DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 5, 3 December 1932, Page 11

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

PITCHERS AND LAMPS. “Pitchers for the Lamps of Godl” Hark the cry goes forth abroad: i Not the beauty of the make, But ah I the readiness to break, Stamps the vessel of the Lord Meet to bear the lighted Word. “Pitchers for the Lamps of Godl” Hark the cry goes fortli abroad; To surprise the sleeping host Long in sin and darkness lost, Self’s poor earthen pitcher first Must itself with glory burst. “Pitchers for the Lamps of Godl” Hark the cry goes forth abroad; Soldiers marching to the fight Must conceal themselves from sight; Trumpet blasts that wake from death Must be blown by Spirit’s breath. “Pitchers for the Lamps of Godl” Hark the cry goes forth abroad; Gideons must Isaiahs be— Vision first, then victory— Lips that first confess their shame Loudest lift the Saviour’s Name. THE END CROWNS ALL. What though the road, be rough? What if the way be long? Quivering lips must break Into a joyous song: For the end crowns all, and the end will be A Home in His love thro’ Eternity. What though the warrir faint, If but the fight be won? Work that is well complete Fears not the set of sun. For the end crowns ail, and the I Saviour’s smile ! Will repay us well for earth’s “little while.” M.E.B. CHRIST’S CLAIMS. John 16. 28, R.V. “I came out from the Father”: His Diety. “Am come into the world” : His Incarnation. “I leave the world”; His Exodus. “I go unto the Father” : His Ascension. J. GILMORE WILSON. WHAT “WE” DO. 2 Cor. 5. 1-11. “We know—-we have.” The language of assurance (v. 1). “We groan—to be clothed.” The language of hope (v. 2). “We are confident.” The language of rest (v. 6 and 8). “We are —willing.” The language of subjection (v. 8). “We labour.” The language of earnest endeavour (v. 9). “We must all appear.” The language of joyous certainty (v. 10). “We persuade men.” The language of earnest entreaty (v. 11). T. D. W. MUIR. THE PRAYER OF FAITH. A well-known evangelist tells the following story of the late Mr George Muiler —a story that illustrates the willingness and power of God to answer the prayers of His people when they pray in faith : “I first went to America many years ago With the captain of a steamer who was one of the most devoted men of God I ever knew. “When off the coast of Newfoundland he said to me, ‘Mr Ingles, the last time I crossed here, five weeks ago, something happened which revolutionised the whole of my Christian life. ' , “We had George Muller, of Bristol, on board. Owing to a dense tog, 1 had not left the bridge for twentyfour hours, when George Muller came to me and said, “ ‘Captain, 1 have come to tell you that I must he in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.’ “‘lt is impossible,’ I replied. “ ‘Very well,’ he said, ‘it your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way —I have never broken an engagement for fifty-seven years let us go down into the chart room, and P “I looked at that man of God, and thought to myself, What lunatic asylum can that man. have come from I never heard of such a thing as this. “ ‘Mr Muller,’ I said, ‘do you know how dense this fog is?’ “ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘my eye is not on the density tof the fog, but on the living God, Who controls every circumstance of my life.’ “He knelt down and he prayed, one of the most simple prayers, and when he had finished, I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. ‘Firstly, he said ‘because you do not believe God will, and secondly, because I believe God has, and there is no need whatever for you to pray about it. “I looked at him, . . . and George Muller said, ‘Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years, and there has never been a single day tha.t I have failed to get an audience with the King-get up, captain and open the door, and you will find the f °“l S got n up, and the fog was indeed e °“On Saturday afternoon George Muller was in Quebec for his engagement. BIBLE INFINITIES. In the presence of the infinities revealed to us in .the Bible, human language utterly breaks down. Thus, It the peace of God is spoken about it is described as passing all understanding (Phil 4:7); if Christian joy is mentioned it is affirmed to be unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8). Tho love of Christ is said to transcend human knowledge (Eph. 3:19), and His riches are said to be unsearchable (Eph. 3:»): while the ways of God are declared to be past finding out (Romans 11:83). It these things, which for tho most part relate to our present experionco, aro entirely beyond us, how much more so are the things which God has prepared for us in tho coming ageß of eternity.'' —Extract.