The Retarding of God
Acts iii. 20, 21 v.
“Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things.”
Is not this a strange saying — that Christ must become invisible until things are put right? Would we not have expected that God would reveal Himself when things are going wrong? Why should the heaven be silent when the earth is in confusion? — Because discord cannot hear music. The heavens keep many things to themselves just because the earth is not prepared for them; if there were more restitution below, there would be less reticence above. Art thou complaining of the silence of Grod? Lament rather the silence of man. The stars in the Kingdom of thy Father are not seen without the eye of the heart. The voices of the celestial multitude are not heard without the ear of the soul. The touch of the heavenly messengers passing by is not felt without the hand of the Spirit. Why speakest thou of the silence of God, when thine ear is dull and thine eye is dim and thy hand is blunted? It is thou that imprisonest heaven, not heaven that imprisons thee. Thy Father is retarded in the wings of His love. He calls, but thou nearest not. He beckons, but thou seest not. He touches, but thou art insensible of His pressure. He beats against the bars, but thou deniest him the liberty of the earthly air. He cannot reveal Himself till He has restored thee.
Restore my soul, oh God! There are “green pastures around me for which my eye has no lens, there are quiet waters beside me for which my ear has no chord; restore my soul. There are unknown beauties sleeping in every flower, there are unheard harmonies singing in every breeze; restore my soul. There are goodness and mercy following me in all valleys, there is a rod and a staff supporting me in all shadows; restore my soul. The path on which I go is already the path of Thy righteousness; open Thou my eyes that I may behold its wonders. The place I call dreadful is even now the house of the Lord; the heavens shall cease to hide Thee when Thou hast restored my soul.