Spurgeon: October PM
* 10/10/PM
"And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I
will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible."
--Jeremiah 15:21
Note the glorious personality of the promise. I will, I
will. The Lord Jehovah Himself interposes to deliver and redeem
His people. He pledges Himself personally to rescue them. His
own arm shall do it, that He may have the glory. Here is not a
word said of any effort of our own which may be needed to assist
the Lord. Neither our strength nor our weakness is taken into
the account, but the lone I , like the sun in the heavens,
shines out resplendent in all-sufficience. Why then do we
calculate our forces, and consult with flesh and blood to our
grievous wounding? Jehovah has power enough without borrowing
from our puny arm. Peace, ye unbelieving thoughts, be still, and
know that the Lord reigneth. Nor is there a hint concerning
secondary means and causes. The Lord says nothing of friends
and helpers: He undertakes the work alone, and feels no need of
human arms to aid Him. Vain are all our lookings around to
companions and relatives; they are broken reeds if we lean upon
them--often unwilling when able, and unable when they are
willing. Since the promise comes alone from God, it would be
well to wait only upon Him; and when we do so, our expectation
never fails us. Who are the wicked that we should fear them? The
Lord will utterly consume them; they are to be pitied rather
than feared. As for terrible ones, they are only terrors to
those who have no God to fly to, for when the Lord is on our
side, whom shall we fear? If we run into sin to please the
wicked, we have cause to be alarmed, but if we hold fast our
integrity, the rage of tyrants shall be overruled for our good.
When the fish swallowed Jonah, he found him a morsel which he
could not digest; and when the world devours the church, it is
glad to be rid of it again. In all times of fiery trial, in
patience let us possess our souls.