HAVE you ever noticed the various things to which man’s life is compared in the Word of God? They are, almost without exception, things which are evanescent or fleeting. Will you take your Bible and find out the verses and think over them? Here are some: a vapor, wind, a weaver’s shuttle, the flower of grass, a tale told, a handbreadth, a dream.
A dream! Have you not remarked that it is difficult to lay hold on what you want in a dream? All recedes from you and eludes your grasp. So it is in life. Riches take to themselves wings and fly away; friends depart or change; loved relations die; hoped for blessings vanish away; when you are most settled misfortune overtakes you.
“Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—”
Even children have to learn that their pleasures come to an end and are often spoiled by illness or death. The fairest scene here only lasts a little time and never satisfies fully.
But eternal things—how lasting! Take any heavenly blessing of which you have had even a taste—joy, holiness, love, fellowship—every little experience, or these things will never be lost, will last forever, and be yours in eternity; and moreover, there you will have manifold more of every heavenly grace which you have only tasted here.
Sorrow and disappointment are often the means God employs to force us to believe and realize all this. The writer of Psalm 109 could say, “Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy word”; and generally when God’s saints are dying, and earth is receding, they have a clear view of the reality and duration of heavenly blessings which perhaps we ought to have sooner.
One who was departing quite lately quoted several times the verse: “In the world ye shall have tribulation—yes, tribulation—but in Me peace—be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Before his last few days of acute illness had begun, he more than once asked: “How far is it to heaven?” “How long will it take me to get home?” It was as if he was set on getting there soon. And near the end he said, “There, there will be no good-byes, but we shall be always with Him—how grand!”
Three days ago a very old lady received a visitor who presented her with a New Year’s motto card on which was inscribed the verse: “He is faithful than promised.” After reading it she said (not “That’s a nice New Year’s text,” but), “That’s a verse for every day.” She felt she could not do without the dear Saviour each day of the week. Do you feel like that?
“I need Thy presence every passing hour.”
That old lady used to be so different—so unbelieving—but God by His Spirit had wrought in her soul, and she loved to speak of what she once despised. Before her visitor left her they spoke together of the work of Christ on the cross, and made mention of Him as the Friend who will be with us through the coming days, and she added so brightly, “The Saviour who died for all lost sinners.” Yes, she had hold of eternal things, or rather, the eternal Son of the Father had hold of her. None can pluck the saved lost sheep out of the hand of the Good. Shepherd, nor out of the Father’s hand.
How long will it take the child of God to get home? Only “a moment” when Jesus comes. Scripture says that believers will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye,” and caught up to be forever with Him.
“Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee:
In life and death, O Lord, abide with me.”
ML 12/09/1906