Untitled article by L. F. Starr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Jul 25, 1912

The Journey of a Day — No. 1

By L. F. Starr

IN reading the divine narrative of God's dealings with his people in olden times, we are sometimes prone to think that God and his people seemed to live very near together, to hold very close personal intercourse; but "the thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Did men live holier lives of old? Did they walk with God? Did they obey God? "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be," is God's answer. He has promised to sweetly, gently abide with his children to-day, for "that which hath been is now" with God in all his dealings with men.

Abraham often conversed with God as one of our children converses with father and mother, on terms of filial and yet familiar affection. Eliezer, the steward of Abraham, addressed Jehovah in the same direct, though reverent manner. He addressed God, in a simple, childlike fashion: "I pray thee, send me good speed this day." Gen. 24:12. Their faith was as simple as their style of living. Abraham sent Eliezer, the "eldest servant of his house," to Mesopotamia in search of a wife for his son Isaac.

Eliezer set off with his caravan of camels, and soon reached the city of Nahor, near which resided Bethuel, who was a kinsman of Abraham. The caravan halted beside a well in the vicinity of the town.

With straightforward directness Eliezer offers up this prayer: "O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master."

The speedy appearance of the beautiful Rebekah with her pitcher upon her shoulder, attested the answer which Eliezer sought for his petition. After acknowledging her kindness by rich gifts, the messenger asked her parentage, and on learning that she was the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's nephew, he "bowed down his head, and worshiped the Lord." Eliezer was a man of piety, and remembering Abraham's assurance that God would send his angel, he prayed earnestly for divine guidance, and was abundantly rewarded for his faith.

The theme I wish to emphasize, however, is the journey of a day, and how, by God's blessings, to make good speed upward and heavenward through every hour. Life is frequently presented as a pilgrimage or a journey; and John Bunyan was only following the line of Scriptural suggestion when he conceived the plan of his immortal allegory. The actual journey of human life is subdivided into several stages. Of these a day is the most visible and definite, for it is measured by the globe on its axis. A person of the average age (thirty years) sees about eleven thousand days. A veteran of fourscore sees about thirty thousand days, of which there is a faithful record kept. Were they good days or bad days the records of heaven will disclose in the judgment hour.

In ordinary phrase, we apply the word day to those hours of the twenty-four which are marked by sunlight. The period we call night is the bivouac after the march; and the hours of sleep are the blank leaves in the diary of life. A few hours of unconscious slumber and the rosy finger of the morning touches us as the Divine Restorer touched the motionless form of Jairus's daughter, and saith to us, Arise! In an instant the wheels of conscious activity are set in motion, and we leap up from the temporary tomb, our bed. Was yesterday a sick day? Sleep, like a good doctor, may have made us well. Was yesterday a sad day? Sleep kindly soothed the agitated nerves. Was it like too many of its predecessors, a lost day? Then our merciful Heavenly Father puts us on new probation, and gives us a chance to save this new-born day for him and for his holy purposes of our existence.

Do we lose the morning either by our sleep or indolence or aimlessness? Then we commonly lose the day. One hour of the morning is worth two or three at sunset. The early morning hours are the best time to begin the day's work and the worship of God. Napoleon, who made time a great factor in all his successes, chose the early dawn. The numerous commentaries of Albert Barnes are monuments of early rising; they attest how much a man may accomplish who gets at his work early.