His loving kindness; I shall ■yet praise Him. There is so much in life that is mysterious. And yet, there is just the possibility that we may shut our eyes to plain facts. We do not exactly “blame” God for our reverses; we put in more mildly or re. vcrently, and say that Providence has willed in this way or that way. If, however, wc look candidly into the caused of our ups and downs we shall 11ml the human 'element predominating' The great bulk of our set-backs wore preventible, as wc see when looking back. The Psalmist honestly admits, “this is my infirmity”; and our chief infirmity has been that “wc did not think.” We did not distinguish betwice the dictates of conscience and prudence. Wc were cither indolent, and short-sighted, or we were in too much hurry.

It is not jur Heavenly Father’s will that we should involve ourselves in trouble. He remembers our weakness eertainly and will not desert us, but we must stop saying that any tragedy which cannot be sheeted home to human agency is an “act of God.” The mistakes of life are clearly our own. Wo may, however, believe that these can be' cleared up and overcome by divine help. Wo are expected to stand firm, to be wise at the outset, and brave to meet consequences. We are not alone whether in the doldrums or on the mountain top. At our best we are only pathfinders, but we are al wavs leading others; and whether up or down it is for us to recognise our own possibilities as gifts from the fountain of life and strength and happiness. While “From the best bliss that earth affords • We turn unfilled to Him again,” We may throw within a reflection of Victor Huge’s lovely conception of the bird <<■... who, pausing in her flight, Awhile on boughs too slight, Feels them give way beneath her, And yet sings knowing that she hath wings.”