Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 142, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1916 — The Guarded Heart [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Guarded Heart

By REV. B. B. SUTCLIFFE

Extension Department Moody Bibl* Institute of Chicago

TEXT—The peace of God shall guard your heart and mind.—Phil. 4:5-7. These three verses should be read together to get the thought the apostle

has to give us. Someone has epitomized them by saying we are meant to have c ar -of u 1 ness fas nothing, prayerfulness in everything, thankfulness for anything, and it. might bo added, peacefulness in all things. “Be careful for nothing;” or, as the R. V. says, “in nothing be anxious;" or, as we would say today.

"don’t worry.’’ It means, as Conybeare and Howson put it, “let no care trouble you.” A most surprising exhortation when we think of the sin. within us; surprising when we think of the many painful experiences we meet, the hard surroundings, the bitter circumstances, the unexplained disappointments; surprising when we think of the constantly Increasing difficulties that strew our paths. Yet in spite of all of these he says “don’t worry.” We need' not worry, it is wicked to worry, it is against the lessons of nature revelation and our peace in the Lord. It is disobedience*, too, because it is the Lord himself who says "Be careful for nothing.” It is well known that worry will kill where work only makes strong. But how are we to avoid that which is so common among us? The next sentence tells us. Simple Method. "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Here is the simple method of avoiding the useless, wearying worry. Take everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear— All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.

The small things or the large are to be taken to him, the joyous, glad things as well as the sad and bitter things, the simple things as well as the difficult, the personal and private as well as the public affairs —everything is to be carried unto the Lord. And they are to be taken to him with thankfulness. The thankfulness will be there in the measure of our trust in him. A little boy takes his broken toy to his father. After seeing it the father said, "I’ll fix it for you, son." The boy says, “Thank you, daddy,” and goes off content because he trusts his father’s word. To the measure of our trust in our Father when we bring our affairs to him will be the measure of our thankfulness. Only let us be as children before him and the outcome will be certain. Sure Result. “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ" The heart as a fortress will be guarded by the peace of God and the mind, the entrance to that fortress, will be kppt by the same peace. It is the peace of God, not merely peace with God. The latter is for the conscience and comes by faith in his work; the former is for the heart and mind and comes by faith in his word and his presence. We cannot conceive of God being worried. Nothing can overcome him, nothing the future holds can ever take him by surprise. No evil the past holds that the blood cannot blot out, no distress of the present that he cannot relieve, and no darkness of the future that his presence cannot lighten. And to the measure of our trust will be the measure of our peace. Unbelief and an unsurrendered will are the two great hindrances to the enjoyment of the peace of God which passeth all understanding. '

A child came close to his teacher’s side. His book tight clasped in his little hand. “Teachey.” he said, with wistful eyes. “We’re coming to words that I don’t undei Stand. ■■■■■-■ I’ve turned the pages over and over, And the words are so big and they’re all so new, ■ When we come to the lessons where they are put, O teacher, I don’t know what I'll do!" The teacher smiled at the troubled face. And tenderly* stroked the curly head: "Before we reach' them,” I think you will learn The way to read them,” she gently said; "But If you shoudn’t. I'll help you then. And don’t you think that the wisest plan Is to learn the lesson that comes today, And learn it the very best you cant” -I And it seems to me: it is so with us; We look at the days that are still ahead. The days that perchance may never be ours— With a pitiless longing and a nameless dread. But surely the Teacher who gives the task ; Wm lovingly watch, as we try to read With faltering tongue and tear-dimmed eyes, And will help his children in time of need." We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them.— Seneo .