The Place of Human Effort In Religion

 "And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward." Exodus 14:15

Luke 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3

       There is a time when the best service of God is not prayer but action. God says to Moses, "Why spend your time in crying for Divine help when there are human hands fit for the work; instead of speaking to Me, speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward." Moses had always been lethargic about action; his natural meekness may have been want of energy. He seems to have expected a purely Divine interference - a bolt from the blue, or an earthquake, or a legion of angels; his vision of the burning bush doubtless to him suggested something drastic. He perhaps even thought it wrong to use physical means. Ought not God to have all the glory! If God willed that the children should recover, there was no use for a doctor. If God was their natural preserver there was no need for vaccination. There was a short road to the land of Canaan - the Divine road; why take the human way! God answered, Because it is the long way; because it requires more time and trouble, and therefore more faith and love. And so God answers still to every soul that asks why He has made life so difficult. He says, "It is better to gain than to get; it is better to win than to wear; it is better to conquer your possession than to carry it, unresisting, home."

       I thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast led me towards the land of Canaan by the long way. With Thy full presence I could have reached it in an hour; but then, I might have lost it in an hour. I should not have been fitted for it, trained for it, educated for it. I thank Thee that on my pilgrimage Thy face has been veiled to me. If Thy power had been perfectly active I should have had nothing to do. I might have closed the hospitals, the infirmaries, the houses of refuge. And the closing of my care would have been the closing of my love. The invalids would have been cured at my expense - at the expense of all that is good in me. I should have had no room for pity, no place for solicitude, no corner for care, no margin for human sacrifice. I should have had neither Martha's portion nor Mary's - neither the working nor the waiting. But, O my Father, I bless Thee that Thou hast left me room for both - room to work and room to wait - human power and human patience. I bless Thee that there is silence enough in heaven for my voice to be heard on earth. I bless Thee that the veil of Thy temple has not been wholly rent in twain. If it were. Thy light would dispense with my faith, Thy force would supersede my acting, Thy will would prevent my effort, Thy sacrifice would make useless my love. I will praise Thee for the rim of darkness round Thy sun -  that Thou hast sent Israel's children by the lengthened way!