MEDITATION:
Written by Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911), a Christian lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement in the US and the Higher Life movement in the UK. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and the temperance movement.
Things look differently to us according to our “point of view.” Trials assume a very different aspect when looked down upon from above, than when viewed from their own level. What seems like an impassable wall on its own level becomes an insignificant line to the eyes that see it from the top of a mountain. The snares and sorrows that assume such immense proportion while we look at them on the earthly plane, become insignificant when the soul has mounted on wings to the heavenly places above them. A friend once illustrated the difference to her friends in the following way. She said, if all three came to a spiritual mountain which had to be crossed, the first one would tunnel through it with hard and wearisome labor. The second would meander around it in an indefinite fashion, hardly knowing where she was going, and yet, because her aim was right, would get around it at last. But the third, she said, would just flap her winds and fly right over. All of us must know something about this. If any of us in the past have tried to tunnel our way through the mountains that have stood across our pathway, or have been meandering around them, let us now resolve to spread our winds and “mount up” into the clear atmosphere of God’s presence. There it will be easy to overcome, or come over, the highest mountain of them all.
PRAYER:
Written by Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva known for his deep faith and gentle approach to the religious divisions resulting from the Reformation.
Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life; rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God, to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them.
He has guided you thus far in life, and He will lead you safely through all trials; and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering, or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Amen.
Pathways Press.com 