"Wait, my daughter," said Naomi, "until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today." Sermons
I. The OCCASION for sitting still. According to some, the belief that God works is inconsistent with the obligation to work ourselves. The whole idea of the religious life, as apprehended by some mistaken minds, is to do nothing, and to leave God to do everything. And some, who do not go so far as this, still are blind to the privilege of being "workers together with God." When we have done our part, then is the time to sit still. The workman has first to labor, then to rest. The day of toil comes first, and the night of repose follows. When we can do no more, then is the time to sit still. Ask yourself whether you have or have not this reason for refraining from effort. We sometimes come to the end of our ability; we have done our part, and for us nothing now remains to do. II. MOTIVES which should induce thus to sit still. We have to consider that in certain cases to do otherwise would be utterly useless. In these cases it is a waste of power to make further effort, and a waste of feeling to allow anxiety to distress the heart. Thus any other course would be injurious, would destroy or disturb our peace of mind. And there are occasions when to be quiet is to trust in the providential rule and care of God. So it was with Ruth at this conjuncture. The example of Christ should not be overlooked. There came a time when he was silent before his foes. III. The BLESSING which follows sitting still. 1. Peace of heart. "Rest in the Lord." 2. Strength. "Your strength is to sit still." "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." 3. If God will, prosperity. "He shall give thee thy heart's desire." 4. In any case the glory of God, who desires that his people should do his will, and leave results to him. - T.
Sit still, my daughter. 1. When lawful means are rightly used, then should we wait upon God for the end. The care of the means belongs to us, but the care of the end belongs to God. We must commit ourselves in all well-doing to the Lord (Psalm 37:5; 1 Peter 4:19)."Until thou know how the matter shall fall."2. All matters concerning mankind are appointed by a Divine decree in heaven, before they be accomplished by a Divine Providence upon earth. Even all matches and marriages are made in heaven, before ever they come to be solemnised on earth (Psalm 55:22). It is our work to cast care, and it is God's work to take care (1 Peter 5:7). We must let God alone with His own work, which is then only well done, when it is done by Himself. The man will not be at rest. 3. Conscientious persons should be restless until they make good payment of their promises. Alas, how few Boaz's are in the world, who pay what they promise! (C. Ness.) (J. McNeill.) The man will not be in rest I. IF THIS IS TO BE OUR CHARACTERISTIC AND HABIT, THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES THE OBSERVANCE OF WHICH IS INDISPENSABLE. We must not undertake more work, or ambitiously grasp at more engagements, than there is a fair and reasonable likelihood of our being able to accomplish. We must endeavour, by plan and forethought, so to dispose of our time as to make the most of every hour that is given us to work in. Then there must be no indolent procrastination, or giving way before little difficulties, or sitting down or turning aside because we think we see lions in the way; but rather the putting forth of vigorous effort in order to realise our plans and to keep ourselves master of our circumstances, instead of allowing our circumstances to master us. The benefits which grow out of this ordering of our time, and doing the work of each day in the day, are various and great. It helps to secure that whatever we undertake to do shall be well done, by our having abundance of time in which to do it. It saves our consciences from the reproach and our characters from the shame of promise-breaking; for when the work of to-day is thrown over upon to-morrow, it is likely that much will fail to be done at all, according to the old Spanish proverb that "the street of By-and-By leads to the house of Never." It preserves us from that fretting of the temper which is the certain effect of hurry, and enables us to maintain more tranquillity of mind, and self-control, and self-respect.II. NEXT LET US APPLY THE PRINCIPLE IN THESE WORDS TO SOME THINGS IN DETAIL. There is especially one direction in which it is pre-eminently applicable. Suppose a man to have the consciousness awakened in him that he has never given earnest attention to the matter of his personal salvation; that he is under the displeasure of God, with a life of unforgiven sins accusing him; and that the near and solemn eternity is all unprovided for. This ought surely to become his immediate and paramount concern. "The man should not be in rest until he hath finished the thing this day." Who would sing songs to a man that was sinking and perishing in the fearful pit and the miry clay? Get him out of the pit first. He would be a fool who should propose to paint his ship while it was toiling and straining in the storm. Bring it first into calm waters and the safe harbour. But let us assume that the supreme interest has been cared for; and there are two observations which it is natural to connect with these suggestive words of Naomi. 1. There are certain duties which regularly fall to be performed by us, and which may be described as the work of every day. There are, for example, the duties of our stated secular vocation, whether they consist in headwork or in handiwork, or in both combined. In these we are daily summoned anew to serve God; and very much of the Christian's everyday religion consists in his discharging these common services in a Christian spirit. And daily mingling with these, and shedding down hallowed influences upon them, there are the more direct exercises of religion, especially those of secret devotion, on the morning and evening of every day. And scarcely less congenial with the tastes of his new nature will be his daily perusal of some chosen portion of Holy Scripture. And must we not further claim from the Christian heads of families that domestic devotion shall form an essential part of each day's round of service, in which every day's wants shall be turned to prayer, and every day's mercies to praise; in which family affection shall be nurtured and sanctified; in which the parents shall become more venerable and the children more endeared, and home become as one of the gates of heaven? 2. There is another large class of duties of a more special kind, which are not of daily recurrence, but are rather appropriate to particular times and circumstances, and may be said to grow out of them. (1) (2) (3) (4) 5933 restlessness September 4 Morning Whether Christ Received his Own Body and Blood? Whether the Judicial Precepts Regarding Foreigners were Framed in a Suitable Manner? Jesus' Feet Anointed in the House of a Pharisee. Ruth |
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