(For the Little Ones.)
HAS the little reader ever heard of those wonderful works of God sometimes witnessed out at sea, called water-spouts? They are supposed to be caused by the wind blowing in circles, as God tells us it does, in Ecclesiastes 1:66The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. (Ecclesiastes 1:6). The wind whirling round and round, assisted perhaps by electricity, raises the water of the ocean just as you see dust sometimes carried up in eddies; while the clouds overhead, being heavy with water, dip down, and the two are attracted together so that an enormous column of water is formed which looks like a huge trunk of a tree, or an immense trumpet turned upside-down. This column of water joins the cloud above it, and as it travels along before the mighty wind, a roaring noise is heard, just as if the deep below were calling to the waters in the firmament above.
This wonderful sight was witnessed one Saturday afternoon just about eleven years ago; a ship was sailing along, a little south of the Island of Madagascar, and not far off from the coast of Africa, when the captain saw, for the first time in his life, one of these strange phenomena. The wind, he says, was blowing in sharp squalls from all quarters, and it was alternately bright and sunny, and then dark and cloudy, with showers of rain.
In the distance to larboard, that is to the left hand, another ship was sailing, and just over it a great, black cloud hung threateningly. There is something almost awful in the appearance of a great thunder cloud. It looks as if it were big with destruction, and so indeed it would be but for God’s sparing mercies. No doubt the little reader has often seen these great clouds, even on land, and has perhaps looked at them in awe.
As they hang in mid air, ready all in a moment to discharge the electric fluid, that is the lightning, you know, do they not seem to remind us of the solemn threat of judgment which hangs over the head of every sinner? God loves the sinner, but if he will not flee to Jesus from “the wrath to come,” whose fault is it if judgment overtakes him? He is like one standing beneath a great black thunder cloud ready to burst upon his head in withering fire, and refusing to seek shelter when warned. Now, dear little reader, whenever you see a black cloud, think of these words, “He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.” Have you believed in Jesus the Son of God?
Well, but to return to our little tale about the water-spout. The great cloud hung for a few moments in the air, and, then all at once it seemed to throw out two tongues, as it were, which waved about like banners in the wind. Then the sea beneath began to boil and bubble furiously as if those black tongues of cloud had some strange influence on it, as indeed they had. For all at once the waters of the sea rose up towards them, the tongues stooped lower, the waters of the ocean and the waters in the firmament met together, and a great column, like the trunk of an enormous tree, stood or seemed to stand upon the surface of the sea, joined by two tubes to the great black cloud above. Then as the sun shone full upon the strange scene, the two tongues or tubes were turned to gold, like the clouds in the west when the sun is setting. A gale of wind began to blow; the thunder rolled, the lightning flashed, the waters roared, and the enormous column, securely held by the shining tubes, traveled onward through the stormy scene, as though drawn heavenward from the troubled depths by the golden cords let down from above to seize it.
Was not this a wondrous sight to witness? And does it not remind us of something still more wonderful? Judgment, like a great black cloud, hangs over the whole world, for “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,” and he, coming down from heaven, went to Calvary, and there upon the cross bore the wrath of God in the stead of sinners. He bore the judgment due to us, he shed his precious blood, laid down his life, and as he did so, said, “IT IS FINISHED.” Then he rose from the dead and went up into heaven, where he was before; and from thence he sent down the message of God’s love, the glad tidings of salvation, by the Holy Spirit, to every sinner under heaven, not in two tongues only, but in many languages, that all might hear and all might be saved. And to those who by grace receive the message of his love, the glad tidings become as golden cords that lift them out of the depths of sin and misery, and raise them from a world of storm and trouble into the sweet peace and joy of heaven itself. United to Christ, all sin forgiven, one with him who loved them, they have passed from death unto life; they are a new creation. Already in spirit “seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” they pass on through the wilderness, soon to be personally with him where he is. In the meanwhile, upheld by his grace, drawn up by the golden cords of love, their joy and privilege is to realize their union with himself, and evermore, “gazing steadfastly up into heaven,” and seeing (by faith) the glory of God, and Jesus their blessed OBJECT, at God’s right hand, they grow up into him as the column of ocean’s waters seemed to grow up into the water that hung over them in heaven above.
This, dear little reader, is the lesson which we seem to gather from that wonderful work of God, the Water-Spout. May you be drawn to Jesus, if you have not already been. And if you have, may you learn to feel your union, your oneness with himself, and so pass on through this troubled, stormy world, clinging to him, upheld by his love, “walking and talking with him by the way,” till he comes to take you to his OWN HOME in heaven above.