By F.B.Meyer.

“Have faith in God" (Mark 11 v22). 

Years ago Hudson Taylor called my attention to these words of our Lord and told me of the immense blessing they had been to him in the early days of the China Inland Mission. He said that on his return from his first visit to China, he was deeply impressed with the need to plant missionaries in inland China. Up to that time they were mainly located on the coast. It seemed as though the Saviour said to him, “Hudson Taylor, I am going to evangelise inland China. If you will walk with Me, I will do it through you". The challenge and promise were gladly accepted and before that faithful servant of Christ passed Home one thousand missionaries had commenced the work of inland evangelisation. The secret which he had discerned was to reckon on God’s faithfulness, and to believe that what was true of Abraham would be equally true of himself. “He believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness."

In 1 Samuel 1 v18 we read of Samuel’s mother, who after she had poured out her soul to God asking that a son might be given her, went her way and took her place at the feast in happy composure. “Her face was no longer downcast.” I expect that she felt no need to repeat her prayer, so sure was she that it had been granted and that a child would be given. She reckoned on God’s faithfulness!

In John 4 v50, the nobleman, who came up from the bedside of his dying boy to seek the Saviour’s help, was so satisfied that his request had been answered and his son was living, that he turned back home. “The man took Jesus at His word and departed." He was so sure that his petition was granted that he actually - as “yesterday” suggests - slept on his way back to Capernaum. He reckoned absolutely on the Lord’s assurance and knew that what He said must be so. He was not at all surprised to learn from his servants that the lad was recovered. He reckoned on the Lord’s assurance and was at peace. 

In Acts 27 v25 and 34, the apostle, resting on God’s assurance that He had given him the lives of all his fellow-passengers, was able to inspire such confidence in them that all of them took their last meal together before casting the cargo of grain into the sea, and this was before the daylight revealed the creek into which they could run the vessel. When God had given him the sure word of promise he felt that there was nothing more to do or fear. In other words, he reckoned on God’s faithfulness.

In the beautiful story of Ruth, we have an illustration from human life of a similar reckoning on the assurance of a trusted man. Late one afternoon, Naomi and Ruth, after a toilsome journey, reached Bethlehem. Probably the old home, vacated ten years before, had remained untenanted, and there they sheltered, depending for their food on Ruth’s gleaning in the neighbouring fields. She met with good success, but the permanent improvement of their position could only come through some arrangement for her future. According to Hebrew custom she had a claim on a leading citizen, a near kinsman, who was universally respected. Naomi’s thought was constantly turning towards him and she rejoiced to learn that he was prepared to do all in his power to help them. The only difficulty lay in the attitude of a yet closer kinsman, who might assert his prior claim.

The solution of this matter had to be decided by the village council. Hour after hour passed in their leisurely formalities while the two women awaited the verdict. The elder woman had faith in the care of God’s providence and felt sure that all would be well. Ruth, who was sitting with her in their cottage, found it hard to be patient. She kept rising to her feet, going to the door, looking up and down the street, feverish with excitement and unable to contain herself. Finally Naomi could bear it no longer and said, ‘Sit still, my daughter, sit still. We have put the matter into our kinsman’s hands, and we can certainly trust him. Sit still. Sit still.’ Presently there was a step along the street and Boaz entered to say that all was settled. The next kinsman had withdrawn his claims, and the way was clear for Boaz to claim the property and the field, and to take Ruth in marriage. So these two women were able to sit quietly waiting, because they trusted the faithfulness of a man. When we have placed our cause and need in the hands of Christ, let us sit still, assured that He will not forsake nor fail. Sit still, my soul. Sit still. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

These three illustrations of the rest and peace which enter the heart that has learned to trust divine or human faithfulness will point the way that we must tread, when we are troubled as to the results of our prayers. Hand your burdens over to God by an act of childlike faith. Then trust in Him and dare to believe that He has assumed entire responsibility. Make known your requests. Leave them with God. Trust His faithful care, do all that needs to be done and go your way in peace.

Reckon on God for forgiveness.

Years ago, I met an aged man who said that each night, before he went to sleep, he confessed all the sins he could remember, in order that if he should die in his sleep he would be sure of going to God. ‘But,’ I said, ‘is that not a terrible slur on God’s faithfulness? Did He not say, “I will remember their sins no more”? Surely on our confession of sins, He blots them out for ever. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse them away for ever. If we continue pleading for forgiveness of the same sins, day after day, year after year, are we not doubting our Heavenly Father? When God once forgives, He forgets. He casts all our sins into the depths of the sea.’

How deeply it must grieve God, our Heavenly Father if, after all His assurances, we still ask Him to forgive the same sins. We must constantly examine ourselves, when we come to prayer, as to the manner in which we have been thinking, speaking and acting in case there is need for confession and reckon on God’s absolute forgiveness of confessed sin, and at the same time be equally careful to forgive others, remember Mark 11 v25/26.

Reckon on God for answers to prayer. 

When, thoughtfully, deliberately and believingly, we have handed a matter over to God we must dare to believe that He has taken it in hand, and that, though He may keep us waiting, He will not rest until He has finished it. Prayer is the co-operation of the human spirit with the divine. As a slight noise will sometimes dislodge an avalanche, so the prayer of faith sets in motion the power of the ascended Christ. Believing prayer supplies the fulcrum on which God rests the lever of His almighty power. In prayer there is union between the divine and the human, so that, as the human body of our Lord provided the channels along which the divine life-power was able to reach us, so the prayer of faith opens a wide channel by which God’s grace and providence may come to us.

True prayer has two characteristics. First, we must allow the Holy Spirit to winnow away what is inconsistent with God’s will to grant. We cannot impose our will on God, but must wait for the solution of our life problems which He will most certainly grant, sometimes by a flash, at other times by the slow unfolding of His will. When we cannot solve a problem we must trust Him to deal with it in a better way, He cannot fail. Second, we must cease to worry. However long the interval, however strong the combination of adverse circumstances, we may still our hearts in the patience of unwavering faith, sure that our Lord will not rest until He has finished the matter we have entrusted to Him. Never forget to reckon on God’s faithfulness.

Reckon on God’s guidance.

There is an immense realm within us known as the subconscious. It has been suggested that much of this is concealed from our knowledge, but by our surrender to Christ we give Him right of access to these hidden depths, and we become aware that such and such a course is the direction which we are to take. Our action will be confirmed by circumstances and by the gift of needed strength or wisdom. Paul became aware that His life-work must be among the Gentiles. Philip discovered that he must leave the revival, which had just broken out in Samaria, and wait on a wilderness track for a certain purpose to be disclosed. Paul arrived in Ephesus just after Apollos had left it. Tens of thousands have felt and obeyed the urge of the Spirit. 

We must wait on God for guidance. We must keep our souls before Him as a still lake. We must cast on Him the responsibility of opening the way and providing the funds. The route, the companionships, the things we are called to leave, the preparation for those that lie before, must be absolutely committed to His loving care and guidance. Everything will then be deftly and abundantly arranged. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will do it” (Ps. 37 v5).

From the experience of a long life, I urge that the best friend and adviser is Christ Himself. The wisest course is to place the whole case in His hands, asking Him to advise and control. He is “the Wonderful Counsellor”. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” He may put in our way a wise and experienced friend. We may overhear a conversation, or come on a paragraph in the newspaper, containing the very information required. The extraordinary series of events which Samuel predicted as guidance to Saul will have their counterpart in our experience (1 Sam. 10).  Outward incidents combine with the inner life. Don't worry, don't anticipate, don’t fear. Don’t, like Saul, offer the sacrifice before Samuel arrived. Sit still, my soul, sit still. Jesus, whom we have trusted, will not fail us. He will not rest or fail until He has finished what we committed to His care. Reckon on the faithfulness of our faithful Creator and Saviour. 

“The soul that to Jesus has fled for repose, 

He will not, He will not, desert to its foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake, 

He'll never, no never, no never forsake.”

(From - ‘Five ‘Musts’ of The Christian Life’)

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