The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-01-24

= needed to avoid II
Where can thli
power be found and safety secured
Not by fleeing away but by drawing
near. Not by opposing him but BY
yielding TO him. To the sinner and
the backsllder the Lord appears as
nm enemy. To yield or surrender &c
any enemy seems like folly, the rush
Ing into danger. But yielding to the
Lord means safety. And 80 this cal
to surrender 10 the Lord is also a call
for the exercise Of faith In the Lord ms
the protector from his own sure com
Ing judgment To human reason
escape would seem to be impossible
How can we escape the righteous judg
ment OF God after having incurred II
by our own conduct II Is not possible
with man. but with God all things are
possible. Failure Is not In him, but
In imperfect yielding TO him.
A Possible Thino.
The text says: "Let him take hold
OF my strength" There is no obstacle
TO be overcome except the inherent un-
belief Of the human heart. Each one
Is afflicted with this. II Is the hinder
Ing thing that opposes all safety, GER
tainty or enjoyment. II Is the one COM
mon sin OF which all are guilty and
by which all the more or less bound.
II Is the sin which so easily besets us.
But Il Is possible to overcome II.
When we come TO the place where real
desire exists TO escape the judgment OF
God, there are no real hlndrnnces; we
may II we will, take hold of his
strength and In II find safety.
A Personal Thing.
let him take hold" live for my
self and not another. I sin for myself.
/ am judged for myself. And II find
snfety, IL l escape the judgment. l will
find for myself and escape for myself.
None else can get II for me. II is
a personal matter. In the center OF
my own will lies the answer as TO
whether l shall go down TO eternal de-
feat under the Judgment OF God. or
whether shall rise superior to all the
future holds OF wrath. I go down by
opposing myself TO God: I rise by
yielding TO him. find eternal death
by fighting him: eternal life by sur
rendering to him. II is my own choice
which shall have.
A Peculiar Thing.
'Iet him take hold OF my strength"
/ cannot take hold Of his strength until
l let 60 of that which now hold. All
the things I have relied upon TO see
me safely through the Judgment | must
relinquish. 7 must have no hope In
my good deeds. by religious expert
ences, my moral code. my high aspira-
must have no hope in my
self. Like Job Of old must come to
the Lord saying. II abhor myself"
Like Isaiah. II am undone." Like
Paul. There dwelleth no good thing
In me-" Myself and my goodness are
my weapons against him. / must lay
them down and In full and uncondl-
tional surrender OF myself TO him I
Will find safety In the surrender. II
Is therefore. as was said above, a call
for faith In him. He can free me from
bondage. guard me from harm and pro-
tect me from certain disaster only as
trust him. Until do so I will find
hat he cannot do any work on my be-
half because Of my unbellef. 1t IL un-
belief which erects the barrier. In the
,ase Of the army facing certain anni-
only one thing remains to be
lone, and that is surrender II death
De not preferred. As long as the weap-
ms are used and battle offered. the de-
Itruction 10 certain. The sinner faces
certain perdition-he fights against the
Judgment and wrath of God. There Is
10 escape. and can be none save by
he way Of surrender. When the sur
ender Is made. he finds that the sup
,osed enemy Is really q friend and
What was thought to be the worst |
hing Is seen to be the best. Instead
4 God desiring to injure. he find1 all |
4 Gods desire Is to protect from in
ury. How strange that the one In
ured should be the one who can and
I'LL guard the sinner from the effects
{ the injury.
A Powerful Thing.
With mans strength II would be I'm
ossible. but the text says. Let him
AXE hold OF my strength" and with
'od all things are possible. There Is
othing too hard for his performance
DR. he has omnipotence. Nothing too
eep for his understanding. for he is
mniscient. Nothing too far for him
reach. for he Is omnlpresent. Power
elongeth unto God and he is ready,
ny eager. to exercise on behalf OF all
no will cease fighting him and yield
lemselves to him. How shall we
scape II we neglect so great saliva