The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-01
GOD.
IWnlian,sns,r, ,;r,i. :,

! WAiaaSsspott osAs
 i Jacob wrestled once al, night with a man, and al morning found in his help lcssness that he was contending with God. Then he lad hold upon God with tha, grip of carnestness that brought the blessing of mighty change of character. This night struggle with it's radiant morn ing blessing is repeated every day. only tew sec the God in the man and mud the Gods blessing. Here is a man upon whom has come business diversity, strip ping him cf wealth, leaving him shorn of every last penny, ft is man he has struggled with and that has overcome him. Plainly is seen the relation of his own mistaken judgments and the mis- taken judgments of others to his ealam. i,y or perhaps the deliberate betrayal of trust on the part of some one. Every thing to his vision is mos, thoroughly accounted for by natural causes, so tha, Il Is only man with whom he has and IS eontending. But in that man stands God. Behind those natural causes is the Great tnsl Cause. and He is loving Father, whom, fl the esei,hrewn Jacob will see and recognize and lay hold oi with the grasp that will no, be unioosed vilhou, the blessing. there vii. be the blessing oi prinocly riches iot the char. actef The touch of the advctsi,y may send him limplng through lie. but |, win send him as one ot Gods princes robed in the purple of character and crowned with the golden crown of Gods untail,ng friendship. X little child lies dead in the house. Accident born of some ones responsible earelcssness has laid Il low. ot perhaps when the sickness was upon Il the nurse was careless. and the doctor failed of his duty And the man in the sorrow Is plainly seen the natural causes make full account of the heart breaking sorrow. Ru, in the man stands the God. Behind the natural causes is the Great flrs, Cause. and he Is fa,her tender and true. And t the breaking heart of psfenthood will look deep enough To sec Him. and with arms ot tai,h lay eafnes, enough hold of Him. the blessing ot comfort falls upon the stricken heart, and the pfincely wsf;h of ehstsS;e; k .e. tned towards Godlikenexs True, the blessing does no, oil again the vacan, char l, does no, make the church. yatd tent swing back iis curtains to Inc touch of the returning dead but ,hetc is blessing in the soul thA, by and by will make the completed home circle above where sorrow never comes nor the aching. spelling touch ai death. And so God stands al the heart of all calamity waiting, longing 10 lay the touch of eternal blessing on the soul of the asking voice and the ciing,ng arms. Hut His blessings can not bless unless they fall into an earnest heart tha, knows it's need And not only a, the heart ot calamity. bu, at the hear, ot prosperity stands God with Ills heart vi love eager To bes,ow the blessing upon the asking heart that realizes i,s need. And happ, the man who tods Hum Tn the ptospctii, before the calamity has given it's wound
 ing blow Happy the man who hnds God ln his little children when the light oi laughter IS in then eyes and the bloom of health IS on their cheeks sad he who hnds ,.od only when adversity has iallen upon him sad he ~ho tlnds t.od only when hls lliilc child lies low In death Sad he. though protesting the love oi tod. who must be ehastised with the wrestling man into life of loyalty ie God God is In every hour. In every event of life. and in them To bcs,o~ the impeIishable spiritual blessing And only tha, man has lived wofthily and successfully who finds Gpd m everything and claims the spiritual blessing