January 30

But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. - 2 Chronicles 35:21.

WE have already noticed these words in their connection. We now take them independent of the circumstances under which the command was originally given, and consider them as language which we may and ought to adopt as our own. God commands us also “to make haste.” Any truth may furnish us with matter for meditation; and, if there be a truth in the Bible, (and we cannot either deny or question this,) this is one, that God has “commanded us to make haste” concerning some things and principles.

But the question is, what is haste? Haste is not hurry. Hurry always implies a kind of disordered and confused effort, as if something had been forgotten or overlooked, and seems always to infer a single and transient exertion. This is not the same with speed, nor is it favourable to speed. “I have too much to do,” said one, “ever to be in a hurry.” There are some persons, indeed, who seem always to be in a hurry or bustle, and they would appear to be persons of business and despatch. No such thing; they are “important nothings in a juggler’s box.” Some who ought to rise at six are coming to life about eight, and running for hours after their work, and then doing it superficially and slatternly too.

But by haste is meant application, diligence, zeal; something opposed not to entire omission or neglect, but to slow and careful performance requiring excitement. It means exertion; but it is that exertion which arises from reflection rather than that which is the result of impulse, and which was exemplified by David when he said, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies; I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”