May 8.—"I will look for him." Isaiah 8:17
This is peculiar language. It is the language of none in heaven. There all have found him, and are for ever with the Lord. It is the language of none in hell. There they are only concerned to escape from his hand, and to elude his eye. It is not the language of any in the World. There they are sufficiently active and eager ; but they rise early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of sorrow, to glain some temporal advantage, honour, or pleasure —but none saith, "Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night ?" It is not the language of all in the Church. There are some happy souls who know the joyful sound, and walk in the light of God's countenance: in his Name they rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness they are exalted. But there are others, whose desire is to his Name, and to the remembrance of him; whose wish is, " O that I was as in months past, when the candle of the Lord shined upon my soul, and the Almighty was yet with me." These, these are the persons who are saying—and they cannot do better than say—" I will look for him."
It is here supposed that God may hide himself from his people. Indeed it is expressly asserted in the former part of the verse, " I will wait upon the Lord who hideth himself from the house of Israel." Sometimes he does this as to providential dispensations, suffering them to fall into trouble, and for awhile leaving them, as if he had no regard for them, and had forgotten to be gracious. But we now refer to spiritual manifestations. Sometimes they are so in the dark, that they are unable to perceive their condition, or enjoy the comforts of the Holy Ghost. God loves them always, and they cannot serve him in vain; but they cannot always see this, as they once did. The sun is as really in his course, in a dark day, as in a bright one, but his face is hid by fogs and clouds: and, says David to his God, "Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled." For when we are in the dark with regard to him, other things come forth and dismay us—and it is true, morally, as well as physically, " Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth."
But the subjects of Divine grace cannot rest satisfied without God. We see this in Job: " O that I knew where I might find him—Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him." This anxiety and restlessness to find him, results from three things. Love—that longs to be near the object of attachment, and cannot endure separation. Conviction—which tells him of God's infinite importance to his case, and of his own entire dependence upon him. I am sick, says he, and he is my only physician: I am a traveller, and he is my only guide. I have nothing; he possesses all things. Experience—he has tasted that the Lord is gracious, and the relish of the enjoyment adds to the sense of want; for that which indulges the appetite, provokes it also. Hence, though the believer does not desire more than God, he desires more of him.
Well—this restlessness is a token for good. Henry says, "A Christian is always on the perch, or on the wing; he is always reposing in God, or in flight after him; and the latter is as good an evidence of religion as the former—for delight is not only a part of complacency and affection, but also fear, complaint, desire—fear of losing the object—complaint of our enjoying so little of it— desire of attaining and feeling more."
Therefore be of good comfort, and if you ask, where you are to look for him—Look for him in Christ, where he is reconciling the world to himself. In him he is well pleased. Look after him, in the promises: there you will find him, pledged in every readiness of power and compassion. Look after him in his ordinances: where two or three are gathered together, there is He in the midst of them. And not only look for him in the temple, but in the closet: pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Look after him in thy former experiences. Call to remembrance thy song in the night.
"Did ever trouble yet befall,
And he refuse to hear thy call?"
Can all your former views and feelings be a delusion ?
"Could you joy his saints to meet?
Choose the ways you once abhorr'd"
Would he have shown you such things as these, and also have accepted an offering at your hands, if he had been minded to kill you ?
And when you have found him whom you are looking after, fall at his feet, and ingenuously confess your unworthiness in causing him to withdraw from you. Complain not of him; justify him : but condemn yourselves. And instead of thinking he has dealt hardly with you, wonder that he has not cast you off for ever, and be thankful that he has been found of you again. Again you have morning ; again you have spring: but the rising and shining of the sun has made it. " Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever." Cleave to him with purpose of heart. Resolve rather to die, than again grieve his Holy Spirit.
" Till thou hast brought me to thy home,
Where doubts and fears can never come;
Thy countenance let me often see,
And often thou shalt hear from me."
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