XXXII.

GOD’S WORK.

To the Lord was His own work known from the beginning of the world.--_Acts_ xv. 18.

Were Your work known to us, my God, as it is to You, how well ordered our minds and hearts, our views, affections, lives would be! How all things would fall into their proper places--events public and private, every detail of Your Providence affecting ourselves and others! Our desires especially, how tranquil, how subordinated they would be! Or, rather, would there be any desire save for the furtherance of Your work by the fulfilment of Your will?

But may not this be our disposition now by means of faith? May we not see in all that happens the action or the permission of God, to Whom His own work is known?

A child in the midst of a crowd is conscious of nothing but its immediate surroundings. Crushed and stifled, it can see and feel only the objects actually touching it. But let the father take it up in his arms and hold it aloft--what a difference the elevation will make!

I am in a crowd; in the dark, with the narrowest views and interests; knowing but dimly for what we are come together; finding no meaning often in what is stirring around me. But should God deign to raise me to His point of view, what a change would come over me! How differently I should look on all things! In all that happens I should see the good pleasure or the permission of His Providence: “reaching from end to end mightily, and ordering all things sweetly”.[97] This would not dull my susceptibilities, nor cramp my desires. Far from it! With the widened prospect interests would multiply on every side. But all things would be seen in their true light. In all I should recognise the Divine will unfolding itself in the course of events, and guiding all things, undeterred by the action of man’s free will, to its own predetermined ends. In a deadly contest involving my country’s honour and welfare, my patriotism would run high. But too violent regrets at the reverses of our arms, too vehement anxiety as to the issue, would be held in check by my ignorance of God’s designs. Once known by the issue, His will would be accepted loyally, simply because it was His will. “Thanks be to God, Who hath given us the victory.”[98] Or--in spite of human feeling and repugnance--“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord”.[99]

So in family trials, the hidden sorrows of the heart, the vicissitudes of the spiritual life--there would be the habit of looking up into my Father’s Face to see His meaning in it all; and where I could not see, learning to bow my head and kiss His hand. “Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight.”[100]

Does the Creator ask too much of His little creature when He bids it submit itself thus to Him? Or is it not rather a marvellous condescension on His part to invite the fusion of our will with the Divine, thus associating us with Himself in the work known to Him from the beginning?

* * * * *

What You want, my God, You shall have, and as cheerfully as I can give it. To give without cost or pain is not always in my power. You do not ask this: nay, You accept the cost and pain as proving greater love. You value above all things the faith that gives in the dark, not seeing Your open hand, nor the smile which would be its instant reward; not understanding as yet the joy our fidelity is to Him Who deigns to realise His eternal designs through the instrumentality of our free will.

O God, let not mine be wanting! Take all I have, take it at any cost. I make You welcome to all. My reward shall be to kneel at Your feet one day, and follow Your finger, showing how, here in brightness, here in shade, Your work was entrusted to me, and--my God, what joy! I have not disappointed You.

[97] Wisd. viii.

[98] 1 Cor. xv.

[99] Job i.

[100] Matt. xi.