Food for the Lambs Part 4

Down, down in the depths of infinite love, Filled with all the fulness of G.o.d, Joy's cup ev'ry moment filled from above, As adown life's pathway I trod.

No sin sways its scepter over my soul, G.o.d's righteousness fills ev'ry part, His fulness of glory keeping the whole, And I love him with all my heart.

Sing not to me of the pleasures of earth, I have found a much happier way; The joys of the Lord, of far greater worth, Are filling my life ev'ry day.

Sorrow and sighing have flown away, From trouble and care I am free, The peace of G.o.d over my heart holds sway; I am as happy as I can be.

You are tempted, you say, and sorely tried; Of that I have nothing to say, The victory is mine whate'er may betide; I'm happy each hour of the day.

My pathway of life is now paved with peace, The flow'rs ever bloom bright and gay; A halo of light is shed around me As I walk the beautiful way.

THE HIDDEN LIFE.

You have experienced a resurrection. You once were dead in sin; now you are alive unto G.o.d. You have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. You are a new creation; you have a new life. Though you have existence in this world, yet the world does not discover your true life. With Christ it is hid in G.o.d. The world knows nothing of you except as they see you in the life you live in the flesh. You have a higher life to which they are as insensible as the inanimate stone is to the life of the bird. You are one of G.o.d's "hidden ones," and a stranger on the earth, because you are unknown. You are not found in the halls of worldly pleasure, but instead are to be found by the bedside of the sick, reading the Bible, praying, or speaking words of cheer and comfort, and the world wonders how you can enjoy yourself in such a way. You have a joy that is unknown to them, because you have a life that is hidden from them. That life of yours which is hid with Christ in G.o.d finds no enjoyment in the pleasures of the world.

When adversity comes the world does not understand how it is that you can rejoice; and when circ.u.mstances are very unfavorable, how you can be happy is a mystery to them. It is because you do not live in the things of the world, but in a much higher realm. If your life is hid with Christ in G.o.d, your heart's longings will be for the things above; all your affections will be on things above. Those who live upon earth are seeking the things of earth; but those who live above in G.o.d seek the things which are above. Nothing of earth has any charms for them. Christ has won their hearts. They love him intensely. They live in him. They are sojourning here upon earth for a time, but their hearts are with Christ in heaven. Their home, their love, their treasures, their hopes, their thoughts, their life,--all are there, and they are seeking with eagerness for more of that sweet, precious life which is from above.

They walk here almost like one in a dream, as concerning this world; they know but little of earth, but much of heaven.

This earth is not my home, I live above, Where peace and joys abound-- Sweet land of love.

My life is hid in G.o.d With Christ the Son, Though here on earth I am By earth unknown.

I dwell in worlds above, By thought and prayer-- Oh, blest eternal home!

My heart is there.

CONSCIOUSNESS OF G.o.d'S PRESENCE.

Happy and blessed is the soul that is conscious of G.o.d's sweet indwelling presence. Being conscious of G.o.d's presence is what the Psalmist meant when he said, "O taste and see that the Lord is good."

"Tasting G.o.d" is an expression incomprehensible to the unregenerate.

Those who have tasted him comprehend the meaning of this expression better than they can tell it. When a bit of sugar is placed upon the tongue there is experienced a sweetness in the sense of taste. When the soul tastes of G.o.d there is experienced a sweetness in the spiritual being. The sweetness of G.o.d's presence in the soul is as much more glorious than the sweetness of sugar to the taste as spiritual and heavenly things are above literal and earthly things. G.o.d and his word are inseparable, or the word is G.o.d; therefore when the Psalmist says, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth," it is in reality tasting the sweetness of G.o.d.

The awakened soul thirsts for this sweetness of the divine presence.

Nothing else can satisfy it. The wealth and pleasure of the world do not contain a sweetness sufficient to satisfy the heart of man. It is only G.o.d that can fill the hungry soul with goodness. The divine life sheds peace and light and rest in the soul. Man receives the divine presence into his spiritual being when he is quickened by the Spirit. In the Word of G.o.d it is termed "pa.s.sing from death unto life," and "being born again." In sanctification when a revolution is effected in the nature of man and he becomes a partaker of the divine nature, it is then he is conscious of the fulness of the divine presence and is at rest. Glory be to G.o.d!

To possess the divine presence in its fulness is not the end of the Christian race. There are certain conditions for man to meet in order to possess this glorious inheritance, and there are certain conditions for him to meet in order to retain it. Not only is man able, in the economy of grace, to retain the sweet consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, but in his hands are placed instruments that enable him to cultivate and deepen this consciousness and thus add glory to glory and cause his way to s.h.i.+ne more and more unto the perfect day. Oh, how many Christians would enjoy more of heaven's glory in their souls, if by careful cultivation they would increase the sense of the divine presence! Dear pilgrim, have you reached the land of "eternal weights of glory" or the regions where "joy is unspeakable"?

To cultivate or deepen the sense of the divine presence requires an almost constant effort. Right at this point is where perhaps more Christians have failed to do what was required of them than at any other; and consequently experience less joy and power than formerly.

There are many things employed by Satan to weaken this consciousness of G.o.d. Looseness of thought, moments of idleness, or yieldings to self, serve to weaken the reverential feeling in our hearts toward him. A little attention to the world, a little thought for the morrow, a little anxiety, a little too much talking,--these things destroy the consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, and rob us of spiritual power and rest. Living before G.o.d in prayer, holy and pure thoughts, the entertaining of right feelings toward G.o.d and man, acts of benevolence and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, develop and fas.h.i.+on the soul more and more into the beauty of the divine life.

It is the privilege of the saint so to walk in the presence of G.o.d and live in holy communion with him as to draw G.o.d's glory and life into his own, and give him a feature very distinguis.h.i.+ng for ordinary natural man. If we wish to be like Jesus and enjoy the sweet consciousness of his presence, we must live with him in prayer. As we improve the health and strength of our physical being by proper food and exercise, so we improve the strength and beauty of our spiritual being by proper meditation and prayer.

REFLECTION.

How often when walking down the country lane in the twilight of a summer's evening you have looked upon the round, full moon and exclaimed, "What a tender, beautiful light! how soft and mellow is the glow!" But you must remember the light is not its own. Of itself it is a cold, dark body. The great luminary that so recently sank behind the western hills is the real light. It pours its brilliant rays upon the moon and the moon reflects the sun's light upon your pathway. The moon, therefore, is only a reflector. You stand before a mirror and behold your face and form imaged in the gla.s.s. The gla.s.s acts as a reflector, reproducing the objects that are placed before it and s.h.i.+ne upon it. The unregenerate heart is dark and reflects no light; but G.o.d can take it and cleanse, purge, and polish it, and make it capable of reflecting the virtues of heaven's grace.

1 Cor. 13:12 is rendered thus by Conybeare and Howson: "So now we see darkly, by a mirror; but then face to face." While here in this life we can not see the real and true glories of the eternal world; but we can see some of its beauties and glories mirrored in the face of nature and the Bible. The starry worlds above us, the verdant hills, the swaying forests, the waving grain, the fleeting cloud, the blooming flower, dimly shadow forth the glory that awaits our expectant souls in that bright world where angels dwell.

The Greek text of 2 Cor. 3:18 is beautifully rendered in these words by the above mentioned translators: "With face unveiled we behold in a mirror the brightness of our Lord's glory, are ourselves transformed into the same likeness; and the glory which s.h.i.+nes upon us is reflected by us, even as it proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit." These words are full of grandeur to my soul. Their wondrous beauty and sublimity can not fail to awaken admiration in every Spirit-quickened and purity-loving heart. You will see, Christian reader, the position you occupy as a follower of the Lamb of G.o.d. You are a reflector; you have no light of yourself. G.o.d s.h.i.+nes his glory upon you and you reflect it to the world, and thus you become the light of the world. In one translation "character" is used instead of "glory." G.o.d's character is s.h.i.+ned into your soul, and you are to reflect it to the world.

There is another clause in the above quotation too full of riches and too well adapted to this work to pa.s.s by unnoticed. It is this: "We behold in a mirror the brightness of our Lord's glory, are ourselves transformed into the same likeness." We do not grow into salvation, neither do we grow into sanctification; but after we receive this glorious experience there is still a continual transforming into a more perfect likeness of Christ. While in the Museum of Art in one of our large cities last spring I saw an artist reproducing on canvas a painting which hung upon the wall. I looked upon the painting on the wall and upon the reproduction before the artist. So far as I could see the reproduction was in exact imitation of the original; but the eye of the artist could see farther than mine. He kept on applying the brush, giving a slight touch here and a slight touch there, and soon I discovered that the features stood out in more perfect imitation. So let us stand before the original and let the Holy Spirit work in us that which is pleasing to G.o.d, and we shall be continually transformed into a more perfect likeness of G.o.d. This must be your daily life. Attend strictly to every Christian duty, be obedient to the Word and Spirit of G.o.d, and you will become more and more like him and your soul will be rich in grace.

BECOMING.

One translation has rendered Phil. 1:27 in these beautiful words: "Let your manner of life be becoming the gospel of Christ." We speak of anything being becoming when it gives a good appearance. An article of clothing becomes you when it gives you a better or less awkward appearance. So your life is to be becoming to the gospel of Christ. You are to live so that your life will make the gospel of Christ more beautiful to the hearts of men. You can do this only by living just as the Bible reads. All the precious truths of the Bible are to read in your life just as they do in the Bible, and thus your life will give a better appearance to G.o.d's Word and make it more real and interesting to the unsaved.

LOVE OF HOME.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A HAPPY HOME.]

There are but few sweeter words in the English language than the word _home_. I have thought the three sweetest words are _mother, home_, and _heaven_. Home is the dearest place in all the world to the Christian heart. To have a fond love for home is not at all injurious to Christian character. Those who have but little love for home will never succeed well in the Christian life. It may sometimes occur that some of the home members are so disagreeable that the Christian for peace' sake will quit the home roof; but he still loves home. Sometimes young people think that to enjoy life they must get out from under parental rule and roof.

We have an instance of this nature recorded in the Bible. How soon we learn of the prodigal's longing for the comforts of home. How often he thought of his father's house, that place so dear to him now. The love of home is a high mark of integrity. Show me one who has no love for home, and I will show you one who has but little true manhood or womanhood. The Bible command to young Christians is to be "chaste, keepers at home." When our duty and service to G.o.d demand our absence from home we submit and go in the strength of his grace, but lose not our love for home, and return in joy at Father's will.

You can nowhere find more of heaven upon earth than in a Christian home.

Look at the picture: A father with the Holy Bible, the mother and children listening in reverence to the heavenly message. Where, I say, can you find more of heaven? Such a scene is most sweet and sacred.

Methinks the angels bend low to catch the chants of praise that arise from those devoted hearts to the gates of heaven. "Such a picture," you may say, "is very beautiful and inspiring to look upon, but where is the reality?" Thank G.o.d, such a home can be real in life, and it is your duty as a Christian to help make it so. G.o.d is pleased with such a home.

It is much to his praise. Since such homes are so rare they are all the more glorifying to G.o.d, and we should strive the more earnestly to have them real.

In your home is the place to s.h.i.+ne for G.o.d. It is the place to shed forth the radiant beams of Christian light from your grace-ladened soul.

If you hope to prosper in the divine life, be your best at home. Do not think you can be careless at home and then s.h.i.+ne in the splendor of Christian virtue when before the public. Your life at home leaves its mark upon you. s.h.i.+ne in Christian beauty at home, and you will s.h.i.+ne in beauty in public; but attempt away from home to be more than you are at home, and you will miserably fail. A few years ago while in one of our large Eastern cities laboring for Jesus and souls for whom he died I wrote a few lines to the dear ones at home, which perhaps will not be out of place to insert here.

When the light of day is dying And the shades of night steal on, Voices to my mem'ry whisper Of the dear loved ones at home.

Ere the chandelier is lighted, Ere the day's last ray is gone, O'er me comes a fond remembrance Of the dear loved ones at home.

Far above in arch of heaven Lamps are lighted one by one, But I only see the bright eyes Of the dear loved ones at home.

Far away beyond the region Where I see those s.h.i.+ning stars, Somewhere in the land of angels, Dwells a little boy of ours.

Years ago one wintry evening Heaven's gate was opened wide, And an angel swift descended, With a sickle at his side.