Only a child's toy, such as may once have delighted some little girl who felt almost grown up and very much like a real housekeeper as she dusted and arranged the chairs, tables and looking-glass in the drawing-room of her doll's house. Elsie wonders why I keep it on my mantle-shelf, standing side by side with odds and ends of old china or the likeness of some valued friend, and if I lend it to the children who come to see me sometimes, or if I played with it myself when I was a little girl?
No, Elsie, you have had two guesses, but you are wrong in both, so I may as well begin the story at once, which I see you are wanting very much to hear.
Seventy years ago a little girl, not more than three or four years of age, played with that tiny dressing-table, large enough for the small hands that held it so carefully. Years passed by and the child grew into a girl and the girl into a woman, one whose life was for many years a very busy and useful one, but she always remembered and often spoke of many of the events of her childhood as her lesson books; and if I tell you as much as I can remember, perhaps you and I may learn some lessons too.
Her first lesson was, I think, a very short text, "Thou God seest me." (Gen. 16:1313And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? (Genesis 16:13).) Only four words, all very easy to write or spell, and yet they fell like a tiny seed into the child's heart, bringing forth fruit after many days. But I must not forget that if my story is to begin at the beginning, I must tell you her name. It was Elizabeth; but what is Florrie saying? That Elizabeth is not a very pretty name, and besides she thinks it is too long for a story. I am not sure that I quite agree with Florrie, for the old Hebrew name is rather a favorite one of mine. It has such a beautiful meaning, "the promise or oath of God," which has often reminded me of a lovely word in the letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Hebrew Christians, "For he is faithful that promised." (Heb. 10:2323Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23).) But suppose we call the subject of our true story Lizzie.
Who taught Lizzie to repeat her first text? She never knew how or where she learned it, but, as she could read with ease when only four years old, it is quite possible she found it for herself while turning the pages of a large-print Bible that always lay on the table in her mother's sitting room, and, though only a little child, a ray of light from heaven must have shone into her heart, and in that light Lizzie began to think about and try to understand her text.
“God can see—yes, He can see me," the child would say over and over again to herself. "How I wonder if He can see in the dark when all the lights are out? If I were quite sure, I would never be afraid to go to bed in the dark, for He would see me, and I know He would take care of me, for He is very good. And if He sees me always, He will know when I am naughty, so I will be good, and then God will love me.”
Poor little Lizzie was making a sad mistake, was she not, in thinking that God only loved good children? But I know grown-up people who are making just the same mistake. A poor woman told me only the other day that she was trying to trust Jesus, but she was afraid she was not quite good enough.
I knew she had been anxious about her soul for a long time, and I felt sorry for her, so sorry, that for a moment I hardly knew what to say; then I remembered that even a single verse from God's own word might help her to understand what His thoughts about sinners and salvation are, better than anything I could say, so I opened my Bible and read two short texts. One was, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).) And the other tells out, in words spoken by the blessed Lord Himself, the very heart of God to sinners: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).)
As Lizzie grew older she loved to read her Bible, and I think in its pages she must, while still a little girl, have found an answer to her question, "Can God see in the dark?" "Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." (Psa. 139:1212Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (Psalm 139:12).)
I wonder how far the thought that the all-seeing eye of God is always upon us has been a real help to each of us to-day? Has it helped us to be more gentle, patient and kind to our school-fellows and playmates?
If we are conscious of His eye being upon us it would have a two-fold effect: we should seek on the one hand to avoid doing what would grieve Him, and on the other, try and do what He would approve.
Then comes the lesson that all have to learn, that it is only in the grace and strength which the Lord alone gives that anything can be done that will be pleasing to Him.