DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 289, 3 November 1934, Page 11

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

A PRAYER. A Prayer 295 Years Old, by Thomas Ehvood (1639): Oh I that mine eyes may closed be To what concerns me not to see; That deafness might possess mine ear To what concerns.me not to hear; That truth my tongue may always tie From ever speaking foolishly; That no vain thing might ever rest Or be conceived in my breast; That by each deed and word and thought Glory may to my God be brought! But what are wishes ? Lord, mine eye On Thee is fixed, to Thee I cry; Wash, Lord, and purify my heart, And make it clean in every part; And when ’tis clean. Lord keep it too, For that is more than I can do. WORSHIP IN HEAVEN. (Revelation 5: 8-14.) In the Spirit we share the worship of Heaven. We join with angels and the redeemed, saying, “Worthy, is the Lamb that was slam to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” The giving of equal honour to the Father and to the Son is the distinctive feature of Christianity. “All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father” (John 5: 23). Pray that many may benefit spiritually through your example, counsel, and care. A STARTLING CHALLENGE. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall stand in His holy place p He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. (Golden Text.) Not long ago a prominent man came forward for prayer in a service. He came and sat on the front seat. Another prominent man, a member of the church, went and sat by the side of this man; but when the first man lifted his face from his hands and looked at his friend, he said: “No, you don’t; I am after business to-day; you are not the fellow to deliver the goods to me; we know each other too well.” That is where the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice are not effective, for the reason that the life behind them lacks spiritual power and spiritual effectiveness —cleanness before God Almighty. They that handle the vessels of the Lord must be clean. PURPOSE OF THORNS. “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh.” “My grace is sufficient for thee.” When thorns are given to man’s frail flesh. And days are dimmed with pain, The Lord Himself is still at hand, His love and grace remain. Then bear with patience all those thorns The Lord sees fit to give, And learn to trust His providence, He’ll give thee grace to live. There never was a saint of old Who drew upon His grace But found that e’en the sharpest thorn Yet crowned the Master’s face.

Since God still loves and understands, Though thorns must still remain; Thou yet canst trust that His good grace Can turn thy pain to gain.

“ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS.” (Jer. 6:16.)

0 talk not of Depression, But advocate regression— For ’tis a better word, Though not so often heard— To the paths our fathers trod And their loyalty to God. They toiled through all the day, But always they had time to pray. When men regress to God’s own plan Prosperity will come back to man. (Proverbs 21:1-7.) THE VALUE OF JUSTICE. “The Lord pondereth the hearts.” Justice and right dealing please him more than religious ceremonies. God is as just as he is benevolent. One attribute is not at the expense of another. “Sin punished or unpunished is the most expensive thing in the universe. Punished, it falls upon the head of the guilty; unpunished, it rests upon the head of a substitute” (Finney). God’s perfect justice guarantees our security. THE DEMANDS OF JUSTICE. (Romans 3: 21-31.) The demands of Justice were met for us by our Redeemer. He paid the utmost farthing. All the demands against the believer have been met by Him. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3: 13). FRUITAGE. (By Thomas Kimber.) We may not understand or know Just how the giant oak trees throw Their spreading branches wide, Or how upon the mountain-side The dainty wild flowers grow. We may not understand or see Into the depth and mystery Of suffering and tears; Yet, through the stress of patient years, The flowers of sympathy Spring up and scatter everywhere _ Their perfume on the fragrant a.ir— But lo! the seed must die, If it would bloom and multiply And ripened fruitage bear.

GOLDEN SAYINGS. (From F. B. Meyer.) We may be in the body of which Jesus is tlie Head and yet be out of touch with Him. We need setting ; and this is work which God will delegate to no angel, however exalted. He will do it Himself as tenderly, as gently as possible, because He is the God of peace. Do you doubt it? Did He not bring the Shepherd to glory, and is He not able to bring the sheep also ? Never rest until you are in living organic union with Jesus, and He may be able to work His will through you to your own great joy and for the hastening of the kingdom. So long as we take the right way we shall reach a satisfying and useful end. We shall not find out life to have failed. Follow the way! Bo loyal to truth! Be faithful to opportunity ! Expend yourself for others and. as the path develops, it will climb, and the mountain glories will unfold, and the goal will become always clearer of view.