Daily Strength for Daily Needs Part 50

September 27

_When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me_.--MICAH vii. 8.

_There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us_.--PS. iv. 6.

How oft a gleam of glory sent Straight through the deepest, darkest night, Has filled the soul with heavenly light, With holy peace and sweet content.

ANON.

Suppose you are bewildered and know not what is right nor what is true. Can you not cease to regard whether you do or not, whether you be bewildered, whether you be happy? Cannot you utterly and perfectly love, and rejoice to be in the dark, and gloom-beset, because that very thing is the fact of G.o.d's Infinite Being as it is to you? Cannot you take this trial also into your own heart, and be ignorant, not because you are obliged, but because that being G.o.d's will, it is yours also? Do you not see that a person who truly loves is one with the Infinite Being--cannot be uncomfortable or unhappy? It is that which is that he wills and desires and holds best of all to be. To know G.o.d is utterly to sacrifice self.

JAMES HINTON.

September 28

_My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth_.--I JOHN iii. 18.

_But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves_.--JAMES i. 22.

Thrice blest whose lives are faithful prayers, Whose loves in higher love endure; What souls possess themselves so pure, Or is there blessedness like theirs?

A. TENNYSON.

Let every creature have your love. Love, with its fruits of meekness, patience, and humility, is all that we can wish for to ourselves, and our fellow-creatures; for this is to live in G.o.d, united to Him, both for time and eternity. To desire to communicate good to every creature, in the degree we can, and it is capable of receiving from us, is a divine temper; for thus G.o.d stands unchangeably disposed towards the whole creation.

WM. LAW.

What shall be our reward for loving our neighbor as ourselves in this life?

That, when we become angels, we shall be enabled to love him better than ourselves.

E. SWEDENBORG.

September 29

_Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see G.o.d_.--MATT. v. 8.

_Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord_.--HEB. xii. 14.

Since Thou Thyself dost still display Unto the pure in heart, Oh, make us children of the day To know Thee as Thou art.

For Thou art light and life and love; And Thy redeemed below May see Thee as Thy saints above, And know Thee as they know.

J. MONTGOMERY.

Doubt, gloom, impatience, have been expelled; joy has taken their place, the hope of heaven and the harmony of a pure heart, the triumph of self-mastery, sober thoughts, and a contented mind. How can charity towards all men fail to follow, being the mere affectionateness of innocence and peace? Thus the Spirit of G.o.d creates in us the simplicity and warmth of heart which children have, nay, rather the perfections of His heavenly hosts, high and low being joined together in His mysterious work; for what are implicit trust, ardent love, abiding purity, but the mind both of little children and of the adoring seraphim!

J. H. NEWMAN.

September 30

_Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart_.--PS. xv. 1, 2.

How happy is he born or taught, That serveth not another's will, Whose armor is his honest thought, And simple truth his utmost skill.

H. WOTTON.

If thou workest at that which is before thee, following right reason, seriously, vigorously, calmly, without allowing anything else to distract thee, but keeping thy divine part pure as if thou shouldest be bound to give it back immediately,--if thou boldest to this, expecting nothing, fearing nothing, but satisfied with thy present activity according to nature, and with heroic truth in every word and sound which thou utterest, thou wilt live happy. And there is no man who is able to prevent this.

MARCUS ANTONINUS.

October 1

_Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts_.--HAGGAI ii. 4,

Yet the world is Thy field, Thy garden; On earth art Thou still at home.

When Thou bendest hither Thy hallowing eye, My narrow work-room seems vast and high, Its dingy ceiling a rainbow-dome,-- Stand ever thus at my wide-swung door, And toil will be toil no more.

L. LARCOM.

The situation that has not its duty, its ideal, was never yet occupied by man. Yes, here, in this poor, miserable, hampered, despicable Actual, wherein thou even now standest, here or nowhere is thy Ideal: work it out therefrom; and working, believe, live, be free. Fool! the Ideal is in thyself, the impediment too is in thyself: thy condition is but the stuff thou art to shape that same Ideal out of: what matters whether such stuff be of this sort or that, so the form thou givest it be heroic, be poetic. O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the G.o.ds for a kingdom wherein to rule and create, know this of a truth: the thing thou seekest is already with thee, "here or nowhere," couldst thou only see!

T. CARLYLE.

October 2

_I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress_.--PS. xvii. 3.

_In the mult.i.tude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise_.--PROV. x. 19.

Prune thou thy words; the thoughts control That o'er thee swell and throng; They will condense within thy soul, And change to purpose strong.

J. H. NEWMAN.