“DEVOTIONAL PERIOD”

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 6, 1 July 1948, Page 5

“DEVOTIONAL PERIOD”

Hyrnn 40: “In the shadow of His wings.” Scripture reading: Matthew VI. 27 34 What a gentle, loving way of telling us not to worry, is contained in these verses. With His marvellous knowledge and understanding of the human heart, our Lord laid His finger on the weak spot in the make-up of so many lives. He realised that the heart which is not at rest with itself, or with the circumstances of its life, is kept from the deepest and fullest exercise of its own powers and aspirations. The cramping, deadening influence of worry is very terrible. It can blacken the brightest day, take the joy from the happiest occasion, and rob the Christian of all that inner consciousness of security and confidence which is his right. His impulses towards deeds of noble daring and of earnest endeavour on behalf of the Kingdom are crushed, smothered by the ever-present cloud of worry. So much is lost by it. Growth in the spiritual life is hampered, and the soul that should be mounting on wings, is held down to earth as by cords impossible to break. And Jesus knew all this. So He showed these who would follow Him a better way. “Why worry?” He said, in effect. Yet still His children doubt Him. Worry still nullifies the upward yearnings and seekings Oh, if only we could learn to leave everything to Him who is our Father! When the strain grows so heavy that the soul can bear no more, it sometimes happens that a sudden lifting of the load comes in that moment of feeling that the uttermost limits of endurance have been reached. “Peace, he still,” cries the voice of love. And there is a great calm. Why do we wait for the last moment of suffering before we cast the burden upon the Lord' Let each day begin with the definite committing of our way to Him. Worry will not touch us then. To think, to plan, to strive, will still be necessary, but the grim shadow will be gone. To worry is to doubt God’s love and power. He knoweth that we have need and He will give us our heart’s desire. He do:s. And life glows in the fulfilment of 4is promise.