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Psalm
138:8
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.
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Most manifestly the confidence which
the Psalmist here expressed was a divine confidence. He did
not say, "I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth
me-my faith is so steady that it will not stagger-my love is
so warm that it will never grow cold-my resolution is so firm
that nothing can move it; no, his dependence was on the Lord
alone. If we indulge in any confidence which is not grounded
on the Rock of ages, our confidence is worse than a dream, it
will fall upon us, and cover us with its ruins, to our sorrow
and confusion. All that Nature spins time will unravel, to the
eternal confusion of all who are clothed therein. The Psalmist
was wise, he rested upon nothing short of the Lord's work. It
is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it is He
who has carried it on; and if he does not finish it, it never
will be complete. If there be one stitch in the celestial
garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves,
then we are l ost; but this is our confidence, the Lord who
began will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, and
will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have
done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what
the Lord will do. Unbelief insinuates- "You will never be able
to stand. Look at the evil of your heart, you can never
conquer sin; remember the sinful pleasures and temptations of
the world that beset you, you will be certainly allured by
them and led astray." Ah! yes, we should indeed perish if left
to our own strength. If we had alone to navigate our frail
vessels over so rough a sea, we might well give up the voyage
in despair; but, thanks be to God, He will perfect that which
concerneth us, and bring us to the desired haven. We can never
be too confident when we confide in Him alone, and never too
much concerned to have such a trust.
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Isaiah
43:24
Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money.
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Worshippers at the temple were wont
to bring presents of sweet perfumes to be burned upon the
altar of God: but Israel, in the time of her backsliding,
became ungenerous, and made but few votive offerings to her
Lord: this was an evidence of coldness of heart towards God
and His house. Reader, does this never occur with you? Might
not the complaint of the text be occasionally, if not
frequently, brought against you? Those who are poor in pocket,
if rich in faith, will be accepted none the less because their
gifts are small; but, poor reader, do you give in fair
proportion to the Lord, or is the widow's mite kept back from
the sacred treasury? The rich believer should be thankful for
the talent entrusted to him, but should not forget his large
responsibility, for where much is given much will be required;
but, rich reader, are you mindful of your obligations, and
rendering to the Lord according to the benefit received? Jesus
gave His blood for us, what shall w e give to Him? We are His,
and all that we have, for He has purchased us unto Himself-can
we act as if we were our own? O for more consecration! and to
this end, O for more love! Blessed Jesus, how good it is of
Thee to accept our sweet cane bought with money! nothing is
too costly as a tribute to Thine unrivalled love, and yet Thou
dost receive with favour the smallest sincere token of
affection! Thou dost receive our poor forget-me-nots and
love-tokens as though they were intrinsically precious, though
indeed they are but as the bunch of wild flowers which the
child brings to its mother. Never may we grow niggardly
towards Thee, and from this hour never may we hear Thee
complain of us again for withholding the gifts of our love. We
will give Thee the first fruits of our increase, and pay Thee
tithes of all, and then we will confess "of Thine own have we
given Thee."
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