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Rejoicing in the Grandest of Hopes
Songs in the Night “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalms 126:3) In a general sense the entire Gospel Age is represented as being a night, in which sin and distress prevail. As the prophet declared, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” — when the Sun of Righteousness rises with healing in his beams, to scatter the miasma of sin and death! Even in this nighttime, God’s people need not sorrow as others who have no hope. On the contrary, “He giveth songs in the night” (Job 35:10). While they are watching, hoping, praying for the glorious morning of deliverance, their trust in God is as an anchor to their souls within the veil. How could such children of the great King go mourning all their days? Surely, especially now, as the Millennial morning is dawning, we can say, “He hath put a new song into our mouths, even the loving kindness of our God!” Those who can thus sing and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord will also show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. Theirs will be the psalm of life, manifesting in looks and words and tones and sentiments the love of God received into good and honest hearts. A Stranger in the Earth In 1695, Madame Guyon was imprisoned in the Castle of Vincennes. Whereupon she sang praises to the Lord, composing one of her own hymns, as follows:
Submitting our will to God, realizing that all of life’s affairs are in God’s keeping and under His supervision, gives rest to our heart. Scriptures portray the true child of God as a stranger and a pilgrim in the earth, a traveler, determined to allow nothing to intercept progress heavenward. Every hindering weight is set aside; the allurements of the world have no appeal. He is an alien whose citizenship is in heaven, thus he keeps himself free from entanglements in the world’s affairs. God in His own due time will institute reforms that will adjust all present inequalities, and establish the golden rule amongst men. The experiences of the present life may be looked upon as a part of his tuition, whereby he is prepared for future glories and responsibilities; and he should properly expect very severe tests, very crucial sufferings, and very searching experiences, to remove the superabundance of fleshly alloy and establish the character in righteousness and true holiness. Thus all things work together for his highest good, and he rejoices accordingly. The fully surrendered child of God learns more and more to appreciate eternal, everlasting life, and spends time and energy building up such a character as would please his Creator and bring the promised reward. The Christian numbers his days with sobriety, yet not with a disconsolate sentiment. He values the days as they go by as so many blessings, so many opportunities of praising God and rendering assistance to others in the pilgrim journey. He views each day as an opportunity of developing in himself more and more of the character pleasing in the sight of God — to become more and more a copy of God’s dear Son. He ultimately comes to that condition of heart in which he longs for the Kingdom and attaining all the glories into which he hopes to be ushered in the First Resurrection. From this standpoint he numbers the days joyfully as they go by. Distinguished by Heavenly Citizenship Not only is it the privilege of the Church to bear witness to the world by her message, and by her deportment of chastity and separation, but also by her tranquillity of mind, her deep joy in the Lord, and the sunshine of her faith, she may testify that her spiritual vision of the eternal future does effectually minimize the transitory nature of all things human and earthly, and magnify the everlasting glories of eternity, giving her a vision that can even count imprisonments, stripes, nakedness, perils by sea and land, and the whole category of suffering but “light afflictions” as compared with the definite prospects of the future. How unique is the position of the child of God in contrast to all about him! He lives in the world, but is not of it. He mingles with men and has to do with those general experiences common to all, yet his life is one of marked differences. His heavenly citizenship distinguishes him from all others. It imparts a power to “steal the bitter from life’s woes.” It puts a proper valuation on the earthly honors and emoluments and counts them loss and dross. It makes it possible to be misunderstood and misrepresented and yet count it a blessed token of priceless value. To be “unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful; yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Corinthians 6:9,10). An eminent writer, H. Bonar, has given a forceful description of the church in her pilgrimage: “The Church of God on earth is not what she seems; nay, is what she seems not. She is not a beggar, yet she seems one; she is a King’s Bride, yet she seems not. It was so with her Lord while here. He was not what men thought Him; He was what they thought Him not. The tree, in winter, is not what it appears — dead; nay, it is what it appears not — alive; full in every part, root and branch; of vigorous though hidden vitality, which frosts and storms are maturing, not quenching. All summer life is there; all fruitfulness is there; though neither visible. It wraps up within itself the germs of future verdure, and awaits the coming spring. So it is with the Church, in this age of wintry night; for it is both night and winter with her. No one, in looking at her, could guess what she either is or is to be; could conceive what God has in store for her.” May each of us continue to develop towards that most glorious condition which we seek! Adapted from The Herald, April 15, 1928
"My gracious
Lord, I own thy right to every service I can pay, and call it my supreme
delight, to hear thy dictates, and obey."
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