"There are those who never need to use these words, because they have no experience of that which is deprecated. They know not what is meant by such language as this: 'Cause your face to shine upon me.' This language implies a personal acquaintance with a personal God.
It teaches that God is pleased to make communications of his grace to the soul of the believer, that are to him like the uplifting of a veil from the face of the one beloved and adored."
— George Bowen (1816–1888) · The White Sadhu of Bombay✦ A Personal Acquaintance
Bowen returns after twelve days of Guyon — and names what her teaching was building toward. Guyon taught how to enter the interior room. Bowen names what is found there: not a doctrine, not a principle, but a face. A personal acquaintance with a personal God.
"We ought all of us to have far higher conceptions than we have, of the power of God to manifest himself by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah and Daniel, Abraham and Ezekiel, envied us, and longed to be in our place; and we greatly dishonor the Spirit, if we suppose that in this dispensation there is no provision made for the occasional glorious manifestation of God unto the soul of the believer.
We are saved by hope, and our greatest blessedness is of course in the future; but the best preparation for this is in the recognition of the sublime privileges now bestowed.
Let it not be thought that we honor Christ more by overlooking our present opportunities of knowing his glory. If we truly love his appearing, we will seek now to sound the utmost depths of the meaning of the promises contained in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel by John."
— George Bowen (1816–1888)"The best preparation for future blessedness is in the recognition of the sublime privileges now bestowed."
— George Bowen · Not enduring the present as a waiting room. Recognizing what is already here.✦ Now, Not Only Then
Isaiah and Daniel envied us. Abraham longed for what we have. The Holy Spirit dwelling within — the interior holy of holies Guyon described — the presence that becomes as natural as breathing — these are not lesser gifts. They are the sublime privileges of this dispensation, available now.
John 14 is where Jesus said: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" and "he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." The manifestation is promised. The face is available. The veil can be lifted now.
✦ A Season of Extreme Pressure
The sublime privileges are recognized not only in quiet mornings but inside the trials. James 1:2–4 does not say joy comes after the trial. It says consider it joy whenever you face the trial — because the testing produces perseverance, and perseverance finishes its work until the soul is mature and complete, not lacking anything.
The pressure of packing, the stress of transition, the closing of a chapter — these are not interruptions to the spiritual life. They are the kiln. The trial that produces what comfort never could.
"This is a season of extreme pressure and stress. Thank the Lord for James 1. With Jesus' help, we can do this."
A Personal Acquaintance
The language of "hide not your face" belongs to someone who has seen that face before. A personal God known personally. Not doctrine — acquaintance.
Sublime Privileges Now
Isaiah and Daniel envied us. We greatly dishonor the Spirit if we overlook what is already available. The best preparation for future blessedness is recognizing the present gifts.
Perseverance Finishes Its Work
James 1:2–4. The testing produces perseverance. Perseverance produces maturity. The trial is not the interruption — it is the finishing work.