Blue is the colour pervading the heavens, therefore it appropriately denotes faithfulness. The mind which has become enlarged by a contemplation of the laws, which govern the heavenly hosts, are conscious that God's loving-kindness, mercy and faithfulness, bespangles the very skies, "The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. Mercy shall be built up for ever, thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens" (Psalm 89.5,2).

Meditations relative to those regions beyond the confines of this terrestrial sphere, fill us with silent awe. There are potentialities too vast for minds like ours. Think of millions of mighty orbs speeding through space with clock-like precision at the rate of at least twelve miles per second! Day after day over vast periods of time, they have encircled around and filled the universe with grand and inspiring melody.—"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge." (Psalm 19.1-2).

What if the chains of magnetic power, which bind the stars together as one grand whole, were to be suddenly severed and broken? Imagination sinks beneath a tragedy so appalling! The clashing of huge solar bodies into myriads of fragments is no event on which to ponder!

With such powerful incentives to faith, a denial of a supreme Controller, indicates a carnality resembling brute beasts. There have been men of the proud, egotistical, and conceited type, who have disregarded the divine possibilities with respect to man. Sometimes these have been rebuked supernaturally. We recall the Bible account of Nebuchadnezzar, who said "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built...by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" That very hour he became insane and imagined himself one of the beasts of the field, and he continued thus for seven years. (Dan.4.29-33).

Then we recall Herod Agrippa, who arrayed himself brilliantly in gorgeous royal apparel and made an oration. He received the plaudits of the people with an air of complete satisfaction and triumph, as they cried, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!" That very day he was seized with a foul disease, of which he succumbed (Acts 12.21-23).

God's arm is not shortened, for at any time and on any occasion, he can demonstrate his authority and power. His delays only seeming delays. That he is well able, if he chose, to swiftly bring men to their proper senses, is evident from the following remarkable narrative, which was recorded in the Chicago journals of 1904.

"Julian Renfro, 21 years old, while engaged with three chums at a game of cards, declared his unbelief in God. He was a "higher critic" of the Ingersoll school and said: "Fellows, if God would demonstrate himself to me in some way—for instance, if he would strike me deaf and dumb, or blind—I might admit his existence." One of the young men was about to reply, when he noticed Renfro turn pale. The next moment the sceptic threw his arms out before him, as if warding off a blow, then he convulsively placed his hands before his face. An instant later he fell forward off his chair, and on to the floor. Since that time he has been unable to speak or hear. In writing he afterwards expressed faith in the Lord, and declared his intention to study the Scriptures, and if the Lord should grant a recovery, he hoped to preach Christ."

God is ever faithful with respect to the promises made to His people. He has promised a glorious fruition relative to the permission of evil, and His word will not return unto Him void. "His anger endureth but for a moment; in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30.5).

God is always pleased with those who place implicit trust in what He says. He does not however enforce that trust. As an instance of this we go back to the beginning. Among the many spirit beings who beheld the marvels of creation, were our Lord in His pre-human existence, and Lucifer. The former continually revered His Father, while the latter went at a tangent and sought an empire of his own. Had Lucifer interested himself in knowing God, he would have been safeguarded. In other words his faith waned under the Edenic proof-test. God could have manifested Himself with such stupendous glory as to have silenced all thoughts of disloyalty. It is evident that the Omnipotent sees the wisdom of revealing Himself so far and no farther, in order to allow a certain amount of freedom and volition on the part of His creatures. This is in harmony with the inspired message "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself" (Isa.45 15).

God symbolised the faith of the future royal priesthood by a garment of blue, upon which was placed the ephod (Exodus 28.31-32). Very significant are the words "And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod, wholly of blue; and the opening for his head shall be in the midst thereof, —a border shall there be to the opening thereof...the work of a weaver, like the opening of a coat of mail, shall there be to it, it must not be rent." (Rotherham) Never once was the faith of Jesus rent, likewise His Bride-to-be, her faith is triumphant to the end!

God is invisible and the only link we have to unite us with Him is by means of the spirit of faith, "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb.11.6).

In other words we must "wear our ribband of blue." During the wanderings of the children of Israel, a man was found guilty of gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. As a punishment he was stoned to death. Then were the people commanded to wear a ribband of blue, to remind them that faithfulness to God's commands, was of primary importance if they would live (Numbers 15.32-41). While the Lord's people, since the resurrection of Jesus, are being judged according to the spirit or disposition (2 Cor.3.6), yet they must still remember their "ribband of blue", which should stretch from earth to heaven. Heart uniting to heart as unto a faithful Creator, for the very foundations of the New Jerusalem is laid with precious blue stones—sapphires! (Isa.54.11).

There is a story told of a missionary, who, spent with fatigue, came across a tribe of cannibals. He sought out the chief and motioned for a resting place. Proudly the King drew aside the curtain of his own tent and soon the man was sleeping peacefully. The tribe began to marvel at the extraordinary courage and confidence displayed by the missionary, also they were astounded at the sudden generosity of their chief, who replied to their queries with the determined remark, "He trusts us, let us not deny his trust!"

If a heathen can so reward simple trust, how much more the source of all grace and virtue—"They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever" (Psalm 125.1-2).

Faith carries with it knowledge and acquaintance with God, and to attain it, requires diligence with respect to spiritual matters. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.11.1). Only those who have been drawn and begotten of the most High will have had an opportunity to overcome in this age, "and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5.4). One evidence of overcoming is the obtaining of that disposition which belongs to a little child (Matt.18.3). It has been noted that all children born into the world have blue eyes. This is significant to the spiritual Israelite "in whose spirit there is no guile," and whose faith reaps the great reward of the first resurrection (1 Pet.1.1-9; Eph.1.18).

With the remainder of mankind the Lord will reveal His largeness of heart in due time. At present, it is with them as with the Jewish people, "God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all" (Rom.11.32).

FL