The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-04-04
Resting and Waiting.

REST in the Lord and wait patient
ly for Him. Cps. xxxvii:D. BE still,
and know that L am God" Rest in
each passing moment on the words OF
Jesus; rest SO completely, so entirely,
that every thought may be brought into
obedience. This is the waiting post
ure, the safe attitude, for the Christian.
1t is faith in operation, permeating the
entire soul, SO that every faculty be-
comes hallowed and sanctifed. Faith
meets every difficulty, and we endure,
as seeing Him who is invisible.
How often do fears arise, and gain an
ascendency, unless faith be strong, so
as to bring into subsection the natural
timidity of the mind. We walk by
faith, not by sight. There is not
moment in which our faith is not put
to the test. We need the inner life of
Christ, its deep quietude, its profound
tranquility, its mistaken confidence, its
habitual self-control, its self-possession,
its patient endurance, to bring glory to
God. Outside religion is comparative
ly easy. but it is the deep hatred to sin,
the striving to live as well-pleasing to
God, that makes us shine in His like
ness. We are to put on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Difficulties meet US in every
step we take. We have to contend for
principles of high purpose. We have
to seek more and more to glorify God.
There is no standing still.
To rest in the Lord is, in fact, to set
tie down on the truth He has revealed,
and to draw our strength from the
ocean-fulness of His mercy. He is
cable to subdue all things unto Him.
self" Faith lies at anchor at the bot
tom of the rock, and the vessel is
moored in safety. Jesus within is
tower of strength to the perplexed soul.
His grace is sufficient, and He will have
us to trust Him with mistaken conf
dence.
Rest signifies perfect, absolute sur
render of all to Him in faith, for guild
ance directions, quietude, calm repose.
amid all shiftings of each day. expert
ence, and total and implicit faith in
all that He does or permits to happen.
Events are His. It is our privilege as
well as duty to obey, and to yield our
selves wholly to His sovereign direc-
ton. II will guide thee with Mine
eye" is the gracious promise. "Say to
them that are of a fearful heart, Be
strong" The current of our history is
onward, but not drop of that current
flows unless from Him. He sends the
drop of rain, the beam of light, the
color of the rainbow, and all are obedi-
ent to His will.
As to the future, we cannot command
or set aside one event. We are power
less, we know nothing of the coming
hour. All is wisely hid and arranged.
Our best schemes are soon frustrated,
and hours of mental toll, hopes and
fears are proved to be utterly vain. To
leave all to Jesus is the path of duty,
wisdom and safety, and to live by the
day the only course marked out for our
abiding comfort. We can at all times
60 and tell Jesus, and then His promise
is at hand" Certainly will be with
thee.'' Unbelief is a fruitful source of
all our discomfort, simply because we
do not implicitly trust our all to God.
We are apt to yield to fear, when we
should follow faith and place our un-
shaken confidence in the Divine word.
God tries the faith He gives. We are
soon led to discover how little we have;
and to have our minds rightly stayed
and fixed on God and His dealings we
have need of most continued and per-
seyering prayer. /" Rest in the Lord,
and wait patiently for Him." Here is
wisdom, and the path Of safety for all
we shall ever have to encounter.-F.
s. g., tn The Christian. -