Unspoken Sermons, Series I., II., and III.MacDonald, George
Religion
Unspoken Sermons, Series I., II., and III.
MacDonald, George
Sermons, English -- 19th century
See, then, what lies within our reach every time that we are thus lapt
in the folds of night. The highest condition of the human will is in
sight, is attainable. I say not the highest condition of the Human
Being; that surely lies in the Beatific Vision, in the sight of God.
But the highest condition of the Human Will, as distinct, not as
separated from God, is when, not seeing God, not seeming to itself to
grasp him at all, it yet holds him fast. It cannot continue in this
condition, for, not finding, not seeing God, the man would die; but the
will thus asserting itself, the man has passed from death into life,
and the vision is nigh at hand. Then first, thus free, in thus
asserting its freedom, is the individual will one with the Will of God;
the child is finally restored to the father; the childhood and the
fatherhood meet in one; the brotherhood of the race arises from the
dust; and the prayer of our Lord is answered, "I in them and thou in
me, that they may be made perfect in one." Let us then arise in
God-born strength every time that we feel the darkness closing, or
Become aware that it has closed around us, and say, "I am of the Light
and not of the Darkness."
Troubled soul, thou art not bound to feel, but thou art bound to arise.
God loves thee whether thou feelest or not. Thou canst not love when
thou wilt, but thou art bound to fight the hatred in thee to the last.
Try not to feel good when thou art not good, but cry to Him who is
good. He changes not because thou changest. Nay, he has an especial
tenderness of love towards thee for that thou art in the dark and hast
no light, and his heart is glad when thou dost arise and say, "I will
go to my Father." For he sees thee through all the gloom through which
thou canst not see him. Will thou his will. Say to him: "My God, I am
very dull and low and hard; but thou art wise and high and tender, and
thou art my God. I am thy child. Forsake me not." Then fold the arms of
thy faith, and wait in quietness until light goes up in thy darkness.
Fold the arms of thy Faith I say, but not of thy Action: bethink thee
of something that thou oughtest to do, and go and do it, if it be but
the sweeping of a room, or the preparing of a meal, or a visit to a
friend. Heed not thy feelings: Do thy work.
As God lives by his own will, and we live in him, so has he given to us
power to will in ourselves. How much better should we not fare if,
finding that we are standing with our heads bowed away from the good,
finding that we have no feeble inclination to seek the source of our
life, we should yet _will_ upwards toward God, rousing that essence of
life in us, which he has given us from his own heart, to call again
upon him who is our Life, who can fill the emptiest heart, rouse the
deadest conscience, quicken the dullest feeling, and strengthen the
feeblest will!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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