"Today If Ye Shall Hear"

by G. PRASHER, SR., Maidstone | Category: General | Mar 1964

My mind recently turned to a few scriptures connected with "Today", and hearing and obeying the voice of God. Very important is that word in Hebrews 3.7, 8, "Today if ye shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts". Frequently we exhort sinners to have regard to the importance of "today", and we do right in so doing; but this word is primarily to the child of God. The great importance of "today" can hardly be overestimated. Tomorrow may not be ours, and yesterday is past with its many words and acts which cannot be recalled. Today is ours, and may the Lord help us to use it to His glory!

Next, let us think of what God wishes us to do "today"; it is through hearing His voice not to harden our hearts.

In petrifying waters things placed under the constant droppings of the mineral waters become petrified in the course of nine months. Like this, the spirit of the present age is such that it hardens the heart of the child of God, and the only way for us to keep our hearts soft and tender is by listening to the voice of God in His word. Many years ago I heard a brother leading in prayer in an American assembly, and he said, "Lord, help us to hearken that we may hear". I commend this thought to you. Perhaps we fail to hear at times because we fail to hearken. "Hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD" was God's message through Samuel to king Saul. Sad consequences followed from his failure to hearken. Listening to the warmth of His voice will soften our hearts, and in this condition God can write upon our hearts. He wants to write His laws on our hearts.

Another passage that I wish to draw attention to is Philippians 4.6, 7, "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God". Here is guidance for today-for this day that is ours. Anxiety can be most harmful. How often we are pressed down with cares! But that is not how the Lord has planned that we should spend our day. He would have us know that "the Lord is at hand", at band as a Helper.

"The little sharp vexations,

And the briars that catch and fret:

Why not take all to the Helper

Who has never failed us yet?

Tell Him about the heart ache,

And tell Him the longings too:

Tell Him the baffled purpose

When we scarce know what to do.

Then leaving all our weakness

With the One divinely strong,

Forget that we bore the burden,

And carry away the song."

Beside the smaller matters that accumulate and occasion care, there are at times other heavy burdens that the Lord would have us roll upon Himself. Perhaps there is someone very near and dear to you for whose salvation you are labouring and praying, and you are perhaps wondering how it is that the person goes on day after day, and maybe year after year without any sign of your prayer being answered. "Continuing stedfastly in prayer" (Romans 12.12) is what our Lord enjoins. "Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6.9).

Of Mr. George Muller it is said, "He was an unwearied intercessor". No delay discouraged him. This is seen particularly in the case of individuals for whose conversion or special guidance into the paths of full obedience he prayed. On his prayer list were the names of some for whom he had besought God daily by name, for from one to ten years before the answer was given. There were two parties, for whose reconciliation to God he prayed, day by day, for over sixty years, and who had not at the time of his death turned to God; but he said, "I have not a doubt that I shall meet them both in heaven; for my heavenly Father would not lay upon my heart a burden of prayer for them for over three score years, if He had not concerning them purposes of mercy". It is good for us if we recall the maxim,

"When in a fix, remember Philippians 4.6."

Now from verse 7 let us note the grand result from casting all our care upon the Lord! "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." The word guard here has the thought of keeping in a state of settlement and security. Here is the right way to spend the day which the Lord has given us. The peace of God like a military guard surrounding us, will enable us to fulfil the recommendation of verse 4 of this chapter, "Rejoice in the Lord alway : again I will say, Rejoice".

Faith in God as our daily Helper will ever be an important need of each day. The Lord Jesus said, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11.22). The disciples had been amazed at the fact of the fig tree being withered from the roots over night. His directing them to God in this way reminds us that God is the God of the impossible.

Sir Robert Anderson says, "Faith is the reception as true of what is beyond the range of proof, either by demonstration or evidence". Oh that we could accept God's word at all times like this! There is nothing too hard for the LORD (see Jeremiah 32.17 and 27), but our unbelief so often hinders His working in our midst.

Our prayers, supplications with thanksgivings should be in faith that the living God hears and will answer, and when the answer comes we should be ready with thanksgiving. How lovely it is to hear a child render thanks for a gift received ! In the same way it is just lovely for God to hear the voice of thanks in return for what He has given. One of His complaints against the worldling is that "they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks". No doubt this is what is meant in Psalm 5.8, where David says,

"0 LORD, in the morning shalt Thou hear my voice:

In the morning will I order my prayer unto Thee, and will keep watch."

He would watch for the answer to his prayers, and when received he would come to God with his thanksgiving.

The reason for saints gathering on the Lord's day morning is to keep the Remembrance of the Lord Jesus, and give God thanks for the Gift He has given. Of the ten lepers that were cleansed only one returned to give thanks to the Lord, hence His question, "Where are the nine?" There is something sad in the question, something that indicates disappointment. It could hardly be otherwise.

May we be helped then throughout this new year, 1964, to pay attention to God's TODAY, to keep our hearts soft and plastic before Him by hearing and hearkening to His voice, to cast all our cares upon Him, knowing that He careth for us, so in nothing to be anxious, to honour Him by prayer, supplications with thanksgivings, and to manifest that our faith is in the living God! Thus may we count upon Him to give us the joy that comes from the peace of God being around us as a military guard.

There is just one other matter to which I wish to draw attention, that is, the need for patience. The Lord Jesus links this with fruitbearing as in Luke 8.15, "And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience". There is patient continuance (Romans 2.7), patient enduring (2 Corinthians 1.6), and patient waiting (2 Thessalonians 3.5, A.V.). We may be "strengthened with all power, according to the might of His glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy" (Colossians 1. 11). We need patience to carry on and do the will of God.

"When things seem difficult, and life uphill,

Don't look too far ahead, keep plodding on,

And, inch by inch, the road will shorten, till

The roughest patches will be past and gone,

And you'll look back, surprised and cheered to find

That you have left so many miles behind,

And very soon the tedious climb will stop,

And you will stand, triumphant, at the top.

Just keeping on, that is the hardest thing,

But oh, the rich rewards that it can bring!"

And now in closing this brief message I wish you all much joy as you patiently continue in the Lord's work: as you patiently endure whatever sufferings the Lord may honour you with; and as you patiently wait for the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ to the air. Let us keep in mind that His coming draweth near - perhaps TODAY!

G. PRASHER, SR., Maidstone | Mar 1964
General