Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 16, 13 February 1942, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by ihe Whakatn!

OUR FINAL CONFIDENCE' By I lie Rev. James Re id, O.D. "The Lore! reigncth"—Psalm xcvii 1. The eon vi ft ion ol' the sovereignty i] f Cod is the Inundation truth of religion.. 1I sounds like I. lie deep notes of a great through al! the music of faith. It is a warning lo those who trille Avith truth and righteousness. "The Lord reigneth: iet the people tremble.'* It is also f he final confidence ol.' the saints. "The- Lord reigneth; let the earth reloice." The convietion that God rules is inherent In the very idea of God. If we believe in Cod. at all, it is the very essenee of that belief that He is supreme. He made all things according to His design, and, whatever men may do, the final issue of events is in His hands. His will may be resisted, but disobedience can only bring disaster. It is not to be argued about, but only to be accepted. How man came to that conclusion is a long story which is described in the Bible. They did not reach it by reason. We cannot reach the place where we can see the throne nf Cod by any ladder oil' logic. It is God's own revelation of Himself. He made His will felt as an irresistible power, checkmating their selfish plans and helping them when they patiently sought to know His will and to do it.

It was the sovereignty of God that came home Avith subduing power to the great prophets. Isaiah tells hoAV. depressed nnd perplexed by the death of King Uzziah, he Avent into the temple. There the sovereignty of God came home to him and brought him to his knees. "I saAV the Lord, high and lifted up." The result on his spirit Avas first of nil the humbling sense of his own sin and that of the people. "Then I said: Woe is me, for 1 am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips."

The second effect Avas the desire to sei'A'e. It Avas the Avillingness to put his life at God's disposal, to answer God's Avill with a complete surrender. AL' the other prophets tell the same story. To see God to become conscious of Him, is to know that He must be obeyed. But the truth that God reigns is more than the knowledge that as individuals we must seek His will and follow it. It is the assurance that Avhatever men or nations may do, His Avill is the ruling force in the Avorld. has His purpose for the nations and He controls. The aggressor nations: might scour the Avorld like tigers in search of prey. They might appear lo thwart God's plans for His oAvn people. But even Avhile they seemed to thwart it He overruled their efforts, Aveaving them into His design. "Babylon is a gold cup in th<* Lord's 'hand." The fierce Assyrians were His instruments lor purifying His sinful Israel. Above the clash

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of conflict His throne stands secure. For*those who seek His purpose and love justice and righteousness, '.he"*' i.. a confidence in this faith that keens them peaceful in the midst of strife, and calm in the face el seeming defeat. "'The Lord :eigneth." !t is not easy sometimes to see (he truth of this. !l may help us if we remember that there are certain conditions or laws in life that e.re fixed and unalterable. We can do nothing unless we accept them. Water will not run up hill. Grapes cannot be grown from thorns. We speak of the reign of law. Our lives depend on knowing these laws and obeying them. Only so can the earth work for our good. But laws hold also in the moral world as in the material Avorld and both interconnect. Justice, righteousness, kindness are laws in our being, and our happiness and health and prosperity in the end depend on our keeping themA jig-saw puzzle can only be fitted together to make the picture of which they form and design. We may try as we wil! to build up from them some other picture which we may have in our minds. We shall not succeed. It may be possible to go so far. but sooner or latf;r v.-e find that it will not work. So it is with life. The world can only be run in one Avay and that is God's way. We may try to ilnpose our own ideas on the international jigsaw puzzle. But the nations will only find peace and understanding on the lines of God's purpose. The denial of truth and right and goodness are the denial of life. But God's rule is net merely external. He does not merely compel us to sugmit to it through learning by sad experience that disobedience does not pay. We may start that way. The prodigal set out for home because he was hungry and home meant food. But the grudging submission te duty changed, when he realised his father's love, into the joyful service of a son. God's sovereignty is truly revealed when Ave see His 1oa t c and are Avon ijv it. Then Ave know that His Will is irresistible: for it has so Avon us that we no longer Avant to resist it. When Ave see God in the Cress Ave see Him on His throne, subduing evil at the A r ery sea of its power, which is in our hearts. His Avill was neA-er so triumphant as Avhen on the Cross evil seemed to have defeated Him. For there and righteousness not only rose unbeaten, but found in that very conflict the means of breaking the poAver of evil. The surest Avay to become aAvare of the throne of God and to feel its authority is to look at Jesus*. Stand face to face Avith Him. See His absolute truth, His unbending righteousness, His selfish love. Our hearts will be searched and subdued and broken into awed surrender. We shall see Avhat Isaiah saAV —-"The Lord high and lifted up."