The Calls of God by N. Y. Observer

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1857

The Calls of God.

By N. Y. Observer

God calls in health. He speaks to us when we are well, for he knows we need to be in the full possession of all our powers to attend aright to the great concern. In health we read his calls on the printed page; hear them from the sacred desk; trace them in the events of providence; feel them in our hearts.

And in sickness God calls. He awakens in us apprehensions of danger; turns our thoughts to the past; carries our imaginations to the future; lets us look into the grave; discloses the solemnities of the judgment; gives an earnest of eternal retributions.

God speaks in prosperity, where all is bright and cheering, reminds us that our sun may soon be obscured, "and storms of sorrow fall."

And he speaks in adversity, when all is dark and gloomy, directs our thoughts to a better world, where sorrow and sighing flee away, and tears are wiped from every eye.

God calls in youth, when the heart is tender, before the world has bound it in iron fetters, and before evil habits are fixed; he says, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

And in manhood God calls, impresses us with the importance of being ready for early death, and urges the duty of spending the remainder of our days in his service.

And then in old age he calls; reminds us that our sands are nearly run; that soon the silver cord will be loosed, and the golden bowl broken; probation ended; destiny fixed.

In seasons of revival God calls. When others are converted and enter the ark of safety, he leads us to think that now is the accepted time, now the day of salvation. He impresses us with the belief that one call will be the last; that there will be a last time; that we may refuse Christ and grieve the Spirit once too often, and he excites the apprehension that now may be our last opportunity, and that if we now neglect to secure an interest in Jesus Christ, we may never have another offer of mercy.

Reader, will you listen to this call of God? It may be your last! Disregard it at your peril! Hear what God says: Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called ye did not answer; when I spake ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Isa. lxv. Read also Prov. i, 24-33.—N. Y. Observer.