Ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion" (Ps.
Strange time for adoration, you say, to stand in God's house by night, to worship in the depth of sorrow ━it is indeed an arduous thing. Yes, and therein lies the blessing; it is the test of perfect faith. If I would know the love of my friend I must see what it can do in the winter. So with the Divine love.
It is easy for me to worship in the summer sunshine when the melodies of life are in the air and the fruits of life are on the tree. But let the song of the bird cease and the fruit of the tree fall, and will my heart still go on to sing? Will I stand in God's house by night? Will I love Him in His own night? Will I watch with Him even one hour in His Gethsemane? Will I help to bear His cross up the dolorous way? Will I stand beside Him in His dying moments with Mary and the beloved disciple? Will I be able with Nicodemus to take up the dead Christ? Then is my worship complete and my blessing glorious. My love has come to Him in His humiliation. My faith has found Him in His lowliness. My heart has recognized His majesty through His mean disguise, and I know at last that I desire not the gift but the Giver. When I can stand in His house by night I have accepted Him for Himself alone. ━George Matheson
My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God
Tis His to lead me there, not mine, but His
At any cost, dear Lord, by my road
So faith bounds forward to its goal in God
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.
No matter if the way be sometimes dark
No matter though the cost be ofttimes great
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark
The way that leads to Him must needs be straight.
One thing I know, I cannot say Him nay
One thing I do, I press towards my Lord
My God my glory here, from day to day
And in the glory there my Great Reward.