The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-09-01

why they go as they do. But the text
gives us hint what the Christian has
before him
A Certain Prospect.
The prospect Is that certain expert
ences which will be hard to bear will
be met with on life's journey. There
will be many things which will cut and
hurt and which seem altogether un.
necessary and as though it were i'm
possible for them to work for good
Think of John the Baptist locked up
in prison. He was q man accustomed
from his youth to the great outdoors,
the mountains and the plains-the
rivers and brooks-the broad MONDAY
sky and sparkling starry heavens were
natural to him. He had given his life
to God and thousands hung on his
words. Suddenly he is thrown into
prison for his faithfulness to the
Lord. But the Lord was ut hand. The
Lord with power TO speak word and
blind eyes saw and deaf ears heard.
And even the bars and doors of the
grave We're broken and opened Sure.
ly such Il one with such power could
prisoner free. But though he knew
John was in prison because Of faith
fulness to himself, he gave no sign,
nor went TO the relief of the impris.
oned one. John could not understand,
but he could know that this awful
experience would work together with
all his other experiences for good.
Think of Daniel-faithful, true, sim
cere, man of prayer and godliness,
yet because of the very fact that he
was what he was, lie must needs go
to the lions den. He, too, could not
understand but he could know that
all things work together for good"
So in the path of the Christian there
lie strange, mysterious experiences
that seem to make the soul Stagger
and the spirit grow faint. There come
occurrences which, looked at by sight,
seem to be anything but good but seem
so evil that they cannot be made to
work together for good. They call
the Christian to implicit trust in
Gods purpose and absolute confidence
In his ways. In all his experiences
he is to walk by faith-not under
standing perhaps but knowing that
spite of appearances. all things worf
together for good But while the be
lever has this prospect, lie also has
A Certain Promise.
When Peter came to things he did
not understand in the dealings of the
Lord, he, naturally wanted TO under
stand. Instead of explaining, the Lord
simply said: "What / do thou know
est not now; but thou shalt under.
stand hereafter" This promise each
Christian may take to himself, know
ing that some blessed day all Gues-
lions will DE answered and he will
understand how as well as "know that
all things work together for good" We
cannot think of John the Baptist or
Daniel or Stephen or any of the heroes
Of faith, who have met trying and Bit
ter experiences which they could
not understand, even now finding fault
and saying to the Lord: Thou
shouldst have done 1t differently, q
Lord" The Christian may not under.
stand in the present time why the
Lord permits the hurt but he knows
that all things work together for good
and some day lie will understand the
need for the hard things and how they
have worked together for good. And
while he faces this prospect and rests
in this promise he has
A Certain Provision.
A provision the Lord has made ia
meet every experience. Irrespective
of how deep the hurt he permits or
how bitter the cup he presents he
makes provision that will keep the
heart in perfect peace. The command
to the Christian reads: "Be anxious
Tor worried) for nothing, but in ev-
erything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God and the
peace OF God which passeth under
standing shall keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus" He cares for
us and desires with longing that we
should cast all our care upon him. He
will comfort, he will sustain, he will
uphold, so that in the midst of hard
and bitter experiences which cannot
be understood, the Christian looks for
ward to the day when he will under
stand, while he may enjoy in the
meantime the peace that passetb all
understanding.