Mar 21
15
Contemplating God’s greatness!
(Charles Spurgeon)
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place — what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4
Lift up your eyes, behold the heavens, the work of God’s fingers — behold the sun guided in his daily march! Go forth at midnight, and behold the heavens — consider the stars and the moon! Look upon these works of God’s hands, and if you are men of sense, and your souls are attuned to the high music of the spheres — you will say, “What is man that You are mindful of him?”
My God! When I survey the boundless fields of ether, and see those ponderous orbs rolling therein; when I consider how vast are Your dominions — so wide that an angel’s wing might flap to all eternity and never reach a boundary — I marvel that You should look on insects so obscure as man!
When I behold the Almightiness of Jehovah — I am so little that I shrink into nothingness! I am so little, that the difference between the molecule and man dwindles into nothing — when compared with the infinite chasm between God and man.
Let your mind rove upon the great doctrines of the Godhead; consider the existence of God from before the foundations of the world; behold Him who is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty.
Let your soul comprehend as much as it can of the Infinite, and grasp as much as possible of the Eternal — and I am sure if you have minds at all, that they will shrink with awe.
The tall archangel bows himself before his Master’s throne — and we shall cast ourselves into the lowest dust when we feel what base nothings, what insignificant specks we are, when compared with our all-adorable Creator.
Labor, O soul, to know your nothingness — and learn it by contemplating God’s greatness!
The Creator of all worlds in tears!
(John MacDuff, “A BOOK FOR THE BEREAVED”)
“Lazarus is dead.” John 11:14
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who
had come along with her also weeping, He was
deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” John 11:33
“Jesus wept!” John 11:35
Let us turn aside for a little and see this great sight!
It is the Creator of all worlds in tears–the God-man
Mediator dissolved in tenderest grief!
Jesus wept out of sympathy for the bereaved. The
hearts at His side were breaking with anguish. All
unaware of how soon and how wondrously their
sorrow was to be turned into joy–this appalling
thought was alone present to them in all its
fearfulness–“Lazarus is dead!” When He, the
God-man Mediator, with the refined sensibilities
of His tender heart, beheld the poignancy of their
affliction, the pent-up torrent of His own human
sympathies could be restrained no longer. His
tears flowed also! “Jesus wept!”
When the creature failed, he flew to the Creator!
(Charles Spurgeon)
“Help, Lord! For the godly are no more.” Psalm 12:1
The prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, seasonable, pithy, and suggestive. David mourned the fewness of godly men, and therefore lifted up his heart in supplication. When the creature failed, he flew to the Creator! He evidently felt his own weakness—or he would not have cried for help.
There is much of directness, clearness of perception, and distinctness of utterance in this petition of two words; much more, indeed, than in the long rambling outpourings of certain professors. The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, with a well-considered prayer; he knows what he is seeking, and where to seek it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.
The occasions for the use of this prayer are frequent:
In providential afflictions, how suitable it is for tried believers who find all helpers failing them.
In doctrinal difficulties, may often obtain aid by lifting up this cry of “Help, Lord!” to the Holy Spirit, the great Teacher.
Spiritual warriors in inward conflicts may send to the throne for reinforcements, and this will be a model for their request.
Workers in heavenly labour may thus obtain grace in time of need.
Seeking sinners, in doubts and alarms, may offer up the same weighty supplication.
In fact, in all cases, times, and places, this prayer will serve the turn of needy souls.
“Help, Lord!” will suit us . . .
living and dying,
suffering or labouring,
rejoicing or sorrowing.
In Him our help is found—let us not be slack to cry to Him.
The answer to the prayer is certain, if it is sincerely offered through Jesus. The Lord’s character assures us that He will not leave His redeemed people; His gift of Jesus is a pledge of every good thing. His promise stands sure, “Fear not—I will help you!” Isaiah 41:13
“I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you!” Psalm 88:13
Why do we love Him?
Spurgeon, “THE CHURCH’S LOVE TO HER LOVING LORD”
Because before this round earth ever was fashioned
between the palms of the great Creator- before he
had painted the rainbow, or hung out the lights of
the sun and moon, Christ’s delights were with us.
He foresaw us and he knew what we should be-
and as he looked upon us, the glance was love.
He delighted to sit upon the throne of glory, and to
remember his dear ones who were yet to he born.
It was the great prospect which his mighty and
infinite spirit had- a joy that was set before him,
that he should see a multitude that no man could
number who should be his beloved forever!
Oh, if you know that Jesus had loved you from before
all worlds, you must love him. At least you will grant
there cannot be a better reason for love than love.
Love demands; no, it does not demand- it takes
by almighty force, by irresistible energy, that heart
captive, upon whom it thus sets itself.
THE SUPREME INVESTITURE
John MacDuff
“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said,”
“All power in heaven and in earth is given unto Me!” — Matthew 28:18
What an empire is this! Heaven and earth — the Church militant — the Church triumphant — angels and archangels — saints and seraphs are under Christ’s supreme authority! At His mandate: the billows were hushed — demons crouched in terror — the grave yielded its prey! “Upon His head are many crowns!” He is made “Head over all things!” Yes! over all things, from the minutest — to the mightiest. He holds the stars in His right hand — He walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, feeding every candlestick with the oil of His grace, and preserving every star in its spiritual orbit.
The Prince of Darkness has “a power,” but it is not an “all power.” Satan is potent — but not omnipotent. Christ holds him on a chain! He has set bounds that he may not pass over. “Satan,” we read in the book of Job, “went out (with permission) from the presence of the Lord.” Satan “desired” to have Peter that he might “sift him;” but there was a mightier agency at hand: “I have prayed for you,” Jesus said to Peter, “that your faith will not fail!”
Believer, how often is there nothing but this grace of Jesus, between you and everlasting destruction! Satan’s key may be fitting the lock in your wayward heart — but a stronger than the strong man is barring him out! The power of the adversary fanning the flame — the Omnipotence of Jesus quenching it!
Are you even now feeling the strength of your corruptions, the weakness of your graces, the presence of some outward or inward temptation? Look up to Him who has promised to make His grace sufficient for you; “all-sufficiency in all things” is His promise.
It is power, too — in conjunction with tenderness. He who sways the scepter of His universal empire “gently leads” His weak, and weary, and burdened ones! He who counts the number of the stars — loves to count the number of their sorrows! Nothing is too great — and nothing is too insignificant for Him! He paves His people’s pathway, with love!
Blessed Jesus! my everlasting interests cannot be in better or in safer keeping, than in Yours. I can rely on the all-power of Your Godhead. I can sweetly rejoice in the all-sympathy of Your Manhood. I can confidently repose in the all-wisdom of Your dealings!
“Sometimes,” says one, “we expect the blessing in our own way — but He chooses to bestow it in His way.” But His way and His will must be the best! Infinite love, infinite power, infinite wisdom — are surely infallible guarantees! Nothing can alter His purposes. His promises can never fail. His Word never falls to the ground. “Heaven and earth shall pass away — but MY WORDS shall not pass away!”
All is transparent and harmonious to His eye!
(Octavius Winslow, “My Times in God’s Hand!”)
We live in a world of mysteries! They . . .
meet our eye,
awaken our inquiry, and
baffle our investigation at every step.
Nature is a vast arcade of mysteries.
Science is a mystery.
Truth is a mystery.
Religion is a mystery.
Our existence is a mystery.
The future of our being is a mystery.
And God, who alone can explain all mysteries, is the greatest mystery of all! How little do we understand of the inexplicable wonders of a wonder working God, “whose thoughts are a great deep,” and “whose ways are past finding out.”
But to God, nothing is mysterious.
In His purpose, nothing is unfixed.
In His forethought, nothing is unknown.
In His providence, nothing is contingent.
His glance pierces the future as vividly as it beholds the past. “He knows the end from the beginning.”
All His doings are parts of a divine, eternal, and harmonious plan!
He may make ”darkness His secret place; His pavilion round about Him dark waters;” and to human vision, His dispensations may appear gloomy, discrepant, and confused. Yet He is “working all things after the counsel of His own will,” and all is transparent and harmonious to His eye!
Nature!
(Octavius Winslow, “Experimental Religion”)
The spiritual mind, fond of soaring through nature in quest of new proofs of God’s existence and fresh emblems of His wisdom, power and goodness — exults in the thought that it is his Father’s domain which he treads! He feels that God, his God, is there.
And the sweet consciousness of His all-pervading presence, and the impress of His great perfections which everywhere meets his eye, overwhelm his renewed soul with wonder, love, and praise.
O the delight of looking abroad upon nature, under a sense of pardoning filial love in the soul, when enabled to exclaim, “This God is my God!”
“The heavens tell of the glory of God.
The skies display His marvelous craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make Him known.
They speak without a sound or a word;
their voice is silent in the skies;
yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to all the world.” Psalm 19:1-4
Sovereign, supreme disposal
“And God placed all things under His feet and
appointed Him to be head over everything,”
Ephesians 1:22
How vast—how numerous—how complicated are
the various events and circumstances which attend
the Christian here below, as he travels onward to
his heavenly home!
But if all things are put under Jesus’ feet—there
cannot be a single circumstance over which He
has not supreme control. Everything in providence
and everything in grace are alike subject to His
disposal. There is not . . .
a trial,
a temptation,
an affliction of body or soul,
a loss,
a cross,
a painful bereavement,
a vexation,
a grief,
a disappointment,
a case, state or condition,
which is not put under Jesus’ feet.
He has sovereign, supreme disposal over all
events and circumstances. As possessed of
infinite knowledge He sees them—as possessed
of infinite wisdom He can manage them—and as
possessed of infinite power He can dispose and
direct them for our good and His own glory.
How much trouble and anxiety would we save
ourselves, could we firmly believe, realize, and
act on this!
If we could see by the eye of faith that . . .
every foe and every fear,
every difficulty and perplexity,
every trying or painful circumstance,
every looked-for or unlooked-for event,
every source of care, whether at present or
in prospect—are all put under His feet—at His
sovereign disposal—what a load of anxiety and
care would be often taken off our shoulders!
Your Almighty Friend!
(Octavius Winslow, “Christ, the Mighty God”)
“He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” Isaiah 9:6
Because Jesus is the almighty God, His people have an almighty burden-bearer.
We are a burdened people. Every believer carries a burden peculiar to himself.
What is your burden, O believer?
Is it indwelling sin?
Is it some natural infirmity of the body?
Is it a constitutional weakness?
Is it some domestic trial?
Is it a personal or relative trial?
Is it a state of poverty?
Is it the decay of health?
Is it soul anxiety?
Is it mental despondency?
It is well that you are sensible of the pressure, that you feel your weakness and insufficiency, and that you are brought to the end of all your own power. Now turn to your Almighty Friend, who is the Creator of the ends of the earth, even the everlasting God, who does not faint, neither is weary. Come, oppressed and burdened believer, ready to give up all and sink—behold Jesus, the Almighty God, omnipotent to transfer your burden to Himself, and give you rest!
How precious is the promise addressed to you! “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint!” Isaiah 40:29-31
Oh, what strength there is in Jesus for the weak, and faint and drooping of His flock!
You are ready to succumb to your foes, and you think that the battle of faith is lost. Cheer up! Jesus, your Savior, friend, and brother, is “the Almighty God,” and will perfect His strength in your weakness. He . . .
sustains our infirmities,
bears our burdens,
supplies our needs, and
encircles us with the shield of His Almightiness!
What a Divine spring of consolation and strength to the tired and afflicted saint, is the Almightiness of Jesus. Your sorrow is too deep, your affliction is too heavy, your difficulty is too great for any human to resolve. It distances in its intensity and magnitude, the sympathy and the power of man.
Come, you . . .
who are tempest-tossed and not comforted;
whose spirit is wounded,
whose heart is broken,
whose mind is bowed down to the dust—
and hide within Christ’s sheltering Almightiness!
Jesus is equal to your condition.
His strength is almighty!
His love is almighty!
His grace is almighty!
His sympathy is almighty!
His arm is almighty!
His resources are infinite, fathomless, measureless!
Almighty to rescue, He is also your Brother and Friend to sympathize. And while His Divine arm encircles, upholds, and keeps you—His human soul, touched with the feeling of your infirmities, yearns over you with all the deep intensity of its compassionate tenderness.