01.05. The River of Silent Submission, river of Trust

THE RIVER OF SILENT SUBMISSION May the River of Silent Submission flow from us. Out of a crucified, yielded heart let every act be in subjection to the Giver of Grace. The earthen vessel that has this treasure within, accepts reproach, though falsely accused, and rejoices that he is worthy to suffer as our Lord, “Who, when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” Every individual, saint or sinner, suffers under slander, false accusations, but though he may suffer, the sanctified does not fight back, but holds still and leaves his cause in the hands of God, who is the comforter in times of need. “Vengeance is mine! I will repay,” saith the Lord. Flow on Blessed River! When we are defrauded in a business transaction, the submitted heart never quarrels or fusses to get even. When others clamor for our destruction with lying tongues, and fill the air with accusing gossip, certainly the sanctified suffers, but never seeks to uphold themselves by returning accusations or slander. Divine love settles this. Jesus said, “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice; and by exceedingly glad; for great is your reward in heaven. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” Oh, dear reader, does not this demand a holy heart? Where could the sinner or even the justified, find his place in this standard? Are you a child of the Father in heaven? It would pay us to examine our inward stirrings and attitudes, as well as our outward conduct. There may be times that it would be proper and right by holy discretion and divine guidance to rebuke an evil doer, not to discredit him, but to uphold a scriptural standard of principle. The expose of sin and malice is needful, but never is a revengeful rebuke proper. Let us hate wickedness and sin, but love the sinner. May we never allow wickedness to triumph over us, yet may we never render railing for railing, but may Love flow unpolluted from us to the poor lost enemy. Charity seeketh not her own, and thinketh no evil. The outflowing of an inward faith is characterized by a silent subjection to circumstances. There is an inward knowledge that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Everyone admires true manliness or womanliness in character, but oh, how much greater is true godliness! It is admirable to see one, even who does not have a consolation of faith in God, meet misfortunes with strength, and not give in to afflictions in such a way as to upset, frustrate or tear up the normal character. Yet how much better is it to lean on the Savior’s breast in the dark hours of calamity, and to look upon his face, in silent subjection and say, “Thou doest all things well.” Oh dear reader, how wonderful is the sanctified life. The past is forgiven, the present is peaceful, the future lies within God’s perfect will. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Worry is sin to the sanctified. The world will note a great difference in the submission to the fiery trials of the Christian who has received the full assurance of faith and of those who know not this grace.

RIVER OF TRUST

Jesus flows from us in the River of Trust. Our daily conduct gives evidence of trust in all things. Not only will our soul pray out, “Not my will but thine be done” but in the darkest of hours proclaim, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.” The motivation of our life will not be of human desire, but of faith. The unsaved live in the delusion that the gratification of desire is happiness. They restlessly run to and fro in search of some real or imaginary object, which they suppose will bring peace and happiness. This is only true and proper, when the desires have God as their central object. If anything but God and his righteousness is sought, they miss the mark. While this is true of every sinner, it is partially true of many regenerated. Their life is full of desires and most often terminate in created objects, and not on the satisfying Christ. Their desire is strong, but their faith is weak. They profess great faith, but are centered on the desire for temporal blessings, wealth, fame, position, influence and things that worldly minded people are pursuing in vain. All is vanity apart from God. Desire searches for things seen. Faith pursues the unseen and spiritual. Desire grasps the perishing objects. Faith takes hold of the Eternal, even to Christ himself. When the believer is filled with the purging Holy Spirit, everything of self-centered desire is cleansed from the heart; He experiences a change from the reign of desire to the reign of faith. The desire is in subjection to faith. Faith leads all desires to be centered in Him.” The soul rests in the conviction that God’s will is being done. Faith becomes joyous, vibrant, and yields itself to outward trust. The quietness of manner, the simplicity of undivided trust, will flow from an inward tranquillity that comes only from our blessed Christ. Let the Rivers of Christ flow out and enlarge. The spiritual law is that of growth and enlargement. The prophet Ezekiel beheld a vision of the flowing river that proceeded from the spiritual house. At each point of measurement the river enlarged. The waters were to the ankles; the waters were to the knees; the waters were to the loins; and finally, they were a river that could not be passed over. Praise the Lord! This life in Christ cannot be held in a bottle. If it is unhindered by vain desire, slothfulness, or unfaithfulness it cannot be measured. The most blessed truth of this vision of the prophet is that “everything shall live whither the river cometh.” Let Christ flow from us and he will give life to the desert places. The waters of the dead sea will be healed. The life of the sanctified is a fruitful life. This River from Christ not only gives life but will sustain the life of holiness. “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all tress for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit there of shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.” From beneath the threshold of the sanctuary of the sanctified this river shall flow, not to receive but to give and to bless others. The consequence of a spirit filled life will be to bring life to those that are dead Christ flowing from us will help others to grow. The desert shall blossom. The lives of the sickly will be strengthened. The dry bones shall live again. Hallelujah! “Be ye also enlarged,” wrote the Apostle. To what capacities? Let him tell us. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”