The One Great Reality | Page 3

soon as you have spoken
through the telephone you put the receiver to your ear to listen for the
answer. Many people pray without expecting to get an answer. They
are like children who knock at a door and then run away before it is
opened. The prophet Micah says, "I will wait for God, my God will
answer me." [Footnote: Mic. vii. 7.] Yes, he expected to get an answer.
The Lord Jesus says, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and
when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret."
[Footnote: St. Matt. vi. 6.] When a child wants to tell his father
something very private he whispers it in his ear. I daresay you have
noticed that the telephone at the General Post Office is enclosed in a
box, so that no one can overhear what is said. There are many things
we say into God's ear which we could not tell to any one else. It makes

Him very real to us, if we can say in our inmost hearts, "O God, Thou
art my God, my very own Father."
When we speak through the telephone we never say useless words, and
our Lord tells us to avoid needless repetitions when we pray, and He
adds, "for your Father knows what things you need before ever you ask
Him." Just as an earthly father delights to hear his children's, voices, so
our heavenly Father loves to hear us speaking to Him, for He says, "Put
Me in remembrance, let us plead together." [Footnote: Isa. xliii. 26.]
A child's intercourse with his father is quite simple and natural, he talks
freely about everything. When you speak to God, is it an effort, or do
you look up into His face with confidence and tell Him all? A child
expects his father to supply all his wants and to be equal to every
emergency, but we seem to have lost sight of the Father in heaven who
is pledged to "supply all our need according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus." [Footnote: Phil. iv. 13.]
We must not be disappointed if we do not get all we want, because
God's promise is to supply what we need. We often wish for things
which we do not really need.
If ever you lose sight of God, think of the wonderful lesson which Jesus
teaches when He says, "If ye then being evil know how to give good
gifts unto your children," and you, fathers, always get the best you can
for them, "how much more" (wonderful words), "how much more shall
your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him."
[Footnote: St. Matt. vii. 11.] Have you ever heard God's voice saying to
you, I am your Father; love Me, look to Me, trust Me, worship Me:
"Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it." [Footnote: Ps. lxxxi. 10.]
A godly man who was a servant used to say, "There is not in the world
a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual
conversation with God." He felt that God was nearer and dearer to him
than any one else. This is what makes God real to us when we feel that
He is near and dear.
"Only to sit and think of God, Oh! what a joy it is!"
It is just the same with your children if you are a really good, loving
father, they are quite happy if they can sit close to you. Your very
presence makes a great impression on them, even if you do not say a
word. Is God's presence so real to you that it makes you control your
temper and keeps you from saying unkind things?

A boy may be troublesome sometimes, but he never really doubts his
father's love for him. Do you ever doubt God's love? Oh, yes: you say, I
often murmur. Then this shows that in a sense you have never really
known God. People would not speak as they do about God, I mean
even Christians would not talk as they do if they really knew God. We
often hear people say, "I hope God will be good to us," or, "I think it
very hard God does not answer my prayer." This shows they have
never personally known Him. Their thoughts about God are so contrary
to what they sing. For example, how much do we really mean of that
sweet hymn--
"Precious thought--my Father knoweth, In His love I rest; For whate'er
my Father doeth. Must be always best. Well I know the heart that
planneth Nought but good for me; Joy and sorrow interwoven, Love in
all I see."
Do you ever doubt His wisdom and