Sermon Preached in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai, on January 9, 1927, by the Rev. A. C. S. Trivett "Show me now thy way, and he said; My presence shall go with thee, fud-T will give thee rest." Exodus 3.15, 'A few days ago we passed over the threshold into a New Year, 1926 thas gone beyond recall. We cannot bring' one day back and live its Hours over again. We cannot call back the words we have spoken, Wwe cannot undo the actions we hav committed, You men in business during these aye just past have been busy with the books, taking stock and casting balances, Book-keeping is a most important side of every undertaking.
(Now the Bible talks about books too, "There are. books which God keeps, and a Lamb's book of life. One day those books are to be opened and we are to be "judged wut of the books."
"Ay the old year closed how did our balance appear in those books God, How. had we used the talents God had intrusted to us, the abilities, the opportunities, What did we buy and what did we sell, how wisely had we traded. Docs the recording angel shake his head: vadly as he turns those pages? Does he seo talents. wasted and foolish purchases made? Docs he nee there recorded that, we have bartered youth and health and op-Portunity for fleeting pleasures. and Worthless things?Does he. think with sorrow that in a few months br years the final balance must be cast and the books closed, for the ars of our earthly trading will have vended, and we shall have nothing to show for it all? Than God''we have another year, me now thy way he prays. He! wants to know the outcome of it all, to be shown the future, what the years have in store for them. He is content with the oXl way ofa step at a time, The guiding of the cloud by day and the fire by night going before the host, But God answers the prayer of impatience and despair in his larger wisdom. "Show me now thy way' said Moses, and God replies, "Only this much will sence shall go give you rest.
It is' difficult I know, but every day and every step of the way my presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.
That iv the message we need to remember at the beginning of 1927. The only message for difficult days, live one day at Bishop of London's advice to the children was just that, and he told "it has been my practice all my Mr. Moody used to love to tall converte the story of the pon dulum that began to count how often it must swing to and fro in minute, an hour, a day, a. week, tit it gave up in despair att magnitude of its tack, and. stopped No, attempt just one day at a time inthe guidance of the holy spirit of God.
The future lies all unknown but God we know.
"I know not what the future hat "oe marl oe warp sored alone thet fife Yes, thank God we have another year "granted ur. Its paths. all Unteodden, Its_days all_unspotted. lot un fall on our knees ere we leave this place this evening and tak for. forgiveness, aske that. the hand-writing that stands against us in that book may be blotted out, Totus pray in this New Year we may have the guidance of God's holy spirit that we may be kept pure and enabled to live holy lives.
The future ju all unknown. We cannot. ce. where its ronds wind find twist and what ave the purposes that shape all its. circumstances, And it ig best so. God in his wisdons and in his merey s the future fom Prop are strangely silent in these Ways, We live in a world rapidly changing, so. unstable, 80 Charged with, poraiblities, that the ost daring hesitates. to" prophecy shat a year may bring forth. Of one thing we may be quite certain we shall have difficult days in the year non which we are entering. And terpecially we who have our homes in' China, "We avo faced on every Tinnd with great problems and dif calticn by forces that seem bent on ur destruction. Our efforts to rake peace are met by distrust and fnisunderstanding. There is. much to diseourege ax we look into the future that we ate tempted to Rose heart, to gro impatient and fo wonder what God is doing, to faucstion His wisdom, doubt His power, We cannot do better this evening than to hear the answer that. was given to just such a spirit in the faye of long. ago, an answer that brought new patience and strength fand hope to one who had grown impatient and despairing.
inthe chapter. from which ovr text is taken Moses is just about ready to give up in despair. Te cannot understand why God permits itumhan affairs to come to such a pass, Never was leader more bitterly disappointed. He had suffered in patience the grumblings and the Jealousies of the Children of Israel rooh's es destroyed,' Sinai The Red Sea had been crossed, Phi
ouched in safety. They have been led by the pillar of fire and the cloud, Fed with manna, water brought out of the rock for them. Their enemies destroyed, and now after his sojourn in the mount with God he comes back and. finds these very people have fore sworn God and are worshipping a golden-calf.
The Christian may not shrink from ere will be difficulties to ai
burdens. and cares and responsibilities, but remember "E will be with thee." Many thousands have. exferlenced the truth of the promise fade to the great Apottle, strength shall be made perfect in your weakness."
Am I talking to someone wha ride face to face with some difficulty, some great trial? "It looms up before you like an inaccessible mountain, "Go boldly forward. You will find that the reemingly possible is strangely easy when yeo attempt it in faith and relying upon God fur strength. If we set onl slone and unprepared the Journe: will be too nich. for us. Bot "my weakness," "God's strength' these fare the sandals wherewith Journey sueceisfully along the path of duty, There will be temptations, there needs must be, every hour we are alld upon to' make rome. decision, fo choose between ood and evi between duty and ease or pleavare But we are never alone in the of trial, "unless wwe choose. to be. How often when we have fallen before temptation "E could not help it, the temptation was too strong for me, grenter than T ennld This is never true. will" mot allowe us to be tempter above that we are able, but will with the temptation make a way of scape." And he has promised, "Lo, Lam with you always" If we fall is becatce we have tried to fight And if sorrows come, and they toa must come, and may come in thi year. Remember the promise "My presence shall go with you." Ie knows and he cares. God is not the author of our calamities. But they da not happen without His knowledge, and He over-rules it all for geod. After ull the affection is light ind but for a moment and the pain of to-day is so often the glory Yes the future lies all unknown but God we know and He will always be near king His! strength perfect in our weakness, seeing that we are not tempted above that we are able, and, "with the temptation making a way of escape that we may be able to bear our sorrows to comfort and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.