Guarded from Stumbling

He promise of heaven is very alluring to Christian hope. But how can we get there? Perils seen and unseen beset the way, and we have no strength to defend ourselves or to keep our lives from hurt. To meet these dangers, however, we have the promise of a Guide who is able to guard us on all the way from falling, even from stumbling, and to bring us at last unharmed, without blemish, to the door of our Father’s house.

The Bible gives many assurances of protection to the children of God as they pass through this world. They dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. They take refuge under the wings of God. The angels of God have special charge over them to keep them a ieart (Bartien

in all their ways. A mother, after a sore bereavement which changed all her life, was grieving at having to leave the old home where everything had grown sacred. Tears filled her eyes as she took the last look at the familiar scenes — house, grounds, trees, and hills. Her little boy tried to comfort her, and as he looked out of the window of the car, he said: “Why, mother, God’s sky is over us yet. It’s going right along with us.” We never can get beyond the blue of the heavens; we never can get out from under the shadow of the Almighty. Wherever we may have to go we shall always have the love of God over us.

There are also promises of protection. We have the assurance that God will not suffer our foot to be moved. So the divine thought extends even to our feet and to our steps, one by one. There is not an inch in all our pathway through this world that is unwatched, on which the eye of God does not rest. The most watchful human love must sometimes close its eyes in sleep. The most loving mother [170] dPuarDcD from ^tumliKng

must sometimes steal from the bedside of her little sick child for a minute’s rest. But the divine care never slumbers nor fails, even for a moment. “He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” There is a strange sense of security in knowing that some one is watching when we cannot watch. On shipboard, when the passengers are in their berths, it cheers them to hear the call from the lookout, hour after hour, telling them that all is well. We go to our beds at night in our city homes with a quieter trust because the watchman is on his beat outside. In camp, in the enemy’s country, in times of war, officers and men sleep, though there is constant danger of assault, because all night long the sentinels wake and guard the lines. In this world of danger we need never vex ourselves with fear or anxiety, for God is watching, and He never sleeps. There is not a moment by day or by night when we are unguarded. There can be no sudden surprise or danger by which God can be taken unaware.

Physical protection is not all we need. There [171] a icart mtbm

are those who have every comfort and luxury, a happy home, loving friends and all that is needed to give them freedom from care, and yet they are beset all the while with other dangers of which they do not dream. The worst perils are not those that threaten our bodies. We dread accidents which might wound us or break our limbs. We dread contagion which smite us low in sickness. We dread robbers who might carry off our treasures. But these are not the worst dangers, and being guarded from these is not the truest keeping. Sometimes robbers come in the darkness and take away money or silver or jewels from a home. But that is not the worst robbing. We may lose all our treasures and yet be rich.

“0 the night was dark and the night was late, And the robbers came to rob him; And they picked the locks of the palace-gate

The robbers that came to rob him — They picked the locks of his palace-gate,

Seized his jewels and gems of state,
His coffers of gold and his priceless plate, — The robbers that came to rob him.
[172]
(Buartiet) from ^txtmblfng

*’ But loud laughed he in the morning red,

For of what had the robbers robbed him? Ho! hidden safe as he slept in bed,

When the robbers came to rob him, They robbed him not of a golden shred

Of the childish dreams in his wise old head — ‘And thei/re welcome to all things else,’ he said,

When the robbers came to rob him.’.’

There are robbers which pick no lock and take not a dollar of treasure, yet which rob lives of possessions more precious than money or gems. We need a guardianship more watchful than that of any man. When Jesus was going away He commended His disciples to His Father’s care. He did not ask that they should be kept from suffering, from persecution, from sword or stake or dungeon — what He asked was that while in the world they should be kept from the world’s evil. There is no other real peril; if we are kept from sin, nothing else can really harm us. The keeping of our bodies and of our home is part of the divine care. But we need also spiritual keeping, and this, too, we have in the divine [173]

31 ieart CPatDen

guardianship. “The Lord will keep thee from all evil.” There is really but one “evil.” It is not sickness, it is not loss of money, it is not pain, it is not sorrow. One may suffer in all these ways and not be touched by evil at any point. It is protection from evil that we need most of all, and this we have in God, When we are enjoying the greatest prosperity we are sometimes in the greatest danger. “When you see me begin to get rich, pray for my soul,” said a good man to his friend. The keeping that we need most is from spiritual perils, and this we have in God. The refuge against spiritual dangers is not built of stones. One may be in a castle, safe from all earthly assault, and yet be in the midst of enemies. God Himself is the refuge of His people. One of the great promises of the Old Testament is: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.” God’s is the keeping. God’s omnipotence is the wall of the refuge. God’s love and care are the warmth and comfort of the dwelling-place. But how may we be admitted to [174] dPuatdeD from tumbling

this shelter? The promise of keeping is for him whose mind is stayed on God. That is our part — the staying of our heart and mind upon God. That means trust. One who had just had a wonderful proof of the divine thought and care in opening a way said: “I wish I could learn to trust when I begin to be in need. I had a hundred evidences the last year that God is caring for me. But every time I begin to need help I get afraid again, as if I had never known of God’s protection.” We should trust God without question, without seeing help in sight. That is what “stayed on God” means — quiet confidence and implicit obedience. Then comes peace, perfect peace.

A New-Testament assurance of divine keeping runs thus: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.” Christ does not think of us in flocks, but as individuals, one by one, as our mothers do. In a collection of relics picked [175] a ieart (Barren

up on the field of Waterloo is a ring, set with a large pearl, and on the pearl the miniature of a beautiful girl’s face. The ring was worn by some soldier in the battle, and we can think how his eyes lingered on the portrait and how it inspired him with courage as he entered the battle. Thus the Master carries our faces on a pearl of love. In all our perils, struggles, and sorrows He has us in His heart. “I know them... They shall never perish... No one shall snatch them out of My hand.” Another word tells us that our life is “hid with Christ in God.” Love always makes a holy shelter for those it keeps in its heart. Think how the mother by her love weaves a wall of safety about her child. Think how a friend throws about his friend an invisible protection. So does the love of Christ surround the trusting life with an invisible protection which nothing can tear away. A Christian woman, having to cross the river late at night, was approached by a stranger. As the boat was landing he said: “I see you are alone.”” No, sir, I am not alone; I have [176] (tSuartieD from tumbling

a friend.” “I do not see any one,” he said, looking round. The woman quietly answered, “Jesus Christ is with me,” and the man turned and fled into the darkness.

“Like 7noss around the budding- rose,
Like snow around the lily’s gold,
So would my love enclose,
With tenderness untold,
My thought of thee
All silently.

“Like breezes through the old oak grove, Like sunshine o’er the landscape fair, So would my true life rove, In active love and prayer, At God’s sweet will, Singing or still.”

There is another word of Christ’s which brings strong assurance of safety in time of danger. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pence.’^ and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Does God care for sparrows?

*’ So many sparrows sit in the tree,
So many birdies hide in their nests,
So many hearts are full of glee,

And so much sorrow hides in their breasts. The day is too warm, or the day is too cold. So many young the little nests hold; So many boys are laying their snare; Does God care?

“The dear Lord knows and the dear Lord sees The bird in the tree and the bird in the nest; He hears their joyous melodies,

He tempers the wind, be it east or west; He seeth their danger; he seeth their care. Up on the wing, and down in the snare; When the cold rain beats, and the cold wind blows.

Yes, God knows.”

If a little sparrow is cared for by God and is not forgotten, will He care less for one of His children? Not less, but immeasurably more. Then there is the Master’s familiar word about the numbering of our hairs, which is very suggestive. God does not count people’s hairs — that is not what the word means. [178] (E>uat:DeD from tumbling

It means that He takes note of the smallest things in our lives, the smallest events, the smallest cares, the least dangers. Our God is great, but He knows our names and loves us individually, the least as tenderly as the greatest. His guardianship extends also to all our life, to the most insignificant circumstances and experiences.

Then we are told also that our Lord is able to guard us from stumbling. This is a great promise. We are too lenient with ourselves and too charitable toward our own failures and falls. We set too low a standard for our own lives. We say, “No one can live perfectly,” and then we hide under that confession of weakness every time we come short. Yet He is able to keep us even from stumbling. In the Te Dcum is the petition, “Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.” This should be the Christian’s prayer every morning. Though we may not reach the lofty ideal, this aspiration should never die out of our hearts. Our aim should be to live each day without sin. We do not [179] a ieart dsartien

need to yield to temptation. The mighty One is ever by us, and our power to endure is not measured by our own frail strength. He, strong Son of God, who is ever with us, is able to guard us even from stumbling. God does not intend to keep us from being tempted. We must all meet temptation. An untempted life is weak and insecure. But in permitting us to be tempted God does not mean that we shall fall into sin. Temptation is not sin. When God lets us be tempted it is that we may overcome and grow stronger. Browning puts it in this strong and true way:

Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his feet f

So while heaven seems far off, and while the way is full of enemies and dangers, yet none, not even the weakest, need perish on the way, nor fail to get home. Christ the mighty One has built a road through the world, a safe and secure road, on which all His friends may journey under His guidance and guardian- [180] d&uarDeD from tumbling

ship without danger and without hurt till they enter the Father’s house.

‘^ 0, what is this pathway white, with parapets

of light, Whose slender links go up, go up, and meet in

heaven high? ‘Tis the Road of the Loving Heart from earth

to sky.

*’ Who made the beautiful road f It was the Son

of God, Of Mary horn in Bethlehem. He planned it

first and then Up the Road of the Loving Heart He led all

men.

“Was it not hard to build f Yes, all His years

were filled With labor, but He counted not the cost nor was

afraid: — No Road of the Loving Heart is cheaply made.’’

181 ]
m)t OBible in Life

“Only a seed — but it chanced to fall
In a little cleft of a city wall;
And taking root grew bravely up
Till a tiny blossom crowned its top.

“Only a thought — but the work it wrought Could never by tongue or pen be taught; For it ran through a life like a thread of gold, And the life bore fruit an hundred-fold.

“Only a word — but ’twas spoken in love, With a whispered prayer to the Lord above, And the angels in heaven rejoiced once more, For a newborn soid ’ entered in by the door/”

184 ]