The Seeming Moments of Divine Neglect

“He saw them toiling in rowing; He cometh unto th m, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.’ — Mark vi. 48,

“He would have passed them by.” He made t appear as if He were bound on another errand, c s if He had not come for the purpose of helping them. Why so! When human life is struggUng, why should Divine help even appear to pass by! Is this a subject on which man should be left to doubt even for an hour! If God is our refuge and our strength in the day of trouble, why should He put on the disguise of one who is travelling to farther fields and who is bent on other business! My brother, it is the sublimest wisdom on the part of your Father. God is your very present help in time of trouble; but I do not think it would be good for you if He were revealed as very present” — present in such nearness as to exclude your own efforts. We often say, in speaking of human charities, that any help is bad which precludes s//-help. But it is just as true of the charities of Almighty God. Nay, His

almightiness makes it all the more essential that He should veil His presence. Your Father will not encourage spiritual pauperism. If you are on a stormy sea He will save you; but He will not save you as one saves a bale of goods. You are not a bale of goods; you are a man; and it is as a man He would save you. You have a spirit, and He wants the co-operation of that spirit. Your effort can add nothing to His strength, but it can add greatly to your own value; and it is your value that your Father wants to secure. That is the reason why He seems to pass by. He would like you to call Him. You cannot call Him if you see Him to be here already. Your cry requires the mist. If He would wake the spirit of prayer He must create the delusion of solitude; He must make it appear as if you were alone. Therefore it is that He makes as if He would pass by. He hides His nearness; He conceals His purpose; He veils the hand that already touches yours. My soul, often have I heard thee say with Israel’s prophet, “Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself!” And in this thou namest thy Father well. He is indeed a God that hides Himself; but His hiding is His brightest revealing. He has never come so near to thee as when He seems to pass by. It is always by night thy

Father seeketh thee — by night and by means of night. Not thus does He come to other creatures. He comes to the sun in light. He comes to the hill in gold. He comes to the plant in warmth. He comes to the bird in song. But not so does He begin with thee — He cometh to thee with clouds. Wilt thou complain that thine is not the fate of the sun or the hill or the plant or the bird? Then art thou complaining of thine own greatness. He comes to thee in the night because He desires to hear thy cry. Thou art the only creature that has a cry for Him. Nothing else would pine if He passed it by. The sun would not long for its light; the hill would not grieve for its gold; the plant would not weep for its warmth; the bird would not sigh for its song. But thou canst long for Him, thou canst grieve for Him, thou canst weep for Him, thou canst sigh for Him, O my soul. The night of other things brings no music to His ear; but thy night gives Him songs. It warbles thy want of Him. It hymns thy hunger for Him. It sings thy search for Him. It chants thy choice of Him. It notes thy need of Him. It preludes thy prayer to Him. It voices the void of thy heart without Him. It is no wonder that, with such treasures in thy night, thy Father oft should choose the night for thee.