We Fly Away

Rev. W.C. Lamain (1904-1984)

Time and again, as we approach the end of the year, we are reminded of the words of Moses which we wrote above this article and which are found in Psalm 90. What is a week, what is a month, how short is a year? In our thoughts it is as if we have just begun the journey of twelve months, and now, in only a few more days we will again come to the end of another year. Soon the year will lie behind us, never to return until the Day of Judgment.

Surely, life flies away, and we fly away with it, and by nature man goes on his way thoughtlessly. In this respect mans state of death becomes more and more apparent, but he is not attuned to it, nor does he take notice of it. Man lives on as if he will live forever. We were created in Paradise to live forever, but because of the imputation of Adam’s sin, we now have been born to die.

Blessed are the souls who with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob may live in tents. They have acknowledged and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners here upon earth. God made them thus. Through the irresistible operation of the Holy Spirit, they were called out of their state of death to life. Oh, what an eternal wonder and what unspeakable joy it becomes for those who may be touched by God and who learn that the second Adam, the Son of God, is true and eternal God, one with the Father and the Holy Ghost.

That has become evident in the meriting of salvation, but it is also confirmed in the application. Without that application, there would be no hope or expectation. By nature we have so many saviors who are not able to help us, but Christ is that blessed Person who can save to the uttermost all those who come to Him through the Father.

Now, in the time which God gives us, we must learn to know the Eternal Father (Isaiah 9:6). In this knowledge alone lies eternal life, but, oh, my readers, the knowledge of our lost state, as well as the knowledge of Christ, is so hidden. It is so hidden and covered, even though we have had the privilege of being born under the light of the pure truth and have been instructed and raised in the same doctrine, also, if the Lord has graciously kept us, and we have never left this truth. The truth teaches us clearly that the hidden things of the Lord are for those who fear Him. There are so many who want to understand the truth with their natural understanding, but without the indispensable enlightening of the Holy Spirit it is impossible.

God’s Word states so clearly that the natural man does not understand the things which belong to the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, and he understands them not. Oh, let us never be wiser than God, for in the end we will only deceive ourselves. We must go through the narrow gate if we will ever walk the narrow way which leads to life eternal. For those people who have been loved and chosen by God it can be said, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lo r d ; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13).

We fly away. It is necessary that this would become reality for young and old, for small and great, yea, for all of us, and that we would realize the seriousness of this life and the reality of eternity so that there would be a hastening and a fleeing for our lives’ sake. What will it be to appear before God without Christ, having spent our life in sin and frivolous activity? Our punishment will be double if we have known the way but have not walked therein and then—too late—forever too late.

Now it is still the acceptable time; now it is still the day of salvation. The commemoration of Christ’s coming in the flesh is again in the past. Oh, that He might also have come for us, to save us as poor sinners.

On the other hand, when the rest in this world has been taken from us and it is our experience that “We have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come,” we will not be able to take the credit for it ourselves. That is as far as the East is from the West. It becomes evident that we all have departed from God and that there is no one who asks or seeks after Him. By nature we lie dead in sins and trespasses, and we have said farewell to God in Paradise, never to return to Him again.

Oh, my beloved, if it had to come from our side, it would be lost forever. By us nothing remains but sin, misery, guilt, and enmity. The Lord says in Isaiah 65:1: “I am sought of those that asked not for Me; I am found of them that sought Me not: I said, Behold Me, behold Me, unto a nation that was not called by My name.” God brings us to an end. Christ seeks and saves those who are lost. The Holy Spirit convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment but also glorifies Christ in the hearts of such to whom God has shown mercy from all eternity. It is all of Him and through Him and unto Him.

Nothing in us, but everything in Him;
So the Church travels to Jerusalem.

The way which the Lord leads His people goes through hell to heaven. So it was for the Mediator, and so it is also for all those who are included in Him. They will not meet a strange God but, reconciled and sanctified by Him, will one day meet God in righteousness and be conformed to His image. May that God confirm it in our hearts by His Spirit; then we may enjoy the comfort of it as we fly to our death, to our grave, to eternity, and to our eternal destination.

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