Divine Encouragement
"The God of all encouragement" 2 Cor. 1:3 (J.N.D.)
Though distant from the heavenly way
The souls you love, for whom you pray,
Ah ! why need ye despair ?
Plead on -- and ye shall live to prove
That God is power, that God is love,
And loves to answer prayer.
Sir E. Denny
(pp. 129-132, Footprints for Pilgrims)
"We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." It is not attainments, it is not watchfulness, it is not services or duties which ... give the soul entrance into that wealthy place of divine favour -- "By faith we have access into this grace wherein we stand."
If we find our souls under pressure of the spirit of fear or bondage or uncertainty we may be sure that they have let go the gentle hand of faith ... This ought not to be so. We are to know that we have ever to do with love !
"Father" -- a name that may give abiding calmness and strength and liberty to the soul.
The tempter would lead us to judge of God by the dark shadings of many a passage of our history here. But the Spirit of God would have us acquaint ourselves with Him in the beauteous light of the gospels, the glory that shines now in the face of Jesus Christ.
David ... when a stripling in the fight could say even to a giant, "This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand," but afterwards said in his heart, "I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul." ... Saul's hand which David feared was not so big as Goliath's hand which David despised; but then Christ was not so large and full before the eye of David's faith afterwards as He had been before in the valley of Elah.
"Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." Nothing peculiar ushered forth that glorious hour. No big expectations or strange events gave token of its coming. It was the natural, heavenly close of an undeviating heavenly journey.
Faith is never too bold to please Him. In the days of His flesh He often rebuked the reserves and suspicions of little faith, but never the strength and decision of faith that aimed as at everything and would not go without a blessing.
Would that we knew our God as He is to be known, for His praise and our comfort ! Love delights to be used. Love is wearied with ceremoniousness ... The intimacy of faith is according to His grace, and ceremony is but a weariness to Him.
The hand of God can do the business of God, though it have but a sling and a stone, or the jaw-bone of a donkey, or lamps and pitchers; and the Spirit of God can do the business of God with souls, though He use but a word, or a look, or a groan.
The simpler we are, the more like children, who learn their lesson rather than discuss it ... the more surely shall we find Him, and reach Him, and know Him.
Ah ! it is hard to believe that God is doing your business in this world. It is much easier to us to do Christ's work than to believe He has done ours.
--- J.G.B.
