The Hope of the Spirit
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” — GEN. vi, 3,
PrxesO, not always; there shall be peace at E) the last. It is not possible that there ke can be two eternal powers; one must, conquer and be all in all. Shall it be the flesh or shall it be the Spirit? The deluge shall answer that question. All flesh shall be destroyed; all carnality shall be drowned; all worldly lust shall be buried in the waves and love shall reign supreme. O glorious prophecy, thou redeemest the darkness of the flood. Thou art already the dove upon the waters, but thou tellest of a higher rest than that of Ararat. Thou tellest of a time when there shall be no more sea, no more passion, no more sin. Thou tellest of summers without storm, of mornings without cloud, of moments without fear. Thou art better than the rainbow set for a covenant amid the waters. That only promised a freedom from future punishment; thine is the pledge of a freedom from future sin. Thy pledge shall be redeemed when the vision of Patmos shall be fulfilled: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.”
Spirit Divine, why is it that I am at war with Thee? Nothing else is at war with Thee. We speak of the Jaws of nature and we do well. All nature is Thy law and keeps Thy law; this heart of mine has alone refused to say “Thy will be done.” I am myself the miracle of the universe, the violation of the order of nature. I am the only thing in creation which strives with Thee, which needs to be reconciled to Thee. They say that to believe in Thee is to believe in that which contradicts reason; no, it is to find something which destroys the contradiction. I am now the contradiction to reason, the miracle in nature, the one exception to the reign of universal law. Spirit of Christ, Spirit of the heavenly Father, conquer my will, that the miracle may be destroyed. Reconcile my heart to Thy heart, that there may be no more violation of law. Unite my purpose to Thy purpose, that I may be in harmony with all things and that all things may work together for my good. Let me know for the first time the joy of being no anomaly in the universe of life, no interruption in the order of nature. All things shall be subject unto Thee when I have ceased to strive.