An  essential  element  in  love  to  God  is  humility  before
him — a  sense  of  his  greatness  and  goodness,  and  a  corre-
sponding sense  of  our  weakness  and  sin.  To  this  love
belongs  a  reverent  fear  of  him  in  whose  hands  is  human
destiny,  and  whose  holy  displeasure  must  be  kindled  against
sin  (Mt.  X.  28).  Hence  Jesus  pictured  the  acceptable  wor-
shipper as  humbly  confessing  his  sins  before  God  (Lk.
xviii.  18},  and  described  God's  true  servants  as  disclaim-
ing any  special  merit  for  doing  their  obvious  duty  (Lk.
xvii.  10}.  He  who  has  the  true  disposition  towards  God
will  thankfully  and  humbly  recognize  the  divine  grace,
sod  not  his  own  meritorious  claims,  as  the  ground  of  his
eoofidence  and  hope.
The  positive  side  of  this  reverential  fear  and  humility  is


110  THE  SYNOPTIC  TEACHING  OF  JESUS

trust  in  God,  'irtaw  d€ov  (Mk.  xi.  22),  an  unshaken  confi-
dence in  God,  which  is  never  dismayed  at  the  changes  or
surprises  of  life.  He  who  has  this  faith  will  not  be  dis-
tracted by  anxious  care  concerning  the  things  of  this  life.
He  will  have  the  single  eye — a  clear  discernment  of  life's
true  good,  which  will  hold  all  his  purposes  in  unity  and
concentration.  He  will  not  attempt  the  impossible  task
of  serving  two  masters.  He  will  make  God  the  supreme
object  of  bis  choice  and  service,  will  seek  first  his  Kingdom
and  righteousness,  confident  that  the  Father,  who  knows
all  his  needs,  will  confer  the  minor  benefits  (M t  vi.  22-84).
