Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-14

give facts and quote letters and words.
But there must be plan, meaning in
any strong life which submits itself to
God. holds to high ideals and seeks for
truth and goodness.
There are others who wish to plan their
own lives Starting out with some sort
OF an ideal. they press toward it with an
energy which would do them credit II
only they were a little nobler in their dc.
sires. Perhaps 1t is wealth they want
or success, pleasure, and they seek for
II with determination. Alas, God has M
chance with them They never think of
Uou' OF ask Him to work His will as He
sees best in their lives. Perhaps they
90 not want Him TO rule lest He forbid
their wishes and substitute sonnet hin,
higner and grander. So many people are
aIra,a o, GOO because His wisdom is SO
great; they prefer the little deeds OF
their own daily manufacturing rather
than the vast plan OF the Almighty. They
prefer the present to the future me
pressure or proht OF the day to the un-
known glory of the future ages az
course We blame them, and vet how oftep
We err in the same way,
Ihere are yet others who ask Cod m
guioe them. and. when He answers their
prayers they complain and rebeI haoamsa
the way is hard and narrow and tbav
cannot see the end. Gods methods arc
beyond our understanding and they orc
generally heroic because the end to he at
tanned Is large and important Go ~ h,,rts
III pains. doors are closed which we long
10 nave opened, wishes are denied because
theif immediate fulfillment would defeat
inc Fathers blessed plans. and vvithaI tho
pam is beclouded and we have to 90 on
o,li'dS. trusting. not seeing. Many Chris
tians are in this state They reai,v u,;sb
Cod to do a. He sees best: thew arc a fraid
70 trust their own judgment; they know
tie Is Wise. But they grImble and crv
out ana hesitate and fear and their fear
Is made greater by the consciousness ~
their own dsobedicnce by which thew
nave slnned against their Leader and
MADE their way harder. Oh. II only we
couid convince these people Of the Lord
soooheSs ana mercy, and how He will
turn even our failure to good IL we trust
ana are patient, then they would have
ror t'od rs no arbitrary Master,
Ia,hiohing us with iron hand as IL we
We're hfeiess clay, but dear Friend.
,ouchins us tenderly and assuring us of
rms pity and love even when He with
| hoIds happiness or sends grief
rms. then. is the truth of life-tbat God
Nh plan our lives II We will let Him: that
ne ASKS US to submit ourselves to His
VIII. and only to exercise our own Wills in
! suoJection to His large and loving will
| we are 10 rest i'm faith: we are IN know
| that God cannot fail: We are to EXPRESS
| our trust by thought and speech and by
| repeated acts of confidence by PRAYER. by
| declarations. by silence under The h,ows
| which are shaping us as God sees neces-
| sary III We seek our own way without
asking God We thwart His purpose. n we
refuse the path to which Hi. hand points
because u IS narrow and dark we show
and in our actions ask God To guide ms.
| then We are working with God and max
ing il easy for Him to finish the Man
| Let us ask now what it is that God
plans. and then sec how We can best bring
ourselves into harmony with His will.