The path of obedience is alone the path of happiness. If we were more successful in doing violence to self, our spiritual condition would be far more vigorous and healthy than it is. Nothing so ministers to health and vigor of soul as undeviating obedience; there is strength gained by the very effort to obey. This is true in the case of all, but specially so in the case of those who stand as ministers of the Lord. Such must walk in obedience if they would be used in ministry. How could Elijah have said as he afterward did, upon Mount Carmel,
“If the Lord be God, follow Him,” if his own private path had exhibited a willful and rebellious spirit? Impossible.
The path of a servant must be the path of obedience, otherwise he ceases to be a servant. The word servant is as inseparably linked with obedience, as is work with workman.
“A servant,” as another has said, “must move when the bell rings.”
Would that we were all more alive to the sound of our Masters bell, and more ready to run in the direction in which it summons us.
“Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.”
Here is our proper language. Whether the word of the Lord summon us from our retirement into the midst of our brethren, or from thence into retirement again, may our language ever be,
“Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.”
The word of the Lord, and the attentive ear of the servant, are all we need to carry us safely and happily onward.
Now, this path of obedience is by no means an easy one; it involves the constant abandonment of self, and can only be pursued as the eye is steadily kept on God, and the conscience kept under the action of His truth. True, there is a rich reward in every act of obedience, yet flesh and blood must be set aside, and this is no easy work. Witness the path of our prophet. He was first called to take his place by the brook Cherith to be fed by ravens! How could flesh and blood understand this? Then again, when the brook failed, he is called away to a distant city of Zidon, there to be nourished by a destitute widow who seemed to be at the very point of dying of starvation! Here was the command,
“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
But what were the circumstances which met the prophet's eye upon his approach to Zarephath? A widow and her son starving two sticks and a handful of meal! and yet the word was,
“I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
How trying! how deeply mysterious was all this! Elijah however, staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And he was able without a shadow of doubt to say:
“Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”
Here we have the reply of faith to the language of unbelief. “Thus saith the Lord” settles everything. The moment the spirit apprehends God's promise, there is an end to the reasonings of unbelief. Unbelief puts circumstances between the soul and God; faith puts God between the soul and circumstances. This is a very important difference. May we walk in the power and energy of faith, to the praise of Him whom faith ever honors.