And if waiting is thus of the very essence of service, so that the waiting of a servant is used by the Psalmist to illustrate intensity of concentration, eager watchfulness, the waiting of our eyes upon God for relief in distress, I think our text also teaches that this last-mentioned exercise of faith and patience has in it the spirit, and is attended with all the blessedness, of true and acceptable service; that he who, under such trial, can say, "Truly my soul waiteth only upon God." "On Thee do I wait all the day," is counted no less faithful and obedient a waiter than one more actively employed. And even such an one may, unknown to himself, be doing his Lord other service than his patient trusting. I remember a very devoted Christian lady telling me that the first spark of true life was kindled in her soul by her hearing from the lips of a stranger, in whose company she happened to be, the simple words, "God is so good." When afterwards she became acquainted with the speaker, and told her of the blessed impression received from her, she learned that on that day of their first meeting she had been passing through so severe a struggle of long patience and hope deferred as to make her cling to her God in almost utter darkness, little thinking to be used as a light shining before men. Realizing in waiting days this attitude of personal attendance upon our God; remembering that to wait for Him is to wait upon Him as one of His household, living in His presence, His own hand signalling to us, His own voice speaking to us, "Be still, and know that I am God," much of the restlessness and weariness of waiting days is gone. We are kept from the worn state of heart which tempts us to exclaim, "My way is hid from the Lord," as though we had been left to stand waiting and forgotten like suitors in the cold outer chamber of a royal palace; we are kept also from the temptation, so closely connected with this, to take thought for the morrow in the matter of our waiting, since the Master, whos eye is upon us, will surely call us in due time, it may be at any monient, to glorify Him in some other and perhaps happier service. Then let it be our stimulus and strength in the blessed waiting of service, our quietness and confidence in the no less blessed service of waiting, that our gracious Lord and Master is the centre of it all; even One who has promised that "he who waiteth on his Master shall be honoured;" with honours such as we shall only fully realise in that day when, to recompense His waiting ones, "He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." The City of Refuge. LY! fly the avenger is fast on your track, to look back; Cast aside every hindrance-leave all that is dear; Haste! haste! 'tis for life! speed on to the goal; Be as spurs to your sides and as wings to your feet, Six cities of refuge around you all stand, For many miles round may each city be seen; So that none vainly seeking may lie down to die. The roads are quite straight, and no hindrance is found; Here and there in their length huge stone pillars are placed, You may read as you run, nor pause for a look; And should any river or swift-flowing brook Cross your path, you will find that 'tis safely bridged o'er, That your time be not hindered in fording to shore. Its gates stand wide open all day and all night, And strangers are safe as an Israelite ; Its people bring food to the refugee's hand, And provide him with all-'tis the law of the land. See see he is off! with the speed of a hind Which scents the fierce dogs on the soft-breathing wind; His eyes full of terror, his breath coming fast. Can he mount the green hill?-will his strength it outlast? Ah! see how the bead-drops roll down his pale face! Though he hears not his steps, and he dares not look back. He staggers! he stumbles! his enemy gains! He has touched the white walls all with Refuge engraved, Oh sinner! believe there's a Refuge for you; The way is quite open, and all things made plain; Oh pause not! oh die not in sight of the goal! The arms of the Saviour are e'er opened wide; The Look of Faith. HEN Thomas Barton had gathered his family round him, as was his custom on the Sunday evening, for a Bible reading, Robert, the eldest son, said, "In our class this morning, father, teacher asked if we had ever observed how very often the word 'Look' is used both in the Old and New Testaments. Such verses as 'Looking unto Jesus.' 'Look unto Me.' Would it not be a good plan if we were to find some of them this evening? He said, but I did not quite understand him—that there was 'Looking unto Jesus,' and that was faith; and 'Looking for Him,' and that was hope; and that there was 'Looking on Him,' in some measure now, but fully hereafter, and that was love and holiness combined. Now we want you to help us to make all this out." "Most gladly, my boy. The first will give us plenty to say for this evening, and we may take the others the two next Sunday evenings. Who will give me a verse that we may start from ?" While they had been speaking, Annie had found out the verse, so without delay she read, "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.' But I do not know exactly how we can look to God." "There is nothing like getting one part of the Bible to explain another," replied the father; "so let us turn to the story of the Brazen Serpent; we shall find it in Numbers xxi. ; even little Nelly knows that story." With sparkling eyes the little one told it: how the people had sinned, and God had sent fiery serpents to bite them; and when they cried to the Lord, He desired Moses to make a serpent of brass, and to set it up on a high pole, that it might be seen from all parts of the camp; and every one who looked at it was quite cured. Isaiah xlv. 22. "Very nicely told, my child; and Jack will give us what our Lord says about this serpent being a type of Himself.” The boy repeated, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."1 66 "Quite right; it is a wonderful type. They were wounded unto death; so is every sinner sick unto death, wounded by him who is called the 'old serpent.' As with them no healing art could avail to cure, so all the wisdom of man has never found a cure for sin. Thus, in both cases, when man could do nothing for himself, God came to the rescue, in His power and His wisdom and His tender mercy, and made a way of escape. A serpent of brass for the poor dying Israelites; and for the sin-sick, He has sent His Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life'-so you see that looking in the one case corresponds with believing in the other, and it is the look of faith that saves the soul." "Do you think that every one looked and was healed?" asked the mother. "We are not told, so I cannot speak for certain; but to judge from what I see around me every day, I think that all did not look. One would be sure to say, 'How can looking at a brass serpent cure me?' and, disbelieving Moses and God, he would turn away and die. I can fancy one mother holding up her dying child, never resting till she had roused or coaxed him to open his heavy eyes and look; and as he looked, life and health came back, and a shout of joyful praise would tell others what great things God had done for her; while another would hang over her infant, trying one remedy after another, vainly seeking to relieve his agony, rejecting the only cure as too easy, too simple; one knew better; one had known of great cures in Egypt, but not one by a look; and her child died. I can see a man in the strength of renewed life hastening to a neighbour, a 1 John iii. 14, 15. |