The Difficulties of the Way
"Consider well Him who endured so great contradiction from sinners against Himself, that ye be not weary, fainting in your minds." (Hebrews 12:3, New Trans.)
O Lord, through tribulation Our pilgrim journey lies,
Through scorn and sore temptation, And watchful enemies;
Midst never-ceasing dangers We through the desert roam,
As pilgrims here and strangers, We seek the rest to come.
O Lord, Thou too once hasted This weary desert through,
Once fully tried and tasted Its bitterness and woe.
And hence Thy heart is tender In truest sympathy,
Though now the heavens render All praise to Thee on high.
J.G.D.
(pp. 137-140, Footprints for Pilgrims)
Have we that faith which so realizes Christ's presence so as to keep us as calm and composed in the rough sea as the smooth ? It was not really a question of the rough or the smooth sea when Peter was sinking in the water, for he would have sunk without Christ just as much in the smooth as in the rough sea. The fact was, the eye was off Jesus and on the wave, and that made him sink. If we go on with Christ, we shall get into all kinds of difficulty, many a boisterous sea; but being one with Him, His safety is ours.
If a storm arise, and if Christ appear asleep, and insensible to the danger -- though "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" -- as disciples we are in the same boat with Him. The Lord give us to rest on that with undivided, undistracted hearts, for Christ is in the boat, as well as the water.
The nearer we are to God the more we want strenth to walk there.
"In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? " (Psalm 11:1) Fear and unbelief would urge flight, as a bird, away from the scene to a place of refuge and human security. Faith looks higher -- "In Jehovah put I my trust."
"And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." (Matthew 14:29) This walk has no other foundation than, "If it be Thou"; that is to say, Jesus Himself. There is no support, no possibility of walking, if Christ be lost sight of. All depends on Him.
Now it solves every difficulty to ask -- not what harm is there in doing this or that -- but, why am I doing it ? Is it for God or myself ?
God "is able to exceeding abundantly according to the power that worketh in us." This is what we are to look for now; has your heart got hold of this ? ... How little faith there is in the power of God ! ... I never can think of a power of evil that is not below His power.
The Christian cannot be in a difficulty that Christ is not sufficient for, nor on a long dark road where he cannot find Him enough.
We may pass through strait and difficulty places, but He is not the less faithful; only let us look to Him, and He is there, even when He seems to forsake us, in order to put faith to the proof, and to make us known to ourselves.
There is a God above all adverse circumstances and undesirable influences. And our path for power is in letting patience have its perfect work ... Trust Him. He has power to work where we least expect it.
If we wait upon God, there is no danger. If we rush on, He must let us see the consequences of it.
--- J.N.D
