April 14

The earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the Made, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. - Mark 4:28.

NATURAL influences operate gradually, and so do the Spiritual. What a scene does winter display often, when the woods, and the hedges, and the trees, and the fields, and the gardens are stripped of their ornaments, and look dreary and dead! But the spring comes round, and brings out their beauties and fertility, and we go forth, and we see nature renewing the face of the earth, and making all things new. But how? By degrees! We would not limit the Holy One of Israel: there must be a time when religion begins, though there is no time when it ends. Instantaneous conversions are not always to be depended upon. In nature we see every thing resulting from small beginnings, and by imperceptible degrees advancing. So it is in Spiritual things.

And we may observe, too, that the more excellent things are, the slower is their progress. How much sooner some animals reach their full size than a man, and how much more rapidly grows the osier than the oak. There are many eminent Christians and ministers, who for some years were very feeble in their views and dispositions. It was a considerable time before they came into the glorious “liberty of the sons of God.” They had to feel and they had to fight their way too. But they trod the firmer and fought the harder, because they could say, “We have ‘learned by experience.’” We know that this was the mode with our Saviour, in the days of his flesh. He said to his disciples, “I have many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now.” Thus he leads them on.

So it is with his people now. Their course has commenced, like the dawn, with a few rays; but then these rays are forerunners. But “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Let us not, with regard to ourselves or others, “despise the day of small things.” Neither let us be discouraged if at present we have but little strength. How small is the germ of the corn at first! How unlikely it seems to be able to withstand the assailing of the weather and of the winter! But that which is “sown in weakness is raised in power;” “though our beginning be small, our latter end shall greatly increase.”