Standards of Life and Service Part 12

Now, when I speak of Salvation from worry, I do not mean deliverance from nervous agitation or shrinking from physical suffering, although I do not know how to fix a point where G.o.d's gracious power is exhausted, even as regards these things; but 'worry' is that carking care, that undue anxiety about one's personal affairs which destroys peace of mind, burdens the heart, and often leads to distrust of G.o.d's love and power. From such things G.o.d's grace is sufficient to deliver.

Let me be plain, however, on one point. I think carelessness, recklessness, and indifference to possible happenings, is wrong. You hear persons say, 'Oh, never mind; what does it matter? Don't fash or bother yourself.' But such expressions often spring from pure selfishness, and sometimes exhibit a sinful disregard for the happiness of other people. Nothing makes it right to ease yourself at the expense of others, or to shirk burdens by shifting them to other shoulders.

Some are clever at that, but such action may be positively sinful. On the other hand, G.o.d can deliver us from that anxious care and foreboding and unrest with which so many good people are afflicted.

Oh, my friends, can you not learn to come to G.o.d as the Apostle directs, making known your requests in 'prayer and supplication with thanksgiving'? for then 'the peace of G.o.d which pa.s.seth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ'.

We need far more trust in the providence of our Heavenly Father. What needless pain we suffer! what agonies of mind we endure! what clouds hang above and around us! because we do not trust Him in respect of the circ.u.mstances of life.

There are those even who are trusting G.o.d to forgive their sins and save their souls, who yet will not trust Him to carry them through a difficulty in ordinary life and a.s.sociation, or help them with their bread and b.u.t.ter. The fact is, they doubt G.o.d's personal interposition in the affairs of men; consequently, their affairs get muddled, and their hearts and minds are disturbed, often to distraction. No truth is more plainly taught than that G.o.d does interpose. 'In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.' 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.' 'Who is he that shall harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?' 'No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.'

I know that distrust and doubt can erect all sorts of difficulties, and perhaps none is more common and specious than what is called by the sceptical men 'the logic of proportion'. This argument says, 'In a universe so vast, what is man? As a speck of dust is to a planet, and as a star is to the vast universe, so is man to the world in which he lives'. Well, it certainly is not strange that the mind should stagger at the thought of the Creator of the universe putting His hand to the management of the details of a human life. And yet G.o.d's truth in the Bible completely wipes out this so-called 'logic of proportion'.

Let us look at a familiar ill.u.s.tration used by our Master of G.o.d's minute care for those who fully trust and follow Him. One able man has called what I am referring to 'the doctrine of the odd sparrow'.

Matthew records how, on one occasion, Jesus said, 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father'. But, turning to Luke, we find a slight variation in what Jesus said, 'Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before G.o.d'. Now, do you see the point of Luke's putting of it? It is as if the dealer had said to the buyer, 'Look here, you want a farthing's worth of sparrows. Well, you can have two; but, if you will buy two farthingsworth, I will _throw the odd one in for nothing_'. Two for a farthing; five for a halfpenny.

But see; of that odd sparrow thrown in as hardly worth counting, Jesus said, 'Not one of them is forgotten before G.o.d. Not one shall fall to the ground without your Father. Are ye not of more value than many sparrows?' Now, in the light of that ill.u.s.tration, turn once more to the Apostolic message, 'Be careful for nothing', and I think you will find good reason for believing the promise, 'The peace of G.o.d shall keep your hearts through Jesus Christ'.

Before leaving this matter of worry, I suggest that we look well to find the cause of the trouble; for, alas! it is not unfrequently the case that care or undue anxiety arises from positive sin in the heart.

Some of you worry in respect of your position in life as compared with other people's; but are you sure that some of this fratch and distress does not arise from feelings of envy, or jealousy, or discontent?

Others may worry because of comparative poverty, but is it not often pride or ambition concerning yourselves or your children, and a desire to be level with your neighbours, which causes the trouble? You worry, perhaps, because people cross your purposes and upset your plans and irritate you needlessly; but is not the secret really that you resent interference, and want to have your own way? Now, before blaming your circ.u.mstances, I suggest you have a thorough self-examination, for it may be that the inward trouble is due to unbelief, selfishness, ambition, pride, or some other form of heart sin, and that evil must be dealt with before perfect peace can prevail.

May I come very close to you, and ask, Is it not true of some that, far from being kept by the peace of G.o.d which pa.s.seth all understanding, you are in a condition, an att.i.tude of mind, which distinctly hinders the enjoyment of such a blessing? Some, I fear, have not got even as far as saying, 'Being justified by faith, I have peace with G.o.d'. There is some sin, some indulgence, which G.o.d is against; and as rebellion and peace are opposed to each other, you cannot have guidance and peace and spiritual blessings until you cast yourselves at the mercy-seat, and take Christ as your Saviour.

Again, it may be some point of controversy. Something in regard to your circ.u.mstances, or your consecration, or even your inward condition; you refuse or hesitate to obey G.o.d's call, and follow the light. G.o.d has not left you to yourselves, but the Spirit is grieved by your unwillingness; and the result is, that you have conflict in your hearts, clouds in your sky, and failure in your lives.

Take it from me, that you cannot have this deliverance which the Apostle describes, this keeping power and peace, unless the will of G.o.d is supreme in your heart. Controversy must be given up, the full surrender made, and then you must trust yourselves and your lives in G.o.d's hands. If this is done, and the Apostolic direction followed, then you will be able to sing--

_Careless through outward cares I go, From all distraction free; My hands are but engaged below, My heart is still with Thee._

XX

An Appeal and a Response

'_I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me! And He said, Go._'

(Isaiah vi. 8, 9.)

The incident with which these words are connected was a real mosaic in sacred history. You have the record of a vision which was not a dream but a revelation--a panorama of actualities. The background of this vision might well absorb our attention. The temple and the glory which filled it; the throne and Him who sat thereon; the seraphim, with their wings and ascriptions of Holiness. The atmosphere was, indeed, electric with the presence of G.o.d and the angelic host.

Isaiah, the solitary human figure in the scene, was overawed with the glorious majesty of the Divine character; shame at the revelation of his own impurity overwhelmed him. He rightly felt that he was a blot upon this temple scene, but the Divine touch of the living fire transformed him, and prepared him for that which was to follow.

a.n.a.lyse this conversation, and you see three things standing in a most natural order:--

First. An Appeal sounds out: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?'

Second. A Response is made to that Appeal: 'Here am I; send me'.

Third. A Commission was given: 'And He said, "Go"'.

Now this conversation was not only important and imperative as regards Isaiah and his circ.u.mstances, but in its application to ourselves and our surroundings. I think we shall get some blessing and inspiration for duty if we consider the three facts as they stand.

1. _The nature of the appeal was a very simple one._ The Lord wanted a suitable representative to stand for Him among a sinful, backslidden people.

Isaiah was already supposed to fill that position--at any rate, on special occasions; but he was so much like the people themselves that in the ordinary way his religion had little weight with them. No doubt he felt the honour and privilege of being a prophet when a special message had to be sent, but he hardly realized the high purpose of his mission, and maybe his cry, 'Here am I; send me', was a pleading for another chance to better represent His Lord.

The same appeal, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' is sounded in our ears to-day. There are certain aspects which I would like you to note. _It was an appeal based upon a great need._ Then, as now, the people were without G.o.d; indifferent to His claims, few of them with any experimental knowledge of His Salvation, and, consequently, having no hope in the world. And in these respects G.o.d wanted a man who would arouse the people, a.s.sert His claims, and lead them back to His service.

Believe me, the world's need to-day is a deep and terrible one. I need hardly enlarge upon it. You know it, because samples of it are at your door and around you. But do not forget that the deepest need of the people lies in their lack of knowledge of G.o.d and that Salvation which, after all, is the panacea for human woe.

We live in days when the practical aspects of religion are most emphasized. The social conditions and physical needs of the poor people are regarded as affording a sphere for Christ-like effort quite as much as is the preaching of the Gospel. Bread, not creed; relief as well as pity; material improvements in place of missions and Gospel addresses and such-like are demanded on every hand. G.o.d forbid, however, that the doing of these things should be regarded as quite sufficient.

There are humanitarian considerations, and we must not ignore them.

Squalor, poverty, debauchery, harlotry, oppression, war, and ignorance are existing evils which must have attention. We must not be so taken up with the souls as to neglect the temporal, social, and physical needs of our fellows. But the deepest wail of want and woe which comes from the world is not to be met by bread, or sovereigns, or sanitation, or education, or more equal conditions of life. It is the absence of G.o.d and eternal hope which gives the deepest and most sorrowful tone to the world's bitter cry.

This was also _an appeal for human help_. I do not know why G.o.d has so tied Himself up as He has, but it is a fact. Although angels are available, and the direct operations of His Spirit would be almighty, His plan is to get His will made known by one man telling another. Men to save men; men to help men; that seems to be G.o.d's method, and He appeals now, as before, 'Who will go for Us?'

2. The second point I named was _the response to the Divine appeal_: 'Here am I; send me'. Cannot that be repeated in various directions among us? Thank G.o.d for the responses already made, and but for which dark and hopeless, indeed, would be human hearts and places which have been illuminated by the light of G.o.d's Salvation. But, Oh, for more ready and larger responses to the appeal which is ever sounding in our ears!

Isaiah's response was a _voluntary_ one. Some people are like the horse whom his owner said had only two faults; one, that he 'took such a lot of catching', and the other that 'he would not work when he was caught'. Others have to be disciplined and broken by trouble before they fall in line with G.o.d's will. But why should not every one who names our Lord's name cry out with a ready spirit, 'Here am I, Lord; send me'?

This was also _a response without conditions_; or, as we put it, an unreserved surrender, an unconditional consecration. It is a matter to rejoice over when men and women express willingness to do any service, but it is infinitely better when, coming up to the Divine altar, they say, 'Here am I, Lord; have your own way; do as you will with me; anything for Jesus--anywhere for Thee'. Have you got there yet? If not, let that be the advance which you make now, without further bargaining and reserves.

But _this response came from a heart qualified to make it good_. Ah!

that is the secret of all successful service. Isaiah, cleansed, sanctified, and touched with Divine Fire, was a different person from the one who lay grovelling in the dust, and crying, 'Woe is me!' Up to that moment he was too much like those around him; but now, touched, baptized, and qualified, he was fit to be G.o.d's witness and agent.

That just touches the point where some of you are lacking. You need this cleansing, this 'unction of the Holy One', or you need it afresh in the face of the world's crying need. You hold back, you stumble and often fail; but why? The answer is, you need just what Isaiah got to qualify him for his mission. You must get this so as to be able to respond to G.o.d's appeal as he did.

3. Then I also spoke of the _Divine commission which followed the response_. Observe the process, 'Who will go?' 'Here am I.' '_And He said, Go_'. That is still the line upon which our Lord acts in sending out His representatives.

We sometimes dwell upon the 'Come's' of the Bible, quoting the Divine invitations for the encouragement of hesitating souls. May we not with equal force quote the 'Go's' of the Book as indicating the will of G.o.d concerning our duty?

You remember the Lord's 'Go' to Moses, when, appearing to him in the burning bush, G.o.d set out His plan for Israel's deliverance: 'I will send thee to bring My people out'. In the same manner the Lord gave Joshua his marching orders to 'Go over Jordan, and possess the land'.

Paul had a similar experience when the Lord bade him rise and receive his commission to go to the Gentiles.

Christ's Parable of the Great Feast strikes the same note when the liberal host sent out his servants, saying, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled'.

But the grand chord was sounded out by our Risen Lord when He said to His disciples, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature'. That is the commission given to us.

During successive years I have, on behalf of The General, had the privilege of commissioning from our International Training Homes batches of 400 or 500 young men and women who have been trained to be Officers of The Salvation Army. That is a grand annual contribution towards the world's Salvation. But the word comes not only to the leaders of G.o.d's hosts, but to every Soldier and follower of Jesus Christ who is consecrated to His service.

_The Lord's 'Go' means different things to different people._ To some, the Divine finger points one way; perhaps to a distant field, where millions lie in the darkness of heathendom, or to Army Officership somewhere. To others it points to spheres of testimony and work near at hand. The kinds of places and labour are varied, but the purpose is the same, and all who go out in obedience in G.o.d's name will find His almighty power behind them and blessings in their train.

I cannot direct you in detail, but in general terms I can say, _Go where you know G.o.d wants you_. Where the streams of sin are sweeping the people down to d.a.m.nation and dark despair--go there. Where the poor people are being ruined by that cup which not only curses now, but at the last 'biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder'--go there.

Where struggling souls are crying for sympathy and help--go there.

Where the youth of our land are being polluted by depraved men and women among whom they earn their daily bread--go there. Where G.o.d seems unknown, or His claims unheeded for lack of living witnesses--go there.

Go where you may lift up your voice for your Master; go where a helping hand or kindly words can minister comfort to depressed and hopeless hearts.