THE FAMILY ALTAR

May 16.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh

for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while

we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which

are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the

things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:17-18.

These precious words are not true of every affliction, but

only of the affliction endured by those who "look not at the things

which are seen, but at the things which are not seen," in other

words, they are true only in the case of believing Christians. For

faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things

not seen. (Heb. 11, 1.) Blessed are they that have not seen, and

yet have believed. Lifting up our eyes to the hills from whence

cometh our help, joyfully believing the unfailing promise of our

dear Savior concerning the many mansions in His Father's house,

where He has prepared a place for us also, we can patiently endure

all the trials and tribulations that come to us, knowing that they

are but "temporal" and will soon pass away. Do we at times

think our afflictions are too many and are enduring too long?

Let us compare them with the eternal glory that awaits us, and

how light they seem, enduring "but for a moment." All our

afflictions have a blessed purpose. They are sent by our heavenly

Father to work for us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight

of glory." They serve to purge and cleanse our hearts from the

love of sin, as Peter declares: "For he that hath suffered in the

flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest

of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of

God." (1 Pet. 4, 1. 2.) And do not our troubles drive us to prayer,

to giving up the world and the lusts thereof, and to seeking more

earnestly the kingdom of God and His righteousness ? So we have

all reason to thank God even for our afflictions that work for us

an eternal weight of glory.

O what are all my sufferings here,

If, Lord, Thou count me meet,

With that enraptured host t' appear,

And worship at Thy feet!

Give joy or grief, give ease or pain,

Take life or friends away;

But let me find them all again

In that eternal day.