---

Surely a searching, solemn query. Not a question, notice, of having, or not having, a god; not a question as to what, but where? Every man has some kind of god, for the religious instinct is an important part of every man's constitutional make-up. Every child is born with the germ of conscience. It must be so, else why do we find in our children a chord that vibrates at the touch of religious story or appeal? Upon our idea of God centres our ideas of religion, of sin, of prayer, of consecration, and of service.

I. YOUR RELIGION WILL BE WHATEVER YOUR IDEA OF GOD IS. Religion has two acts — to know what is true of God, and to express that knowledge in life. It is personal experience that gives life to one's creed, not cold type. A blind man's world can be measured with a cane. But to be able to say, "Now I see," speedily leads on to "I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Experience is the soil out of which the best creeds grow. Conduct must tally with conviction.

II. YOUR IDEA OF SIN WILL BE SHAPED BY YOUR IDEA OF GOD. They stand or fall together. The exceeding sinfulness of sin will never fill you with shrinking abhorrence until you see God as a God of holiness and purity and righteousness. If your idea of God be that of the Pantheist, or that of the philosopher, or that of the materialist, your standard of holiness will rise no higher than your idea of God. What greater reason can we have for hating sin than to know that it drove the nails into the hands of our blessed Lord?

III. YOUR IDEA OF THE VALUE OF PRAYER WILL HINGE UPON YOUR IDEA OF GOD. Look at David's prayer: "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God." How could David utter a prayer like that if he believed God to be an impersonal force at work in the universe? The value and power of true prayer lies in its reflex action of the man who prays. You cannot say "our Father" to an impersonal force; nor hold sweet communion with a law, nor pour out your soul's need to a sacred cow. The Pharisee prayed with himself. The Publican talked with God. Penitence is heaven's latch-key. So, too, prayer becomes a good test of character. To prove it, note the objects for which many people pray; the temper in which they pray; the regularity with which they pray, and the period during which they pray.

IV. YOUR CONCEPTION OF CONSECRATION WILL REST UPON YOUR IDEA OF GOD. TO say, "I do now consecrate myself to the service of Christ," is the most solemn thing you can say. You remember what "consecration" meant to the high priest of old. That it must mean to you and me; for anything less noble, less sacred, is unworthy the professed follower of the Master.

V. YOUR IDEA OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE WILL DEPEND UPON YOUR IDEA OF GOD. If every man of us is to be judged according to the light he has, how can any one afford to spend his time picking out flaws in his neighbour's conduct, instead of improving the little span of life that God has given him by whole-hearted devotion to the service of God. If you believe in the Church as a Divinely-ordained institution, and in the preaching of the Gospel as the Divinely-ordained means of bringing this world back to God; and if you believe that God is able and willing to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from your iniquity, then I call heaven and earth to witness against you that, so long as you hold back your whole-hearted allegiance from Him, you are trifling, you are trifling with God!

(C. H. Jones.)

---

---

KJV: My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

WEB: My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, "Where is your God?"