PHILIP GIDDINGS by PHILIP GIDDINGS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1916

PHILIP GIDDINGS

By PHILIP GIDDINGS

From the Mountain to the Multitude; or Between the Patella and the Planta

PHILIP GIDDINGS

“It came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.” Luke 6: 12, 13.

“He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.” Mark 3: 13, 14.

Whether for prayer alone or with his disciples, Jesus seems to have preferred the mountain.

The prayer posture is the highest position we can occupy on earth, since thereby we meet and talk with God. We leave the clod under our feet, and ascend as it were among the clouds. We are never more elevated than when on our knees, or, to use Paul's paradox, “when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Prayer is a spiritual ascent, and we always come down charged with what we need: sometimes it may be with the receiving of the identical request; sometimes with grace to wait for it; sometimes with grace for bearing the refusal. Whichever way He answers, it is the response best fitted to the soul's needs. Who shall say it is greater blessing to get the bread than to be given grace to wait for it or to do without it? to cure physical blindness than to give clearer vision to the soul? The condition of the soul that can say “Amen” to the latter experience, evidences a spiritual dominance where the body keeps its place of subservience.

He knows best whether to take away the thorns of the flesh, or to add super-counterbalancing grace to the soul. “Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Cor. 12: 7-10.

The mountain is for mounting. We must ascend with Him, if we would be with him. The result is weary muscles, tenser nerves. But what compensation of purer atmosphere! What ocular sweep of the whole country where no landscape escapes the upland view! From there we see the sheep shepherdless and scattered, trying to feed on the beaten paths of man's tracks, while green pastures lie between intervening valleys. We descend, for we went up to come down. The seriousness of the descent reveals the importance of the ascent. The extent of our vision is the range of our sympathy. We bring the inspiration from the mountain for perspiration with the multitude.

The disciples of the Lord live on the heights, as a city set on a hill, but they do business below. If they have any ups and downs, they are the constant back and forth between mountain and multitude. They must receive the daily ordination above for the execution below of each day's orders. They must always come ordained from the mountain of prayer to practice and preach to the multitude. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,” but those steps were ordained on Mount Kneeling.

The knee attitude is the altitude of power, for the position of suppliant is the tapping of supply. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Isa. 52: 7. But what makes these feet beautiful toward men is the knee experience with God. Physically the knees affect the stepping. How lame and undignified are the steps of a man with feeble knees “as a bowing wall. . . and as a tottering fence.” He courtesies along his way as if begging the world for a pass. From that mystic handwriting on the wall see the gait of Belshazzar, whose knees smote each other as if in mutual reproach for neglected service; then picture the stately stepping of Daniel, who kneeled three times a day and prayed. He who bends before God always stands straight and strong before man. This is a physical fact serving a moral metaphor. Thus Eliphaz (Job 4: 3, 4) says, “Behold, thou hast instructed many, and

thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.” Isaiah says, “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.” Isa. 35: 3.

Paul, borrowing the language, says, “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed.” Heb. 12: 12, 13. The physical relation between knee and foot has its spiritual analogy in our relationship with God for communicably effective service to man.

In reference to the means of accomplishing natural things, we employ the metaphor “elbow grease.” In things spiritual it is “knee grace.” The flexion of the knees is forward, holding the feet backward until the knee muscles relax their curve, bringing the feet forward. Feet must wait the permission of knees. “Feeble knees” means unstraight paths and weak hands. Hands, knees, feet! The middle point takes the precedence over, controls, and directs the two others. Feet are lame to go, and hands are weak to do, without the communication of the knee unction to them. Prayer preceded Pentecost, and followed it. Oh, let us pray!

The knee attitude is not only the attitude of power, but the mount of blessing, for by a happy etymologic kinship, the word is barak, meaning “to kneel,” and “to bless” is berak; while “knee” is berek, and “blessing” is berakah. From this mount with God we rise from the knees of blessing. Then on our feet descending, we go to dispense that blessing to the multitude.

Guadeloupe, French West Indies.