THOSE who know best what it is to meet with disappointment are those who have labored most diligently to obtain real happiness in such a world as this; and in spite of the manifold testimonies to the fact, that disappointment always attends the search, it is still the one great aim and object of the man of the world to supply himself with something here that will yield him satisfaction—something to fill up the aching void which is, and always will be, in his heart, so long as he remains at a distance from God, who is the source and spring of all true happiness and joy, whether for time or for eternity.
All do not follow after the same thing in order to reach the end in view. One man goes in for honor, another for wealth, another for sport and gambling, but with the same common result in the end, namely, the heart left still unsatisfied, and consequently sorrow and disappointment follow. Nor could it possibly he otherwise in a scene which is so entirely opposed to God, a scene still stained with the blood of His own beloved Son, who came down into it in richest grace to make known to ruined sinners all the love of His Father’s heart, but who Was “taken, and by wicked hands was crucified and slain.” (Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)). And, dear reader, let me tell you that if you want to be truly happy, and able to anticipate, with calmness of soul, that day “when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Rom. 2:1616In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:16)), you must be brought in this the day of grace into personal contact with this “same Jesus” (now the exalted One at God’s right hand) whom the world still refuses to own. Then, and not till then, will you know in your own soul what true happiness is.
It is said of the caliph Abdalrahman that he spent above three million pounds sterling upon his palace and gardens. In his seraglio there were 6300 persons, and he was attended to the field by a guard of 12,000 horse, whose belts and scimitars were studded with gold. One would naturally conclude that this man must have been happy with such earthly resources as these. But we will let him speak for himself. In an authentic manuscript that was found in his closet at his death he says, “I have now reigned about fifty years in victory or peace, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honor, power and pleasure, have waited at my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot—they amount to FOURTEEN! OH, MAN,” he said, “PLACE NOT THY HAPPINESS IN THIS WORLD!”
Such, then, is the testimony of a king who had plenty of this world’s goods. What a sad confession! Nor will yours be any brighter if you stay away from Christ. Had he known the Lord during those fifty years, what a different story he would have had to tell But we will now turn to another king, a far greater than he, and hear what he has to say with respect to the things in which, if your heart is still in the world, you at this moment are finding your pleasure. I refer to Solomon, “the king over Israel in Jerusalem.” (Eccl. 1:1212I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. (Ecclesiastes 1:12)). He says, after describing the various things in which he sought to find pleasure, “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” (Chapter 2:10, 11). This is another attestation to the truth of what was said at the commencement, that “disappointment is always the result of searching to find out a portion in this world to satisfy the heart.” It is a thing utterly impossible! Let me ask you in all affection, “Have not you been sadly disappointed in this world many a time? Did you not find that the little bit of pleasure looked forward to so long, but only realized the other day, yielded a great deal less satisfaction than you had anticipated? Yet you are still hoping for something in the near future, that will be better able to meet the longing desires of your poor Christ-less soul.”
Oh, would to God that I could only persuade you to give up all your efforts to satisfy your deep, deep need, and come to Jesus, who alone can fill the heart to overflowing, because I am certain that you can never be truly happy until you know Him as your own personal Saviour! And, even though it were possible to obtain happiness here apart from Christ, what is it all worth when you think of the uncertainty of your life, or the probability that the Lord may come to take away all that are “His own”; yea, even before you lay aside this paper, and leave you in your sins in the world you love so well?
Time is short. The day of God’s salvation is well-nigh spent, and soon, how very soon, this world with all its so-called sports and pleasures will be enveloped in the flames of judgment, when all that you are now finding your delight in will be taken from you forever; and you, if then found in your sins, will be bound hand and foot, and cast into the unquenchable flames of eternal perdition. There—
“Light shall revisit thee no more;
Life with its sanguine dream is o’er;
Love reaches not you awful shore:
Forever sets thy sun.”
Oh, sinner, think of your eternal portion, if you are determined to have the “pleasures of sin for a season”!
One minute more, then you and your pleasures may be separated forever, and as you are turned by God into that dreadful abode of despair, nothing will cause you more anguish than the thought that salvation was offered to you so freely; but that you preferred to have your fling in this life and to forget the next.
But why should it be so, when God, in love, is still holding out salvation to the vilest sinner under heaven, who will bow before Him, owning his deep need, and accept what He is offering “without money and without price”? (Isa. 55:11Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)).
Oh, how simple! Confess, believe, and you are saved! Then shall you realize that, “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord” (Psa. 144:1515Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 144:15)); and then shall you look forward with joy to that moment when all who are Christ’s shall be taken into the eternal enjoyment of those things “which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:99But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)).
“Happy they who trust in Jesus;
Sweet their portion is and sure,
When the foe on others seizes,
God will keep His own secure.
Happy people!
Happy, though despised and poor.”
J. G.