The Soul's Confidence in God
“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid.” —
Psatm lvi. 11.
Tue lusty confidence which is revealed in
these words of the Psalmist is vitally different
from many of the confidences in which
men trust to-day. The first is spiritual, and is born of communion with a Person; the second is magical, and rests its confidence in things. The scriptural emphasis has unfailingly this distinction, that a Presence is unveiled in whom the soul can rest. We are not dealing merely with laws of life which it is our welfare to heed and our destruction to ignore. The confidence reaches behind and beyond the laws, and it seeks the One whose thought and purpose find expression in them. The men and women whom we meet in the Bible, those who are facing unknown and menacing circumstances without fear, are not trusting in the friendliness of some vague and mysterious force. They do not find serenity and comfort in a
constitution of the universe which wraps them about like some ubiquitous ether. Their trust is something far more immediate and intimate. It is not something which springs out of a sense of being in harmonious relations with the universal order. All these may be secretly implied in vital trust; but while vastly important, they are still secondary, and they are all easily attainable if something higher is secured.
These Biblical men and women lived in a fellowship, they enjoyed a Companionship. They did not rest in New Thought, but in a creative and ever-renewing union with One who was only slightly veiled, and with whom they could live in unbroken commerce and correspondence. They could walk and talk with Him. The relationship was not cold and mechanical, something that finds analogy in electric energy, and in suitable switches and wires. There was life in it and feeling; there was desire in it and affection; there was joy and tears. The Secret in which they trusted was not hidden under a neuter pronoun, like so many of the secrets of our modern cults and practices. They did not speak of “‘it,’’ but of ‘‘ him.” “The Lord Himself is thy keeper.” When they went out to their daily work, or when they returned from their work at the fall of day, it was “‘ the Lord”’ who was to guard both their goings out and their comings in. When in weariness of body they laid them down to sleep, it was “‘ Thou only who makest me to dwell in safety.”” When they opened their eyes in the morning, ‘‘ When I awake I am still with Thee.” The companioning Presence was ‘‘ warm, sweet, tender,” and they found His gracious tokens all along their way. It is the living Person who is the secret of their peace. ‘‘ In the Lord put I my trust.” ‘ Believe in God; believe also in Me.”
We can now name some of the things which can always be found in a quiet attitude of vital trust. First of all, there is always an assurance of spiritual fellowship. We are not crying to a far-off Presence. There is no caprice in His moods and journeyings. We always know how we shall find Him, and we always find Him so. He does not lure us and then mock us. His enticements are always satisfying, for His promises are always redeemed. And therefore we may have perfect assurance in His fellowship. To recall the phrase, both the Old Testament and the New speak of “‘ walking”’ with God.» It is a most companionable phrase. It does not take us among the austerities of a throne-room, we are not left in the repressing sobrieties of the Holy Place ;, We are out on our own road, the familiar way which leads to our daily work, or perhaps the unfamiliar way which leads to a newly-made grave. And our Lord ‘“walks”’ with us. He keeps
8 pace with us when sorrow makes our steps slow and heavy, or when happiness almost adds wings to our feet. He-walks — with-us We shall not degrade the wonderful word if we think of human friends who have walked together as one. Then think of David and Jonathan, think of Hallam and Tennyson, think of the men of the knotted hearts. These friends, walked together and shared their secrets as they walked. ‘* And all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” It is the privilege of the open mind and heartzthegraee~of the opén-deor,-This~surely-1s the first-condition of that invigorating confidence in which a man can trust and not be afraid) Well, then, for a second thing I should say that in all restful confidence in God there is a sense of moral repose. There is no tumult in the neighbourhood of the conscience, no riot which necessitates the reading of the Riot Act. There must be no fear bound to our conscience, not even one of the many fears which are the offspring of guilt. All is quiet in the conscience. And this, too, is all the ministry of the Lord in His gracious work of forgiveness. By His grace He removes the threat from the conscience. He makes it friendly. What has hitherto been a sort of policeman’s lamp, to startle us, becomes a kindly household lamp to guide our way from room to room, and to guide us in all the confusing ways of life. By God’s good grace guilt is transformed into moral reconciliation. ‘‘ He hath delivered me from all my fears.” Yes, all is quiet with the conscience. ‘‘I will not be afraid!”
And, for a last thing, I think that in all fruitful confidence in God there is an element of mental expectation. ‘‘ My expectation is from Him.” All of which means that a really vital trust has a quiet, forward look. It gazes along the road without fear. It expects that every necessity will reveal a providential bounty, and it therefore meets all its needs with a cheer. If the road is startlingly new, and the old guide-posts are few, and their guidance is somewhat effaced and confusing, then vital trust expects a new revelation appropriate to the new demands. ‘ He hath not left Himself without a witness!” ‘‘ The Lord hath yet more light and truth to break forth from the holy word.”” Old lamps will give new light. ““In Thy light shall we see light!” And therefore on the new road I will trust and not be afraid.