THE QUIET HOUR.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12536, 30 December 1933, Page 7

THE QUIET HOUR.

A PROMISE FOR, THE NEW YEAR

(Contributed by the Pahiatua Ministers’ Association.) Isaiah 43, verse 1: “But now thus said the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for 1 have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name; thou art mine.” These words were spoken by the greatest of the prophets, the nameless prophet, who prophesied at the close of the long exile of the Jews in Babylon and sought to encourage them and strengthen them for their long and perilous journey back to their own land. The permission for their return had been given, but there were many of the people who shrank from the toils, the hardships and the dangers of the journey through the wilderness and the prophet endeavours to hearten them by great and inspiring thoughts of God. Let us apply them to ourselves. Life is compared to a pilgrimage. The New Year brings us to a stage in our journey and we look forward to the future that" lies before us. There will be dangers and temptations to meet, there may be trials and sorrows to endure, there may be difficulties and perplexities to face. And there are some who will look forward with dread and misgiving. Let us take to ourselves the prophet's words of encouragement. The reasons which he gives when he says “fear not” apply to us as much as to the Jews of old. What are they but that God has created, redeemed and regenerated us and that His constant presence is promised with us? “Thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and that formed thee, O Israel, fear not.” We believe in God the Father, Who created us. Surely He must value that which He made. He must have had some wise and loving purpose in giving us being, and He will surely see to it that His purpose shall be carried out. We know that His purpose is to bring us to the perfection for which He lias destined us. We are still in the making. And if He permits us to endure temptation it is that our strength may be deveiled. If He permits us to bear the burden of pain and grief it is that our character may be purified. If He permits' us to . face difficulties, it is that our powers may be called forth. He will not be afraid of the loving discipline by which He is educating us, lor we are sure that He will make all things work together for good to them that, love Him. But the prophet gives another reason for not fearing: “I have redeemed thee.” The figure is taken from the ransoming and setting free of slaves. The prophet reminds them of that great episode in their history, the event which them a nation, their deliverance from the bondage of Egyjit. If God has done that for them in the past, they may trust Him to guard them in the future. And we believe in God the Son Who has redeemed us. The price paid by the Son of God for our redemption from the bondage of sin was His human life lived amidst the trials and sorrows which belong to the human lot and His death upon the Cross. At the cost of suffering and death Jesus sought to save men from their sins. And we in ay see in the cost of our redemption a proof and assurance of the Divine Love which should save us from fear. “He that spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” “Who shall separate us"from the love of Christ?” Finally the prophet says, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee ” There is the assurance of the Divine Presence to guide, to guard and to sustain. And we believe m the Presence of God the Ploly Ghost, the Divine Spirit m contact with our spirits to strengthen us to meet temptations, to comfort us in sorrows, to guide us in difficulties and to help us in every need. We are entering upon another stage of our journey, going forward into a strange unknown land, but we need fear no evil, for God is with us Only let us never falter in our faith and love and loyalty to Him, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can go on our way, then, without fear, sure of the Divine Love, realising ' the Divine Presence, trusting in the Divine Help which never fails those who constantly seek it.

“Who shall separate ns from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death (should it come to us) nor life (with all its changes, its possibilities of fog or sorrow), nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall bo able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.