September 28 - Morning"The Lord looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men." — Psalm 33:13
Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than
when He is spoken of as stooping from His throne, and coming down from
heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love
Him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not
destroy those cities until He had made a personal visitation of them. We
cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines
His ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner,
whose failing heart longs after reconciliation.
How can we but love Him
when we know that He numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our
path, and orders our ways? Specially is this great truth brought near to our
heart, when we recollect how attentive He is, not merely to the temporal
interests of His creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues
of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there
are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God
doth not behold; for, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear Him." Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah;
thy whisper can incline His ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay His hand;
thy faith can move His arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no
account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the
Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them
whose heart is perfect towards Him.
Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires; September 28 - Evening"Go again seven times." — 1 Kings 18:43
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have
pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible
that the Lord should be deaf when His people are earnest in a matter which
concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to
wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he
should be non-suited in Jehovah's courts. Six times the servant returned,
but on each occasion no word was spoken but "Go again." We must not
dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith
sends expectant hope to look from Carmel's brow, and if nothing is beheld,
she sends again and again.
So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is
animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not
abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she
never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to
flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned
to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord.
Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so
lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at
our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger
is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing.
Reader, do not fall into that
sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen,
the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for
good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy
the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his
power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer
availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing
importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire. September 28 |