Sometimes the morning dawns extremely fair; happiness seems in the air and some of that happiness finds a responsive note within. For the time being life is good and God is evident everywhere. You love these bright mornings, but experience has told you that sometimes they lead on to that which is closely alike to sadness itself. It seems a pity that such beauty should be tarnished, but even in the shade that is cast across the sunshine there is nothing but the love of God.
That early morning happiness is God-sent indeed, and it is sent for a definite and direct purpose. Many battles went on in the soul which your physical mind was entirely unconscious of. These battles are of a purely spiritual nature, in the sense that they are so closely connected with God that even the physical mind, which is part of you, is too near the earth to be taken into the soul's confidence.
That brightness is as the fresh armour and clean weapons with which a soldier sets out for battle. Recall to your mind some of the pictures you have seen, especially those of the days gone by. Bright and decorative was the garb of those who set out for battle; their hopes high, their equipment complete, so far as the outward was concerned, and the cheers of the public warmed their heart for the task before them.
That is the first stage and, of course, from the spiritual point of view, the least important of any.
Follow those warriors through the day. How long does their finery last? Soon in the heat of battle they are glad to discard this and that, finally leaving themselves only with the necessaries for attack. The end of the day shows a different picture altogether. They bear the marks of battle and sometimes those of defeat, but if they have fought a good fight, then even those of defeat are a glory to their country.
Next time when the morning dawns so fair remember the soldier and do your best to see that both your courage and your spirit is sufficient to carry you through the day.
Each day has been a day of triumph. A little sadness may creep in, but that does not show in any degree whatsoever that the triumph has gone to the wrong side. Even the bravest soldier after a day in the field is worn and weary and footsore.
What does tomorrow hold for the one who fights and conquers? Happiness and reassurance. For the one that gave up, tomorrow holds not only loss of freedom but something similar to despair itself!
All of God’s children bear the marks of battle. Many, however, are the opposite of proud of these marks because at times they show themselves in the form of wear and tear. To those in the Spirit World it seems a curious way of regarding the ribbons of honour bestowed upon you by the Christ Himself. But you are bound by the physical view, you only see what to you represents ugliness and scars and wounds. You are not able to look beneath the surface and see the beauty and the constructive pattern which they have brought about.
Who has not read with a thrill of pride and exaltation the story of the brave achievement of this one or that who has planted a flag on the enemy's ground? Or of another who dashed forward and redeemed the very guns which had been stolen from them? It does you good to read about such deeds of valour, and when you read, way down in your heart there is the soul speaking to you, and the longing arises to have done that deed yourself.
Deeds far greater than these, sacrifices stupendous in their character, are taking place moment by moment in this great world in which you live. Unmarked, unheard of, unheeded even by the doers themselves, but noted and remembered for ever by the God who is the Father of all.
Once more you must try and extend your vision. Look beyond the present and the personal and dive down beneath the surface and fly up into the heights above. From that point of vantage you will see the spiritual magnificence to which the mind of humankind can rise.
You do not belong to those who are kept in safety and comfort behind the fortress walls. To some their position may seem one worthy of envy but what are they after all; captives and prisoners whilst you are free to wander where you will. Where is the advantage in this? Where the gain to be coveted? They are safe only so long as they remain entombed within. To you the freedom of the sky; liberty and the will to do. It is not worth the struggle, the struggle and the concentration; and of the two perhaps the second is the hardest to those who are wishful to push on and see all that awaits them.
Be strong, be of good courage, the end of sorrow is not so far off as you think. The daylight is at hand and soon you shall watch with joy and amazement the Sun rising in its splendour out of what appeared darkness and night. The door is opening and, as it swings slowly on its hinges, it is shutting out the darkness, pressing it to the sides, and finally swinging back, will banish it for evermore.
This is God's will, and this is the future which neither the evil in the mind of humankind in your world, nor the powers and forces of evil in the Spirit World, shall hinder in its completion. That is absolutely in harmony with the purpose which is in the Mind of God; absolutely accurate in detail and in construction. It is of things far beyond your comprehension, but it is in the Name of The Lord that the Spirits share it with you.
It brings a lot of happiness to those in the Spirit World, and into your own life it has brought new interests and new influences. But that is not the extent of the part which you are to take. This is the preparation for the real work which is taking shape under God's Hand. It is the training process, and when you are learning you do not confuse your lessons with the great use and purpose which, later on, those lessons are to work out. God and the Spirits know that it does sound rather alarming to have more talk of preparation and of planning and of fitting in when there has already been so much of this. It is a little chilling to be told that that is only the preliminary stage, and that the real thing lies in front.
And yet, the application of anything that you have learnt is, as a rule, far more pleasant than forging your way through the dreary stages which seem to produce so little, and even fail to appear clear to you as you learn.
Get a broad view of life and a bigger view of this work. The grinding, tedious portions are, in the main, past and safely disposed of. So go on from that to the laying out of those plans, and try in each line to work in something of individual beauty. Later on you may look down on your part with pleasure to recognise this thought or that endeavour, which really looks quite nice as it is fitted in by the Hand of the Christ.
"Let not your hearts be troubled for I will send you a Comforter." Think of this beautiful promise and what lies beneath it. Once more square the shoulders, take a good look at the opposing forces, tighten your wills and go on. Go on, not to more sorrow, but to joy and achievement, and to that revelation which only the hard and upward road can bring you; and which only the soldier who is out to conquer can achieve. The revelation of the Spirit; when each one is at liberty to rid themself of the body and its burdens and meet the Spirits free and unrestrained, in order to see something of that unfoldment of Divinity which is the possession of all who have tried to love and serve the Saviour. You cannot take the unfoldment of Divinity in, but try to build up something so that the necessary impetus may be found within to send you on without a backward glance, and to take that chill from your heart, and make it a journey of rejoicing.
God's blessing is upon you. You are the flowers of the field in His sight!
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