Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-09-03
DIVINE RESERVE IN REVEALING.
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wv NE hESEht H. IN KEN EhLING.
BY j. K, Miller. D. D.
1t is our duty to say good words TO
others, words of comfort or encourage
| ment, words Of counsel and instruction;
but not always are such words timely.
| Sometimes love is shown more wisely by
| holding back the word we could speak.
After Jesus had spoken many things to
his disciples, many revealings Of Gods
heart and WILL he told them that he still
had many other things to say to them
which they could not then bear TO hear.
He could easily have told them these 9TH
er things that night. but it woGld not
have been a kindness to them for him to
do so. There would come a time when
they could bear the further revealings,
and then he would make them.
Nothing is more wonderful in the divine
dealing with rs than this reserve of re-
yealing. A large part Of the Bible IS
practical sealed book to us until we
come to experiences for which the
words are suited. There are promises for
weakness which we cannot get while we
are strong. There are words for times
of danger into which we cannot run to
hide while we are not conscious of need
comforts for sickness whose blessing "
cannot get while we are in robust health,
There are promises for times Of lonei-
| ness, when men walk in solitary ways.
which never can come with real meaning
to them while loving companions are by
their side There are words for old age
| which we never can appropriate - our
selves along the years of youth, when
the arm is strong, the blood warm and
the heart brave. God cannot show us
the stars while the sun is shining, nor
can he make known to rs the precious
things of love that he has prepared for
our nights. while it is yet day about us.
| His word to us then is, Il have yet many
things to say unto you. but ye cannot
! bear them now" BUT by and by, when
we come to the places Of need, the expe-
| riences Of life for which these words
were spoken, they will open out to us
with all their hidden secrets Of JOY and
| blessing
| Older Christians understaI this. There
are many things in the Bible which had
little meaning for them in life's earlier
days, but which have grown very Gear
to them through the advancing years.
Often in childhood they heard or conned
the words. perhaps memorizing them and
ofttimes repeating them, but they said
them thoughtlessly because there had
been no experience in their lives to en-
able them to interpret the words. Their
meaning was kept in reserve-they could
| not bear it now Then one day a shadow
crept over them and in the shadow
the familiar words began to shine
| as stars that come out in the
| evening sky when the sun has set.
! Other years brought other eXpt riences
and the words shone out more and more
| brightly until the childs though tless reel
| tation of them has become th' utterance
/ of the faith and trust Of the scrong mans
| very soul We cannot bear the full re-
vealing of the divine words until we reach
! the experiences which they were meant
! TO illumine.
! God also holds in reserve for us the
! knowledge of our own future, He knows
| it all. When n child is born God knows
/ all the path its feet must tread across the
earth to the sunset gates. When young
Christian comes to Christ's feet and says,
81 will follow thee whithersoever thou
| ieadest," the Master knows all that the
/ conservation involves. But he does not
reveal all this knowledge to the happy
! disciple His word is, Il have many
| things to say unto you. which you cannot
| bear now to know"
Sometimes people are heard saying that
! they wish they could know all their fu-
| ture. But would that be il blessing
! Could they better shape then course if
/ they knew all that will befail them
| Here are two who have just stood at
| the marriage altar and have plighted
| their vows of faithfulness, each to the
| other, until death shall separate them.
| They are happy. AS the Master lays his
| hand upon their bowed heads in benedic-
| ton. suppose he should tell the fair young
! bride that the plenty which is hers at
! present will waste. and that she will ex-
/ perience want; that in the years before
| her she will watch ny sick children end
| weep beside little graves: that her bus
| band. now so brave and strong. Will be
| crushed by misfortune and grow old be-
| fore his time-would it be a kindness to
/ her if Christ told her all this on her we'd
| ding night? Rather, the word Of true
! gentleness to her is, II have many other
/ things to say to you besides the sweet
! words you have heard from ny lips to-
/ day. but you cannot bear now to hear
/ them He viii not shadow her joy with
! forecastings of the trials that are eiled
/ In the unopened years. The time to tell
/ her these things viii be just when she
! is entering the experiences.
/ The same law Of reserve is followed by
! Christ in calling disciples. If he had told
his first followers when they responded
TO his invitation. the whole story of heir
life as his friends, all it would cost them
to be faithful. what would have been
the effect upon them? Or if the ,eil We're
+ lifted and a vision Of the future We're
given to the young missionary, his heart
aflame with love for Christ, showing him
the path of sacrifice aud suffering along
4 which his feet must walk to an early
grave in the jungles or in the hot sands,
with seemingly nothing accomplished,
would he go out as bravely as he now
does, not knowing what the Lords plan
for his life may be? 1t is better he
/ should not know The divine reserve is
not only wise, but also kind.
In all life this reserve is maintained.
| God leads US step by step and leads the
! way only as we 90 on. Things we could
not have endured if they had been told
us in advance. when they come bring
their own strength with them. Then
+ experiences which we would have shrnnk
from if we had known of them before.
j when we come up to them grow full Of
! blessing.
/ We ought to be glad that we do not
have TO know our own future. We
should rejoice that our life is in
Gods keeping, not in ours. We need rot
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