The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-06
Two Facts in Life

As concerns our lives we face two
facts: They are crowded full Of dis
appointments and the future Is UNI
known. Every one who has lived for
any considerable length of time and
especially If he has sought 10 live to
great purpose. has met with manifold
appointments. Not only i'll those
whom he has trusted and of whom
he has expected better things. bat also
in himself-n his Weaknesses his fall
ures. his defeats-many and dlsheart
ening have been the disappointments
that he has met along the way that
he has come. If he has sometimes
sought to peer into the future, TO reclS-
on with the changes which the years
would bring, he has found hiflself COM
pletely baffed In the attempt, IL has
been to march out to meet changed
conditions of which he had not even
family dreamed. Our best calculations
are completely upset, our careful plans
seem somehow to go awry. Certainly
we need something which is nnchang-
ing some sure stake to which our
spirits may cling when all else is des-
tined TO change or to fail.
Such sure ground for us IL 10 be
found only in the knowledge CT the
goodness and the promise of the grace
of our God Since the future Is so
compl etely hidden from our eyes and
is known only to Him; and since the
power to order that future Is lodged
In His hand; We may we'll leave Ii to
Him and commit ourselves into His
keeping II we are assured of His I'M
falling goodness and love. Better still
may we hide our time and wait with
patience tho working out OF His VIII
il we may claim the promise Of His
grace TO sustain our strength In the
conflicts. to buoy>up our heal tn In the
time of disappointments and 70 set the
light of hope as a pillar of fire 20 guide
us through the dark.
Ready to Grant Grace
Time and again in His word God has
assured us that He Is ready to grant
to us needed grace TO help us IN our
time of need. Just what that grace X
may be better felt than told, # we
raise the inquiry we shall find our
selves dealing with one of those things
which denies definition and detes anal
ysis IT refers to the help which God
gives us 10 stand In the hour Of trial
and temptation. to gain the mastery
over circumstances and to become the
yictors In apparent defeat. Jtsi what
part we bear and what part Cod bears
in any given conflict, just how utterly
impotent we should find ourselves
without His help, we may not i-now.
Nor indeed are we perhaps often aware
of the agencies through which God sees
fit to help us. His grace may come to
sustain and comfort us through the
sympathy and strength of some other
who has been tried or who mas sur
fered like unto us.
One thing at least may be said: Those
OF US who have come to know Him in
stinctively turn TO these assurances for
our stay in our time of need. IN stress
and storm and sore distress we do not
need that someone should bid ~ turn
to God for help. The Psalmist voibed
the experience of us all when he said :
"Out of the depths | cried unto the
LORD" And he ybut gave expression to
what may be tho glad result In every
life when he added: "And he heard
me-" Disappointed as We often ara,
beaten down by sorrow. broken by de-
feat, worn by the ceaseless struggle,
with strength fairly spent. ready to
despair and die. we cry unto the Lord
and he sraciously grants US the re-
freshing of His grace, the might IL His
own hand and the Joy and blessedness
OF His presence.