“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.”—ST. JAMES v. 8.
THE hope of the near approach of the Lord’s coming should lead us to sit
light to the world and the things of it. There is no greater temptation
besetting our path than that of becoming entangled in the things of the
world. We are for ever spinning cobwebs for our own bondage, and being
then caught in our own web. Hence the importance of the weaning power of
the blessed hope of the near coming of our Lord and Saviour. This
applies in sorrow.
There were sorrows in the days of St. Paul, just as there are now, and he
never taught us not to weep. What he did teach was that we “should not
sorrow as those that have no hope.” The character of the sorrow may be
changed. And what was the power that should thus change the character of
grief? The next verse supplies the answer. “For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with Him.” {66} We may look forward, therefore, to His speedy
return, when the graves of those who are in Christ shall open, and when
all sorrow will be lost for eternity in the blessed privilege of being
“ever with the lord.” {67a} Is not such a hope enough to change the
character of grief?
This blessed hope changes also the character of our joy.
Just as it gives a tone to sorrow, so also it does to joy. It makes it
sober and solid. It gives it a quiet, peaceful, abiding character. Turn
to the words of St. Paul. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say,
Rejoice.” {67b} And observe the verse that follows: “Let your moderation
be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Let your joy be the sober
joy of men who believe that the coming of the Lord is at hand; the calm,
well-assured, abiding joy of those who, being in the Lord, are persuaded
that they will be with the Lord for ever.
And the same effect will follow with reference to all our possessions.
Let no one suppose we are not to prize those precious gifts which God has
given us. Ought we to think lightly of money, time, influence, power?
By no means; but if we believe that the coming of the Lord is near we
must sit light to it all, for it will all soon give place to the glories
of His kingdom. Remember St. Paul’s thrilling words: “The time is
short,” {67c} and the exhortation that follows to “use this world, as not
abusing it.”
If we believe that the Lord’s coming is near we must wake up and trim our
lamps.
We must never forget that real, true believers may grow cold, and dull,
and sleepy. Thus even the wise virgins were asleep when the Bridegroom
came. But they were thoroughly prepared, so they were up in a moment
when they heard the cry, and, having trimmed their lamps, were ready.
Now, the thought of His appearing should have this effect on ourselves.
Who is there amongst us that does not want to be quickened; to be aroused
to fresh energy for God; to have the soul filled with a holy fervour, and
the whole heart glowing with the love of Christ? Who is there that
should not desire to respond with every faculty he possesses to the
stirring appeal of St. Paul: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is
high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than
when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” {68a}
Shall we sleep on as if the old world were going on for ever? Do we
really believe that “the Bridegroom cometh,” {68b} and shall we not trim
our lamps without one moment’s delay in order that when He comes He may
find them burning brightly to His glory?
If we are looking for the speedy coming of the Lord, it should lead to a
calm, happy, peaceful hope in the midst of the turmoils of the latter
days.
There is nothing to lead us to expect a calm termination to the present
state of things. Our Lord when He comes will come riding, as it were, on
the whirlwind and the storm. It is a very common thing to find a bar
with heavy breakers on it at the mouth of the finest harbours, and so we
must be prepared for a stormy sea as we enter the haven of rest. Our
Lord taught this very clearly when He said, “There shall be signs in the
sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” {68c} And now
observe the effect of these events on different characters. Through the
world at large they produce what may be called a panic—“Men’s hearts
failing them for fear.” {69a} But how is it to be with the people of
God? Are their hearts to fail them for fear? No, for we read, “When
these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your
heads.” {69b} They are not to be bowed down, but to hold their head
erect, and with a confident spirit to look up full of hope. And why?
What is it that is to make so vast a difference between the two
characters? How can we explain the contrast? It is all explained in the
latter part of that verse—“For your redemption draweth nigh.” It is
perfectly clear that by redemption is here meant the final deliverance,
for in the previous verse {69c} we read of the final coming of the
Deliverer. That calm peace, therefore, is the blessed result of a
blessed hope. God’s people will know that the Deliverer is at hand, and
therefore will not be afraid. They will believe God’s Holy Word, and
therefore what alarms others will cheer them. The same storm which sinks
the great ironclads outside will bring their little bark into harbour.
They will know what it all means, and, with God’s Word in their hand,
they will know who is reigning, and will see in all that is frightening
others the predicted signs of His near approach.