WINDOWS AND WAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21538, 9 January 1932, Page 17

WINDOWS AND WAYS

By the Rev. D. Gardner Miller.

Written for the Otago Daily Times.

Although belated, I take this opportunity of wishing you all the compliments of the season. For over two months ray pen has been idle, and the ordinary ways of activity have been closed. An unseen board was erected with the ominous words “ Under Repairs,” and it was a happy day when I knocked the board aside and, with many warnings in my ear, took up the joyful and eagerly anticipated tasks (albeit in small doses) of each glorious day as it came' fresh from the hand of time. When one lias been summarily removed from engrossing work and forced to be inactive, both mind and heart take the opportunity of travelling along the quiet and unfrequented ways of which the daily business of life only presents the barest glance. I understand now more than 1 have ever done what Jesus meant when Ha said to His disciples “ Come ye .>part, - ’ and took them to a quiet place where, after the excitement of their missionary journey, under His wise guidance—for He was a Master of Methods— they regained poise and power. We are so apt to think that unless we go no and on, and never let up, the whole fabric of our affairs will be ripped to pieces. We may not say what we think, but that is what we whisper in our hearts. And 10, when life suddenly plucks you out of your activities you find out two things —first, that you are not indispensable; and, second, that the time had come for God to have a'quiet talk with you, and so He takes you down an unfrequented way, and if you are wise yon won’t let your feet drag. The whole process of living teaches us that, while it is in our power to choose the way we shall go, it is God who gives the direction and calls the halts. From the Divine Father we receive only sufficient light for a step at a time, never for to-morrow’s portion of the way. Guidance, and goodness, and mercy, are promised us for every day of our life, but they are given only for a day at a time. In our stupidity we often wander idly or rush hither and thither, and it is only by the mercy of God that we are not “ bushed.” It is in the “ halts ” of life, whether these come in the natural way of holidays or the mysterious way of illness, that we find, if we are willing to find, file quiet, unfrequented ways along which the soul can travel slowly. There’s the way of meditation. In the stress of daily life we rush along that way as if we had to catch a train, whereas it is a quiet way where noise and scurvy and flurry should never obtrude. It seems strange, but God has often to put you on your back before you can learn how lo walk along the leafy lane of meditation. We are for ever facing problems, issuing and meeting challenges, making decisions, and generally beating the big drum that only, when God makes us halt, can we hear the still, small voice saying: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Delight thyself also in the Lord ” (not in your schemes) “ and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Surely to know God better, to feel the soothing touch of Nature, to meditate upon the great themes of the Bible and of life, to be quiescent, are of such importance to the growth and outlook of the soul that we should not rebel when God, in His wisdom, leads us away from the glare of the broadway and takes us down the by-paths.

Writing of ways reminds me of windows. The two go together, for life is both a journey and a reflection. To have windows in your life is to have vision, and without vision the way is dark and intolerably hard. It is almost impossible to think of windows without thinking of the timeless and priceless message which the Book of Daniel gives us in the story of its hero who was beset by enemies. When things were dead against him, he did what he was accustomed to do when times were with him; he went into his room that had windows towards Jerusalem and kneeled down and prayed. He always had a way of escape, from himself as well as from his enemieshe had windows through which he gazed his full at the lovely view and thus mastered the enticements and overcame the dangers of the moment. A life without windows is like a garden without flowers. If God takes us down the quiet ways so that we may find rest to our souls, He expects us to provide our own windows so that, looking out, we may gain inspiration and hope and courage in the day of adversity. The story of Daniel is the story of a man who conquered his enemies because he had learned to conquer himself—by looking out of his window to Jerusalem, which meant, to him, God and Church and Home. From these he received the needed strength to suffer and conquer. The man who haa windows in his soul need never worry if the world slams the door. The lions of spite, adversity, malignity, illness, death, may look ferocious, but they cannot really harm us. They can only roar, for God has pulled their teeth. Ah! but don’t let us miss the essential thing! When the enemies of Daniel wanted to catch him out, they tried every possible way affecting his social and political life, but failed. Then they tried him on his religious side. Doesn’t that make us think? Is that the way our enemies would try to catch us out? I am afraid not. Our religious life would not “stick out” so openly for them to get a grip. Our enemies would need to use a microscope to find out the religion that is in some of us. Daniel’s windows were the place where he prayed, where, with unseeing eyes, he saw beyond Babylon and all that Babylon stood for, and saw the triumph of God and righteousness. _ When he prayed, he put himself alongside the power of God. Enemies may put a servant of God in the lion’s den because his religious life is like a warning bell, but they can never break the grip of God’s fingers on His servant’s lite.

“No man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” How true it is that the man who conquers the world is the man who sees beyond the world—the man who has windows in his soul. Ways and windows! May the good Lord lead us along the way that leads home and may we all keep clean the windows of our souls.