When the wild snow-storms rage round the eyrie, and the mountain cold is felt, that is death to an unprotected sleeper, how warm the little eaglets are kept! Not an arrow of the keen blast reaches them, poor little featherless things, not a snowflake touches them. So warm shall you be kept "under His wings," when any cold and dark day of trouble comes, or even any sudden little blast of unkindness or loneliness.
"Under His wings shall thou _trust_!" Not "shall thou _see_!" If one of the eaglets wanted to see for itself what was going on, and thought it could take care of itself for a little while, and hopped from under the shadow of the wings, it would be neither safe nor warm. The sharp wind would chill it, and the cruel hand might seize it then. So you are to _trust_, rest quietly and peacefully, "under His wings;" stay there, not be peeping out and wondering whether God really is taking care of you! You may be always safe and happy there. Safe, for "in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge." Happy, for "in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice."
Remember, too, that it is a command as well as a promise; it is what you are to do to-day, all day long: "Under His wings _shalt_ thou trust!"
"I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee! Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free.
"I am trusting Thee to guide me, Thou alone shalt lead! Every day and hour supplying All my need."
20. Twentieth Day
Always Near.
"I am with you alway."--Matt. xxvlii. 20.
How nice it would be if we could always have the one we loved best in all the world with us; never away from us night or day, and no fear that they ever possibly would or could leave us; never a good-bye even for ever such a little while, and never, never the long farewell of death!
Can this ever be for you? Yes, for you; for to every one who is a disciple of the Lord Jesus (that is, who learns of Him and owns Him as Master), He says, "I am with you alway." He does not even say, "I will be with you;" so that you might be wondering when He meant to come, when He would begin to be "with you;" but He says, "I _am_ with you." Yes, even now, though perhaps your eyes are holden, like those of the two who walked to Emmaus when Jesus was beside them and they did not know it. Your feeling or not feeling that He is there has nothing at all to do with it, because His word must be true and _is_ true, and He has said, "I _am_ with you alway." All you have to do is to be happy in believing it to be true. And if you go on believing it, you will soon begin to realize it; that is, to find that it is a real thing, and that Jesus really is with you.
How long will He be with you? Always, "all the days!" He hath said, "I will never leave thee." "Never" means really _never_, not for one moment. You can not get beyond "never." It goes on all through your life, and all through God's great "forever." And "always" means really _always_, every single moment of all your life, so that you need never ask again, "Is Jesus with me now?" Of course He is! the answer will always be "yes," because He hath said, "I am with you alway." How safe, how sweet, how blessed!
"O Jesus, make Thyself to me A living, bright reality! More present to faith's vision keen Than any outward object seen; More dear, more intimately nigh, Than even the sweetest earthly tie."
21. Twenty-first Day.
Doing God's Will.
"Teach me to do Thy will."--Ps. cxliii. 10.
When you see some one doing with very great delight some beautiful and pleasant piece of work, have you not thought, "I should like to be able to do that!" and perhaps you have said, "Please, teach me how to do it."
Can you think of anything pleasanter to do than what the very angels are full of delight in doing? Can you think of anything more beautiful to do than what is done in the "pleasant land," the beautiful home above? Can you fancy anything more interesting to do than what the dwellers there will never get tired of doing for thousands of millions of years? Would you not like to be taught to do it too?--to begin the pleasant and beautiful and most interesting work now, instead of waiting till you are grown up, and then perhaps never learning it at all, because it was put off now? Then pray this little prayer this morning with all your heart, "Teach me to do Thy will." For it is His will that is the happiest work above, and the very happiest thing to do here below.
What is His will? The Prayer-Book version of this Psalm tells you very simply and sweetly. It says, "Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee." So doing God's will is just doing the things, one by one, that please Him.