By J. L. Dagg
Introduction
Duty of Delighting in the Will and
Works of God[1]
If any one supposes that religion consists merely of self-denial
and painful austerities, and that it is filled with gloom and melancholy, to
the exclusion of all happiness, he greatly mistakes its true character. False
religions, and false views of the true religion, may be liable to this charge;
but the religion which has God for its author, and which leads the soul to God,
is full of peace and joy. It renders us cheerful amidst the trials of life,
contented with all the allotments of Divine Providence, happy in the exercises
of piety and devotion, and joyful in the hope of an endless felicity. Heaven
is near in prospect; and, while on the way to that world of perfect and eternal
bliss, we are permitted, in some measure, to anticipate its joys, being, even
here, blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus.[2] We are enabled, not only to pursue
our pilgrimage to the good land with content and cheerfulness, but even to
"delight ourselves in the Lord."[3] Our
happiness is not merely the absence of grief and pain, but it is positive
delight. The delight which attends other religious exercises should be felt in the
investigation of religious truth, and should stimulate to diligence and
perseverance. Divine truth is not only sanctifying, but it is also beatifying.
To the ancient saints it was sweeter than honey and the honey-comb;[4] and the early Christians, in "believing" the
truth as it is in Jesus, "rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory."[5] If we loved the truth as we ought, we should
experience equal delight in receiving it; and careful investigation of it would
be a source of pure and abiding pleasure. It would not suffice to employ our
intellectual powers in the discussion of perplexing questions appertaining to
religion, but we should find a rich feast in the truth that may be known and
read by all. The man who indulges his skeptical doubts, and suffers himself to
be detained by questions to no profit, is like one who, when a bountiful feast
is spread before him, instead of enjoying the offered food, employs himself in
examining a supposed flaw in the dish in which it is served. The glorious
truths which are plainly revealed concerning God, and the things of God, are
sufficient to enable every one to delight himself in the Lord. We have before seen that love to God lies at the foundation of true religion.
Love, considered as simple benevolence, has for its object the production of
happiness, and not the receiving of it. But, by the wise arrangements of
infinite goodness, the producing of happiness blesses him that gives as well as
him that receives. It is even "more blessed to give than to receive."[6] But when God is the object of our love, as we
cannot increase his happiness, we delight in it as already perfect; and all the
outflowing of our love to him, finding the measure of his bliss already full,
returns back on ourselves, filling us also with the fulness of God. God is
love; and to love God with all the heart is to have the heart filled, to the
full measure of its capacity, with the blessedness of the divine nature. This
is the fulness of delight. In the existence and attributes of God a sufficient foundation is laid for the
claim of supreme love to him; but, for the active exercise of the holy
affection, God must be viewed not merely as existing, but as acting. To
produce delight in him, his perfections must be manifested. So we enjoy the
objects of our earthly love by their presence with us, and display of those
qualities which attract our hearts. Heaven is full of bliss, because its
inhabitants not only love God, but see the full manifestations of his glory.
To enjoy God on earth, we must contemplate him in such manifestations of
himself as he has been pleased to make to us who dwell on his footstool. These
we may discover in the declarations of his will, and in his works, which are
the execution of his will. In a contemplation of these, the pious heart finds
a source of pure, elevating delight. When the Son of God consented to appear in human nature for the salvation of
man, he said: "I delight to do thy will, O my God."[7] If the same mind were in us that was in Christ Jesus, we,
too, would delight in the will of God. We should be able to say with David, "I
will delight myself in thy commandments;" and with Paul, "I delight in the law
of God." We should yield obedience to every precept, not reluctantly, but
cheerfully; not cheerfully only, but with joy and delight. It would be to us
meat and drink to do the will of God, as it was to our blessed Lord. Our
religious enjoyment would consist not merely in receiving good from God, but in
rendering active service to him; like the happy spirits before the throne, who
serve God day and night, and delight in his service. Not only should we
delight to render personal service to our Sovereign, but we should desire his
will to be done by all others, and should rejoice in his universal dominion.
"The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." As the ancient saints delighted in the will and government of God, so they
delighted in his works. They saw in them the manifestations of his wisdom,
power, and goodness; and they delighted to meditate on them. His glory,
displayed in the heavens, and his handy work, visible in earth, they
contemplated with holy pleasure. They rejoiced to remember, "It is he that
made us;" and, in approaching him with religious worship, they were accustomed
to address him as the Creator of all things; "Lord, thou art God, which hast
made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is."[8] The goodness displayed in God's work awakens gratitude in the pious man.
While he enjoys the gift, he recognises [sic] the hand which bestows it; and
each blessing is rendered more dear, because conferred by him whom he supremely
loves. He sees in creation a vast store-house of enjoyment, and blesses the
author of it. He receives from the providence of God the innumerable benefits
which are every day bestowed, and he blesses the kind bestower. God is in
every mercy, and his heart, in enjoying it, goes out ever to God, with
incessant praise and thanksgiving. The trail of our delight in God is experienced when affliction comes. The
pious man feels that this, too, is from the hand of God. So thought all the
saints, of whose religious exercises the Bible gives us an account. They bowed
under affliction in the spirit of resignation to God, as the author of the
affliction. So Job,[9] "The Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." So David, [10] "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because
thou didst it." So Eli,[11] "It is the Lord;
let him do what seemeth him good." So Paul's companions,[12] "We ceased, saying, the will of the Lord be done." The
ancient saints believed in an overruling Providence, and they received all
afflictions as ordered by him, in every particular; and on this faith the
resignation was founded by which their eminent piety was distinguished. To the
flesh, the affliction was not joyous, but grievous, and, therefore, they could
not delight in it, when considered in itself; but, when enduring it with
keenest anguish, they could still say, with Job, "Blessed be the name of the
Lord." They firmly believed that the dispensation was wisely and kindly
ordered, and that God would bring good out of the evil; and, however oppressed
with suffering, and filled with present sorrow, they still trusted in God; and
delight in him alleviated their misery, and mingled with their sorrows. Let love to God burn in our hearts while we contemplate his existence and
attributes. Let delight in him rise to the highest rapture of which earthly
minds are susceptible, while we study his will and works. The grand work of
redemption, into which the angels especially desire to look, and which is the
chief theme of the song of the glorified, is fitted to produce higher ecstasy;
but even the themes of creation and providence may fill us with delight, if we
approach them as we ought. When the foundations of the earth were laid, the
morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy; and
angels now delight to be the ministers of God's providence. Let us, with like
devotion to Almighty God, delight in his will and works. |
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[1] Ps. xxxvii. 4. Delight thyself in the
Lord. Ps. xl. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God. Ps. cxix. 47. I will delight myself in thy commandments. Rom. vii. 22. I delight in the law of God. Ps.. cvii. 22. Declare his works with rejoicing. [2] Eph. i. 3 [3] Ps. xxxvii. 4. [4] Ps. xix. 10. [5] 1 Pet. i. 8. [6] Acts xx. 35. [7] Ps. xl. 8. [8] Acts iv. 24. [9] Job i. 21. [10] Ps. xxxix. 9. [11] 1 Sam. iii. 18. [12] Acts xxi. 14. |