Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-10-11

NGA ~ miss that way.
The Christian
will pray this prayer, should pray 1t
daily; for. conscious Of his fellowship
with God. he would have it proven
and would have taken from him every
thing hindering such fellowship. But
the sinner will pray this prayer. he
must pray it, In his case, conscious
ness OF God as revealed here leads 10
terror because of sin and desire Tor
forgiveness, acceptance and cleansing.
The Christian sees how far short he
is of the glory OF God and his cry Is
that nothing may interfere with com
plete conformity, and for this he
needs faith, justifying and SauCtlfying.
In addition. the sinner needs saving
faith before he finds his feet In the
first steps OF the way everlasting.
Note the steps by which the sinner
comes to this cry-Search me.
Divine Omniscience.
God knows me. and knows all about
me Tvs. l-6). Every movement. every
thought. every word. every way-all
known to the God with whom | have
to do. lie knows me thoroughly. and
as II he had examined me infinitely.
He knows all men, he knows all men
thoroughly, he knows all men con
stantly." This solemn truth may
awaken wonder and admiration In the
Christian, II may be a great comfort
to him and an assurance Of guidance
and well-being: but to the sinner 1t Is
a solemn warning and a call to re-
pentance and faith. The truth Of this
part of the Psalm has beautiful
parallel in the epistle to the Romans:
For OF him, and through him. and to
him are all things" God knows my
down-sitting and my uprising. he COM
passes my path. he has beset me be-
hind and before, he Is acquainted with
all my ways. What can a sinner do
/ in the presence of such God but to
| say: Search me. try me lead
/ me? And God will answer his cry;
There energies another reason for
the sinners cry: he cannot get away
/ from this God Tvs 7.12). God is every
where. not a mere power ruling in
might and by laws really outside him
self, but personality distinct. sePa-
rate. superior. and s'riuc Al ! do.
Thou God sceet mo" This every
wFeraness of God makes II a dreadful.
an awful. thing 20 s:u WHITTIER shall
J 20 from thv spirit or "uithcr shall
! hee from thy presence? In into
heaven in nell the uttermost
parts OF the sea darkness shall
cover me the darkness End the
light are both alike to thee" What
can hide from him, or where can
sin that he will not see me? Yes.
but this very God who knows all about
US and who sees all we do, who
dwells in the uttermost parts OF the
earth also can save to the uttermost.
Thank God. he still forgives. Search
me . try me e. lead me.
| I know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms In air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care
Once more the Psalmist sets forth
a reason for his cry for searching
God is associated so intimately with
his entire life. even before he him
self had any consciousness. Thine
eyes did see my substance. yet being
imperfect; and in thy book all my
members were written. which in con-
tinuance were fashioned. when as yet
there was none of them" 81 am fear
fully and wonderfully made" Man is
creature according to Gods design.
living under Gods inspection and by
Gods power. How worse than folly
not to yield ourselves to him.
Come, let us take our proper place
as sinners. in the presence of a God
who knows all about us, who sees all
we do everywhere and always, and
who has infinite care and concern
about us. Such a God should flll US
with awe that we sin not; we can
take courage so that fear will not pos
sess US; and we can be filled with
comfort and strength; even coming
to a place OF perfect sympathy with
all that God does. and doing all we
can to establish righteousness in the
earth.
Search me try me E. lead me-
This prayer is natural now. II you
have never made 1t there is only one
reason-you never have seen God in
his holiness. power and might When
God searches he may find In you some
way Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. sin
some unyielded room, some unloving
spirit. some selfshness-but II you
really will to have It so. God will lead
you in the way everlasting. a way
that shineth more and more unto the
perfect day. SO. couple with this
prayer, that other petition, Create in
me a clean heart. o God. and renew
a right spirit within me-" Let your
vital concern be, Is my heart right
with God? for with him that is the
supreme thing. Put your prayer into
the words OF that heart-song:
Oh for n heart 10 praise my God.
heart from sin set free.
heart that's sprinkled with Thy blood
SO freely shed for me.
A heart IN every thought renewed.
And fun Of love divine,
Perfect. and right, and pure. and good.
copy. Lord. OF Thine.