The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-05-09
PFoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN. J
That's my Papa's Hand. y

So said little child, only three years
of age, as her father in assumed &spleas-
ure, raised his hand as if to strike her.
Had his anger been real, instead of pre-
tended, it must have been conquered by
that little sentence so lovingly, trustful-
ly uttered. Thus, thought l, the child
of God should trust Him. "0ut of the
mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou
ordained strength. So it is written
And here is this little one, teaching us
the most precious of lessons. Her tiny
finger was pointing to the threatening
hand of her father; her eyes were look
ing up confdingly into his face; and
though his brow was dark and forbidding,
though she was pointing to the very hand
which, at other times, had inflicted chas-
tiscment upon her, yet such faith had
she in her fathers love, that she feared
no harm.
0 tried, afflicted child of God, does
not this little incident bear to your soul
some whisperings of consolation and
strength?
What though adversely seems to be in
your path. Is there not One-your
Father-who controls it? 'EThe Lord
shall preserve thee from all evil not
that you viii never suffer, for Gin the
Nor,5 ~ 1lli halc ioriatiols but
still, Ho shall preserve Thy soul.
Can you believe that your Heavenly
Father loves you less than this imperfect
mortal loved his child? This child does
not always understand her father; yet
she trusts him implicitly. And is not
God as worthy of your confdence?-
True, His ways are sometimes mysteri-
ous-far above your comprehension
Often His hand has not only threatened,
but struck you with seemingly pitiless
blows; and even now it may be raised as
if to renew the pain of former chastise-
ments. But whose hand is it? Not an
enemy's. Not a strangers. "God is
love-" God is your Father, and it is HIS
hand, therefore fear not, it will do you
no harm. The strength of omnipotence
is there, and it is able to crush you down
to hopeless ruin; yet it will not do this
because its every motion, its tremendous
power is under the constraint of infinite
love. As God lives, this is true; and as
God lives and loves, His hand will never
touch you save to raj e you up nearer to
the house Of rest.
Have you never seen an earthly parent
correcting his child, while the tears stream
ing down his manly face told you that
each blow, as it fell, carried more pain to
his heart than to his child? "Iike as a
father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear him." Then if
the providence is gloomy and frowning,
do not look only upon this, but upon
your Fathers face; look into His eyes,
and by just one glance of faith you will
see depths of loye-loye for you poor,
tried child-which the endless, joyous
striyings of eternity cannot fathom.-
You do not see this love, when you gaze
only at the hand which threatens, or at
the trial already upon. you. You may
point to the hand, as did this little child ;
or you may fully recognize the presence
your afliction. But while doing this,
let your faith be searching the Father
eye, feeling the movinga- of His heart
and there, both in eye and heart you will
find only love, and in finding this you
will receive peace.
Had it been a strangers hand, the
child would have felt fear and terror
But with her father she had been in con-
slant intimacy every day of her life;
and thus she had learned to love and
trust him. "Thats my Papa's hand. y
God is not a Father, but stranger tc
many, and they can see, feel nothing but
tribulation and anguish in His affective
proyidences.
But let the poor sinner learn to know
God as a Father; let him draw near by
the blood of Jesus-not only draw near
but dwell there in continued, daily com
munion with this Father; and thus vii
he love Him, trust Him, and often BY
his faith disarm the providence of it
frowns, and the Christening hand of it
power.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense.
But trust him for his grace;
Behind frowning providence,
Es hides Il smiling face. "