THE WORK OF GOD
[p. 19] THE WORK OF GOD
I was thinking, beloved brethren, of the profound importance of the work of God which is being carried on in the time scene in view of what is eternal. It is solemn for us to consider that the work of God in the souls of His people is being done here and now. Our beloved brother, whose loss we all feel, has left a memory behind him of fidelity to the Lord which we might all covet to follow, to imitate. His course has been marked by steadfastness and boldness of faith which did not shrink from anything which obedience and fidelity to the Lord’s interests demanded. His steady course and purpose have been an encouragement and stimulus to many of us, and may perhaps often have been a rebuke. He loved to move in and out amongst the people of God and serve to his utmost ability; his heart and house were ever open to lovers of Christ.
It is pressed upon me to say just a word on what lay behind all that we can thus take account of, and that is, the work of God in our brother. What impressed me during the years that I knew him (and the longer I knew him the more I became impressed with it) was that the work of God in him was greater and deeper than what appeared on the surface. I believe his soul history — his private exercise — was deeper than anything that came out in his public service. Would that it were so with us all! How much it is to be desired to be greater inwardly than we are outwardly! “He that has wrought us for this very thing” — we all know that “this very thing” is the condition of glory. The work of God is to produce spiritual substance which is suitable to be introduced into glorious and eternal conditions. There was marked evidence of such work in our beloved brother. It was precious to take account of it when he was with us; it is a peculiar satisfaction and joy to dwell upon it now, something wrought by God. There is solemnity in regarding that work as now finished, and as being finished it is a suitable basis for the superstructure of glory. A moral formation, a spiritual formation,
[p. 20] wrought in the sovereignty of mercy, according to the purpose of infinite love! Vessels of mercy we all are, and being “before prepared for glory”. Do we consider sufficiently that the blessed God knows how to prepare vessels for glory and is doing it all the time we are here?
When the children of Israel reached the borders of the land they were told to remember “all the way which Jehovah thy God led thee these forty years”. There had been contrary elements, but there had been a divine leading every step of the way, teaching them to live by what proceeded out of His mouth. As we live by that there is something wrought of God, something entirely of Himself. Now that work as regards our beloved brother is finished and he as the spiritual product of it will very soon be clothed with glory.
It is very exercising for us to think of the termination of the period during which we are being “wrought for this very thing”. God finished His work in creation and when it was finished He rested. How blessed to think of that being wrought in men in result of which God can have a sabbath!
The work of God in this scene is finished in our brother, that preparedness for glory which consists in loving God and in appreciation of Christ and affectionate response to His love, a practical giving place to the Holy Spirit. That is the work of God and that is suitable to have put upon it a superstructure of glory.
Our beloved brother loved God, he appreciated Christ, he had learned to know the blessed ministration of the Spirit. Could there be anything greater? There is nothing in the glory more wonderful! Then he loved the brethren; how suitable that is for glory!
We love to think of our beloved brother, as known to us in this wondrous and blessed character as a subject of the work of God. It is that which imparts a deep touch of thanksgiving and even worship to such an occasion as this!
A Word given at a Burial, 1924