Aileen was not a pretty lile girl, nor was she rich—nor was she satisfied! In her childish mind, however, she imagined that happiness would be hers, were she to be possessed of riches, which would yield to her costly apparel to wear, and also a magnificent home to dwell in: and sometimes she imagined herself enjoying those earthly treasures.
Now Aileen had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her own personal Saviour, and had no right to desire such things; but she did not quite undetand then, that “none but Christ can satisfy,” in every way.
Perhaps some little friend who reads these lines may be, as Aileen was then. The Evil One tries to delude young people into thinking that Christ is not All-Sufficient for their happiness, sometimes: but he is a liar!
Aileen had to learn, by experience, some of his devices, and certainly his delusion about riches was one of them.
Later on, she learned that not only was the One Who died for her, her Saviour—He was also her Best Friend! She began to understand that nothing earthly could satisfy, and so to trust His love more. Then, wonderful to relate, desires for those things which riches bring, began to fade away.
“Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he (or she)” (Prov.16:20). Aileen was satisfied and happy, after she proved that the Saviour of her soul was her never-failing Friend!
Was she then more beautiful, wearing costly garments and living in a mansion? Did the possession of such things give her joy? No! Aileen naturally was unchanged, hut spiritually she was very, very rich indeed!
One day she discovered that she was really in possession, spiritually, of beauty, costly apparel, and was going to live in a Palace! In Psalms 45, she discovered this. Just look now at the verses which were so sweet to Aileen!
1.“So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty”—Aileen’s beauty! (vs. 11).
2.“Her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework”Aileen’s apparel! (Verses 13, 14).
3.“They shall enter into the King’s Palace” — Aileen’s Dwelling-place forever! (vs. 15).
No wonder that this one-time ambitious little maiden was satisfied.
Perhaps some of you will sympathize with her, who do not quite understand her great, satisfying happiness now. Then let me tell you one of her secrets! though it is not really a secret.
Although born in sin, like every one else, and unable to keep from sinning by nature, Aileen trusted Him as her Saviour, and, learning-He was her Friend—her very Best Friend—she began daily to take “everything to God in prayer”—things she told to no one else! Here is one of her favorite hymns,
“What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privilege to carry
EVERYTHING to God in prayer.
O, what peace we often forfeit,
O, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
EVERYTHING to God in prayer.”
ML 09/24/1944