The One Great Reality | Page 4

think you might have been treated
better? When we really know our Father-God, then we see His wisdom
even in the things that are against us. We know and we feel that they
have all been working together for our good, "for He knows all."
This Book in my hand is The Word of God. It is a revelation of God,
and the glory of God Himself shines in every page. The first word in it
is, In the beginning God. Perhaps you ask me, "Who is God?" I will tell
you. "He is my Father." But you say, I am so sinful, I am not worthy to
be called His son. That is just what I felt, so sinful, and then He
revealed Himself to me as my Saviour. Ah! you say, but I am so far off,
how can I find my way to Him? And that was just like me till the Holy
Spirit led me to Him. When God reveals Himself to you as Father,
Saviour, Comforter, then you will know that God Himself is dwelling
in your heart. Perhaps you ask, Will God really come and dwell in me
for I am so unworthy? God Himself answers that question; "Thus saith
the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I
dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and
humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart
of the contrite ones." [Footnote: Isa. lvii. 15.] Every one is standing
now in view of God and Eternity.
A very long time ago the question was asked, "Canst thou by searching
find out God?" [Footnote: Job xi. 7.] The only way we can find Him is
by our spiritual necessities. If your soul needs life, you will find Him. If

your spirit needs reviving, you will find Him. As this text says, I come
"to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
When your children talk about their Father, he is a real Person to them;
that is what God wants to be to us, a real personal God. He says, "I will
be to them a God." [Footnote: Heb. viii. 10.] I know a little boy who
whispered to his aunt one night when she was giving him the goodnight
kiss, "Oh, Auntie, I sometimes wonder whether there is a God. Are you
quite sure?" "Yes," said the aunt very earnestly, "I am quite sure. You
see, I have known Him so long and He is so much to me, I am quite
sure." The child was satisfied.
If you will turn again to Psalm cxvi. you will see a wonderful unfolding
of the secret feelings of David's heart, and as we read it we cannot help
saying to ourselves, the man who wrote this experience had very close
dealings with some One about his soul. Who is this Some One? Do you
know? Perhaps you think your religion is good enough to take you to
heaven when you die, but alas! it begins and ends with the "Unknown
God." How different to David's experience when he says out of a full
heart, "I love the Lord," or as the word means, "I am full of love," and
then he tells of his confidence in God; "I believed, therefore I have
spoken," as if he had said, "God is so real to me now, I must tell others";
and he adds, "I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." We
can walk with God in our daily life just as Enoch did.
A good man said a short time ago, If ever I pass any one in the street
with a careworn, anxious face, I long to say to them, "There is God,"
"Have faith in God." St. John said, "We have known and believed the
love that God hath to us and in us--God is love." [Footnote: 1 John iv.
16.] This is the central fact, the one great reality in life, and when once
it is grasped there is nothing to compare with it. Why is there so much
unrest, so much ungodliness, and lawlessness in our midst? We are
forgetting God. The only remedy is coming back to God.
A poor woman who has been a Christian for many years was telling me
about her mother's sudden death the week before, and then she added,
"I have never known God as I do now. The future used to look so dark,
but now that I know Him as the Living God, I can only see life. I
cannot tell you what He is to me." Her face, which bore traces of her
recent sorrow, shone with a new peace and a new joy,