HE SATISFIETH THE LONGING SOUL

^[p. 277] HE SATISFIETH THE LONGING SOUL

The text I give you on entering another year is — “He satisfieth the longing soul” (Psalm 107: 9). Your aspiration indicates your coming acquisition. It is remarkable, even in natural things, that if in your youth you have some special taste — say, music, or learning, or any particular distinction — that, as a rule, your aspiration indicates your future acquisition. The reason of this in natural things is that you use all the means at your disposal to attain to the zenith of your ambition. When any one is governed by his special taste, study and application are not grievous to him because of his aspiration to succeed in his aim. If this be true in natural things, where there are only human means at your disposal, how much more in divine things, where your power is the Spirit of God. Many will tell you that they desire to follow the Lord, but if He be not the ruling desire of their hearts they will not succeed. A pointer that is not set on the game only is badly taught and practically useless. If he be well taught he will not be diverted by a hare or any bird but the game (the grouse or the partridge). “My son, give me thine heart” (Proverbs 23: 26). “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37: 4). “If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned” (Song of Songs 8: 7). The Lord prefers your love to any work. Love soon finds out the acceptable work.

We never can be rightly or truly interested in the things of Christ until we are near Him, and nearness to Him is reached by finding out how much He is for us. The Lord bless you much.