CONFIDENCE

^[p. 173] CONFIDENCE

Trusting in the living God, known as the giving God - what God is and is to me, is the ground of all confidence. It is in knowing Him as the giving God that I get confidence, and then the revelation of the greatest and deepest things draws my heart more to Him, and not merely to the things revealed. The things revealed do not teach me confidence, but they show me the sphere where His love sets me, in order that I may fully enjoy His love. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us, but the things are only revealed to faith. When faith wanes, like a train without an engine, there is cessation to progress; hence, as faith is active, the whole journey is run, and progress is made, But the race is never resumed where we left off. Every time we stop the whole line is to be run over again. Faith carries us over it, and as the word expands and feeds my heart, there is more rail for the faith, and I am borne into deeper explorations of what He has provided for those who love Him. When people speak of their acquisitions it is generally from memory and not faith; a sail is not enough without steam; faith is the steam, as new and great today as it ever was.

Nothing has to be made ready; everything is on view, but you can only see it by faith. There is a remarkable difference between a person who is dwelling on the light he has had in the past, and one who is walking by faith in his light for the present moment. Where the Lord leads He is Himself, and fulness of joy is there.

The cloud and the manna are now found in one Person - the One who is Chief to me.