Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-05-09

y
though mans heart has been so slow
to respond. Can we understand that
love? Can we so speak as to convey
an idea of what that love is? If John,
the beloved disciple, who was nearest
to the heart of Christ, could not fully
understand, but exclaims: Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be,
but we know that when He shall
appear we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is" surely,
we cannot hope to fathom that love-
but also must wait until holding face
to face, we shall then understand what
Gods love really is.
Aged Sarah thought she knew what
love was when the faithful, covenant
keeping God came and laid in her
arms the beautiful babe, Isaac.
Abraham, as he saw the child of
promise develop into strong young
manhood and share in the fathers
faith and devotion to the only true
God, thought he knew what real love
was. When God would test him, He
commanded Abraham to take his
son, his only begotten son Isaac, and
offer him up in sacrifice to Him.
With his obedient heart breaking, he
takes his beloved son and for three
days journeys towards a mountain
| which God is to show him. Did you
ever try to picture what those three
days were to faithful old Abraham?
The communion between the father
| and the son as they journeyed is too
sacred for even the pages of Gods
Holy Word to record. Abraham
| hon hot
was. AS they wendell their way slow
| 1y up the mountainside to the place
of sacrifice, and Isaac in wonder
asks: my father, behold the fire
and the wood; but where is the lamb
for burnt offering?" Oh, the cruel
anguish which pierced the heart of
Abraham through and through. He
thought then he knew what real love
was. Abraham's faith failed not,
blessed be God, and he had grace suf-
fcient to say: "My son, God will
| provide Himself lamb for burnt Of
fering." And God-did provide lamb.
Abraham thought ne knew what
love was, but he never did until on
the wings of faith his spirit took its
flight to Gods Heaven and he under
stood fully the infinite love of GOO
|
begotten Son as a sacrifice to the
world.
There are beautiful pictures of
human love running all through the
Word of God, from devoted, loyal
Ruth to Mary with the alabaster box
of ointment, or Mary Magdalene.
whose love for her Lord made her
linger at the tomb and gave her the
| irSf vic Ofh
AS the love of Christ fills our hearts
| we can begin to know somewhat of
the love of God, but we cannot fully
know until we stand on the other
side and join in the grand chorus OF
the redeemed in praise of Him who
alone is worthy to be praised.
The potency of the gift of God be-
gins to be realized as we slowly read
the rest of our text. This gift is all
comprehensive, it is from everlasting
to everlasting. Aladdin's lamp, if it
ever had any existence beyond the
imagination of the one who tells the
story of it's wonderful potency, has
passed away, and only the memory
remains. The story of Midas touch
which could transmute to gold any
thing with which it came in contact
|
of readers for generations, but it is
but a tale. The story of the magic
carpet which used to whisk it's owner
in the story book to every conceiv-
able and inconceivable nook and
corner of old mother earth has per-
formed it's mission in fairy land and
given place to other fairy potencies
of the story writer's brain. But
where in history, prose or poetry will
you find an equal to the story of the
potency of the Gift of God to the
world.
Moses rod, under the direction of
God, could part the Red sea, could
smite the rocks in the desert until
refreshing waters gushed forth. The
trumpets of the priests and the
shouts of the children of Israel could
lay low the walls of Jericho. The
Gideon's band of three hundred could
win mighty victory over the hosts
of the Midianites. The cry of a
Joshua to God could cause the sun to
stand still. The shepherds sling of a
David could send crashing to earth
the terrible giant and deliver from
the oppression of the Philistines for
a time, but all these wonderful poten-
tialities of God passed away and all
we have is a living, thrilling memory.
But the gift which God gave to the
world nineteen hundred years ago is
swaying the world more powerfully
than ever before, and as we review
the achievements of the past wonder
full century we hear it echoed on
every hand that it is the result of the
Light which God sent into the world
to light every man to Him.
Young Solomon, called to the re-