In the year 1879 when sailing north of Scotland, which is a very rocky coast, and therefore specially dangerous, I asked the captain if he knew where the rocks were; he replied, "No, but I know where they are not." The night was dark, the sea was rough, but he was calm and undisturbed. I felt at the moment there was a moral in his words and behavior for me, and for all Christians. We are mariners. We are passing over an ocean with rocks and shoals, and often with billows swelling high, and the night dark. We, therefore, need a sure chart for our guidance, showing us the track where "the rocks are not." We have that chart in the sure word of God, which is indeed a light pointing out the path in the sea along which we may safely steer our vessel, and we be without danger or dismay, knowing that God will care for us, and save us from disaster, if sailing according to the chart He has given us.
In order to sail to the heavenly port, we must first see and own our deep need as sinners, and flee to the refuge which infinite love has provided for us in the atoning death of Him who is now the Captain of salvation. Being thus saved, the heart is to be won in view of the price paid for our redemption, and by the love which paid the price. The soul, being thus saved, becomes satisfied with Him who saves. Then it is his or her meat to do the will of God, in other words, to keep the ship in the track of His revealed mind,-in "the paths of the sea," plainly laid down in the chart of His infallible word. When the heart is thus with God, and the purpose is simply to do His will,-to sail strictly according to His expressed thoughts, He will care for the frail little vessel so that it will ride the troubled sea safely along, and will come into port without any serious mishap or loss. Those who thus sail may suffer, for the enemy is on the lookout for any who sail according to the divine chart; but that does not interfere with their safety, but may increase their speed toward the desired haven.
On that dismal night, in the North Sea, two vessels, not far from us, were lost. Perhaps if those in command had the wisdom, skill, and care of our Captain (Turpin) they might have been saved. We should remember as Christians, that though we have a new nature, being born of God, yet we have the old nature also; and if we allow our love to grow cold, and the word of God ceases to have its true place with us, in this way the reins slip out of the hands of the new nature into the hands of the old nature, and we know well in what direction it will drive us. Christ and His word are not enough for a soul in that state; nay more, they are, or may be, really loathed, as the Israelites loathed the manna suited for them on the way to the goodly land. A person in this condition, begins to look around for something to meet the cravings of the nature which now holds the reins, and he sees that professors of religion, church-members, are enjoying all sorts of worldly amusements, and belonging, even ministers, to the different secret societies; and he begins to ask, Why may I not do the same? He soon persuades himself that there is no harm in these things. Next, he is sailing his barque in these waters. Should there not be entire shipwreck, the person may yet, through grace, sorrowfully see and feel the dishonor he has done to the Lord. The full amount of loss will be seen at "the judgment seat."
But it may be so with some that they have to own that their love has waxed cold, and that the things of Christ have lost their freshness for them, and that they have a drawing to these worldly things, and may be, with some honesty, asking what they are to do. Dear souls, your way is plain as to what you must do, if you wish to pass over life’s sea in safety, and not come to grief and loss. You have simply to go to God just as you are, and tell Him all your backslidings of heart, and all your hankerings after worldly associations, and amusements. Hide nothing from Him. Honestly confess all. Cast yourselves on His grace, and its provision in Christ; and thus you will recover your lost treasure, joy and delight in the things of God, and then, as a happy consequence, your desire for worldly pleasures and company will be gone, and you will be able exultingly to sing,
"I have seen the face of Jesus!
Tell me not of ought beside;
I have heard the voice of Jesus!
All my soul is satisfied! "
Being thus graciously delivered, and the joy of God’s salvation being restored to you, you might ask yourselves, Could we have asked the blessing of God on those worldly things to which we inclined? Could we have asked Him to go with us into those things and places? Or could we have expected Him to meet with us there, and given us sweet communion with Himself, thus telling us that He was pleased to have us there? Surely in your very worst state of soul you would have had to answer, No. Rather you would have wished to hide your desires and ways from Him. It is hard for one who has known the truth to silence conscience. But now being restored, and finding Christ, as before, to be an ample and satisfying portion, you can say to the votaries of earthly pleasures, "What, alas, charms you, charms us no more. We have returned to something sweeter and truer, and abiding,-forever abiding." Praise God. You can now join those who are crossing the ocean according to the heaven-given Chart in singing what the devoted Thomas Kelly wrote nearly a hundred years ago:-
"Led by faith, we brave the ocean;
Led by faith, the storm defy;
Calm amidst tumultuous motion,
Knowing that the Lord is nigh:
Waves obey Him;
And the storms before Him fly.
"Rendered safe by His protection,
We shall pass the watery waste,
Trusting to His wise direction,
We shall gain the port at last;
And with wonder
Think on toils and dangers past."
O beloved, let us ever keep before us what it cost to sever us from the world. The apostle Paul writes that the Lord Jesus "gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father " (Gal. 1.4). Then, how could we, with the agonies of the cross before the eyes of the mind and heart, and the word of God in our hands, go into " the evil " of that from which we have been separated at such a cost! "Be not conformed to this world" is written in our inspired Guide-book. Christians, let us sail our ship where it tells us the rocks are not. R. H.