_Surely I would speak to the Almighty._ MAN SPEAKING TO GOD There is a great deal of human speaking that has to do with God. Most speak about God, many speak against God, and some speak to God. Of these there are two classes--Those who occasionally speak to Him under the pressure of trial; those w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for Him?_ SPECIAL RELIGIOUS PLEADERS Job finds them guilty of speaking falsely as special pleaders for God, in two respects. They insist that he has offended God, but they cannot point to one sin which he has committed. On the other hand, they af... [ Continue Reading ]
_Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him _ A MISINTERPRETED VERSE, AND A MISAPPREHENDED GOD How often have these words been the vehicle of a sublime faith in the hour of supreme crisis! It is always matter of regret when one has to take away a cherished treasure from believing hearts. Now this... [ Continue Reading ]
_For an hypocrite shall not come before Him._ THE SEVERAL SORTS OF HYPOCRISY Job’s friends urged that because God had grievously afflicted him, he must needs have been a very wicked man. Job in reply maintains his innocency. He insists that God afflicts for other reasons, in His own good pleasure.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then call Thou, and! will answer._ THE ECHO There are places where, if you speak with a loud voice, your words will come back to you after a short interval with the utmost distinctness. This repetition is called an echo. The ancients thought this mysterious being was an Oread, or mountain nymph,... [ Continue Reading ]
_How many are mine iniquities and sins?_ STRUGGLES OF CONSCIENCE In Luther’s day the precise evil under which men laboured was this: they believed in being self-righteous, and so they supposed that they must have good works before they might trust in Christ. In our day the evil takes another shape.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt Thou break a leaf driven to and fro?_ A PITIFUL PLEA Poor Job! Who could have been brought lower? In his deep distress he turns to God, and finding no other plea so near at hand he makes a plea of his own distress. He compares himself to the weakest thing he could think of. He draws an argume... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth._ THE INIQUITIES OF YOUTH VISITED The errors and sins of youth do often entail a very fearful responsibility and very heavy misery upon after life. Youth, which is the season of the first, and sometimes of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet._ FOOTPRINTS True religion there cannot be without an abiding sense of our responsibilities. We must discover and realise our moral obligations, or we can never meet and discharge them. What is meant by moral responsibility? It implies that God will c... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth-eaten._ ROTTEN ESTABLISHMENTS “A revival of commercial confidence cannot be expected so long as rotten trading establishments continue to deceive the world.” The cause of bad trade is that we have neglected personal religion, and have... [ Continue Reading ]