Mark 8:37

THE VALUE OF A SOUL

‘What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’

Mark 8:37

The value of a soul!

I. How God has taught it.

(a) At Bethlehem I stand with the shepherds beside the Holy Child, I try to grasp the mystery of God Incarnate, and I cannot; my brain grows dizzy at the effort, when, lo! there comes to me one simple thought that is the solution of it all, that Child lying in His mother’s arms. Well, whatever else it means, I know that it means this, it is God’s message to the world, in the eloquence of childhood to tell me the value of my soul.

(b) At Calvary. I go to Calvary, and I try to grasp the mystery of the atoning sacrifice, and I cannot; and once more there comes to me the same solution. What means it but that it is God’s message to the world, written in the very blood, to tell me the value of my soul?

(c) At the altar. And still, when I go in and out amongst the ministries of the Christian Church, when I kneel to take the Sacrament, sometimes the thought arises in me, How can this thing be? and I put it away from me deliberately; or because I know my poor, my limited intellect cannot grasp the mystery of God, and I say, Well, this at least is one meaning of it, and to this I cling, that is, God’s message, repeated with wondrous patience, with wondrous persistence, to assure me of the value of my soul.

It seems to me that if these thoughts are the outcome of the Master’s question, then still another thought must follow.

II. The responsibility of the possessor for the great possession.—The thought of the value of my soul suggests to me the task of its education, its culture, its training. There is a spiritual power of perception. A wondrous thing that may be used or may be dulled and blunted by disuse. A wondrous power to catch the faint, far-off footsteps of my God in the history of my life; to hear the faintest whisper of His voice.

—Bishop F. E. Ridgeway.

Illustration

‘I once read of a woman whose house was on fire. She was very active in removing her goods, but forgot her child who was asleep in the cradle. At last she thought of it and ran to save it, but it was too late. The flames prevented her crossing the threshold. Judge of her agony of mind as she exclaimed, “Oh, my child! my child! I have saved my goods, but lost my child!” So will it be with many who forget the “one thing needful.” ’

(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SOUL

It is extraordinary how many people seem not to know that the religious sense must be trained and exercised steadily, systematically, patiently, if it is to be of any use to us. The consciousness of the presence of God is not a thing to be gained lightly and easily. It must be striven for and worked for, we must make sacrifices to gain it. Have we done so already; are we doing so now?

The soul has its own organ—prayer. We cannot realise the presence of God without prayer, nor pray without realising the presence of God.

I will add a few practical suggestions as to the strengthening of our soul-life.

I. We must not pray by fits and starts.—An athlete who exercised his muscles assiduously one week out of three would not gain much in strength. We must be careful to pray and meditate every day, and, as far as possible, at stated times.

II. It is never wise to overstrain.—Prayer should be frequent, but short; and there is no need of irksome rules.

III. In work that should occupy the mind.—Give the mind to it. Offer your task to God when you begin and when you finish it, but do not interrupt it to pray or meditate.

IV. Build the practice of the presence of God upon the promised presence of Christ. I lay great stress on this. The promise, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world,’ is to be believed quite simply; and it is often much easier to pray to Christ, and to hear His voice in answer, than to address ourselves to God the Father. It is on account of this possibility of a real communion with Christ that we value so highly the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ is the most blessed experience of the spiritual life. Many people miss this blessed experience because they persist in turning their backs on the Holy Table.

Rev. Professor W. R. Inge.

Illustration

‘Man has this wonderful power of establishing relations with God, of entering into communion with Him. Of this there can be no reasonable doubt. The truly religious people of all ages and countries tell us that they know it is so. They know that to speak to God is not the same thing as to talk to oneself. They know that our prayers and thanksgivings are heard and answered. It is not evidence that can be tested or used to convince other people; it is too intimate and personal for that. But if we are ever tempted to listen to arguments against the reality of such communion with God, our heart, as the poet says, answers, “like a man in wrath, I have felt.” ’