Under the shelter of this Tower, dear friend, Why is your spirit so sad? Why such depression on your heart? Here our walls and bulwarks are salvation! (Isaiah 26:1)—appointed by Jehovah Jireh! Is your vineyard gone? Have the fruits of your orchard failed? And the roses withered on your path? Has the gold you grasped vanished as a shadow? And are all your worldly prospects blighted? Come then, let us approach this Tower, and behold the garden of the Lord, and take of the flowers which never fade—here is a vintage on which the spoiler cannot fall. An orchard of pleasant fruits, with leaves which are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2). Also, there are mines of wealth more to be desired than gold—even the fine gold of Ophir! Let us rest here, and we will reason together, for behold it is written, “The Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11); “they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:10). Yes, dear friend, all you say is true. All is changed, and now I sit like Job; but God be praised, I think as I rest in the atmosphere of this garden, I can say as Job did, “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). “The heart, indeed, knoweth its own bitterness,” but here, in this peaceful retreat, “a stranger doth not intermeddle with my joy” (Proverbs 14:10). Then rest, my soul, upon the Lord, Believe and plead his faithful word He will be with thee, He will guide, And for thy every want provide; O trust his faithful love and power In every gloomy, trying hour! Therefore, will I look up, for it is the Lord who hath brought me low, and He will increase my faith so that I may be able to say, “The Lord is righteous in all His ways” (Psalm 145:17). He hath done this that he may exalt me in due season to Himself. This shall be my prayer. But let us, as you say, “reason together,” for I know that though “there is gold and a multitude of rubies (Proverbs 20:15), yet the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.” Well, then, dear friend, since you are reminded of Job, let us take to heart the goodly words of his true Comforter, for “All Scripture is profitable for correction and instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Elihu’s words were “perfect in knowledge” (Job 36:4), and in tenderness he reproves, for he would not have Job cherish bitterness in his heart towards his Maker; for though we may strive against Him, the tempter is ever watchful, and in all our adversities and troubles is ready at hand, inciting us to murmur and question, “Why has God done this?” Thus Elihu instructs us, “Surely God will not do wickedly (Job 34:12-13; 34:21; 34:23), it is he who hath disposed the whole world, for his eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all their goings,” and “He will not lay upon man more than is right,” for who teacheth like Him, who hath enjoined him His way, or who can say, “Thou hast wrought iniquity?…Therefore, remember that thou magnify His work” (Job 36:22-24). And thus He has looked upon you in love, and if He have withdrawn your perishable gold, it is that He may exchange it for that which can never perish, but make you rich throughout eternity! “His work is perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4), and “whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; and He doeth it that men should fear before Him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14). It is well at all times, but especially in seasons of trial, to rest in the garden of the Lord and contemplate His words. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). The earth can yield no true or lasting joys; it is full of fleeting days; and is now, since our fall, but a vain world, and the fashion of it passeth away. “We are but of yesterday and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow” (1 Chronicles 29:15). “We may lean upon our house, but it shall not stand; we may hold it fast, but it shall not endure” (Job 8:9; 8:15). But the word of the Lord tells us of a “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). An inheritance that fadeth not away, reserved for all “who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation” (1 Peter 1:4-5). Have we not here Jehovah Jireh? The Lord would teach us that happiness is not found in wealth. Wealth is a snare, and few can resist its temptations. “How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:23) was said by our Saviour Himself. “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; for when goods are increased, they are increased that eat them” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11). Have you not found it so? When plenty filled your garners, were you then left desolate? Those that in your time of wealth surrounded you, Where are they? The gay, the rich, the fascinating? Have they also vanished? Have they who professed such friendship and admiration left you to sit in silent solitude? Ah! dear friend, this is the lesson we have all to learn. “The rich have many friends, but the poor is hated even of his own neighbour” (Proverbs 14:20). And it is to sift you from such chaff that your heavenly Father has sent you this trial, to deliver you from the society of those worldlings who have their portion in this life; and that you may acquaint yourself with Him, “the friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24), and who will never leave nor forsake those that put their trust in Him. He saw you in a snare, and He would deliver you from the net of the fowler (Psalm 91:3). The world would have you on a pedestal, and the Lord has taken away the stand on which you rested; He saw you setting your eyes on that which is not, for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away! (Proverbs 23:5). There is nothing here on earth that we can grasp, and say “This is mine, and none can take it from me.” “Men heap to themselves riches, and know not who shall gather them” (Psalm 39:6). Leave them behind they must, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out (1 Timothy 6:7). Again, “What saith the Scriptures. Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” The Lord blessed Israel His people. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and filled him with all good things; but Israel fell. When so enriched he “forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation” (Deuteronomy 32:15). “They were filled, their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten Me,” saith the Lord. And let us ask, Are we better than they? No; in no wise—their nature is our nature, their temptations are our temptations. Let their reproofs be our warnings. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24) is our Lord’s word to us. Therefore, “Let the rich rejoice in that he is made low” (James 1:10). All that you say, dear friend, is true, but my heart was set on doing good. That we will not doubt, for your heart is tender and your nature generous. Your intentions may have been pure and excellent, but dangers may have surrounded you which you could not foresee, and “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). There is but One who knows it; and He, with unerring wisdom, searches it. He also knows the subtleties of Satan, and will not suffer His children to be tempted above that they are able; nor will He suffer any to pluck them from His hand (John 10:28). Doubt not that your Heavenly Father knew your intentions toward Him. Be sure your labour of love is never forgotten. But when He sees our heart’s desire to serve Him, He would have us wait on Him, and ask, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). “Show me Thy ways, O Lord, teach me Thy paths” (Psalm 25:4). Let me not set myself “in a way that is not good” (Psalm 36:4). Be sure if this be your prayer, and your heart’s desire, your Heavenly Father will not leave your energies long to lie dormant. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday” (Psalm 37:5-6). Oh! there are many ways in which to do good and serve the Lord without money. “Silver and gold have I none,” said Peter; but the Lord gave him power to serve him, and do good far beyond the gift of money. For, indeed, who knows the evil we may do to others oftentimes, by indiscriminate charity or gifts? The Lord rules the universe, and knows the circumstances of every man upon it. He knows the use he will make of all that is committed to his stewardship, and to how many are gifts of money only goads to destruction—bestowed with a ready and generous hand, perhaps, and full of kindness of heart—but unwisely. Therefore, the Lord would hinder His children from doing harm on the one side, and on the other, keep them from harm, through flattering deeds of charity. He would not have you as the Pharisee, even to giving tithes of all you possessed; for what can we offer to God that we have not first received from Him? We can only return Him that which is His own? for “the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Haggai 2:8). And what can we offer to Him which we have not defiled by sin? Oh! consider our thoughts, words and deeds, and we find the trail of the serpent is over them all. Therefore, must we first come ourselves to Him for cleansing, and beseech our Father to look upon the face of His anointed, and accept us and our service through Him. Then will He unite our hearts to fear His name and “glorify Him evermore” (Psalm 86:11-12). “But after all, will you not admit it is sad to be poor?” I will admit that your change of circumstances has caused you to think so. But “What would it profit you to gain the whole world, and lose your own soul” (Matthew 16:26). It is not well that the finger should point at you with, “Lo! this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches” (Psalm 52:7). And thus, our tender, loving Father teaches us what we are, and shows us what we trust in. But, dear friend, none are poor who have the Lord for their God. He is their Jehovah Jireh, and they will never be left to want. “I have been young,” saith the Psalmist, “and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Worldly gold may be withdrawn from us, but think how soon we shall he withdrawn from it! and if such were all our possession, oh! then we should be poor indeed! There was One who possessed all the riches of heaven, and held all the wealth of earth in His Hand and yet emptied Himself of all. Do you ask who might this be? The Babe of Bethlehem, laid in a manger! There was no room for such as He in the inn and none gave place to the poor, suffering mother in her throes of nature’s anguish. He by Whom all things “were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, whether thrones or dominions, principalities or powers” (Colossians 1:16). “He, even He who provided holes for the foxes, and nests for the birds—for Himself had not where to lay His head! Yes! He who was rich, left His glorious Majesty on high, and “for our sakes became poor.” “He took upon Him the form of a servant; He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). Can we then crave to be richer than He? Shall the servant be greater than his Lord? “Whosoever will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34) is spoken to us as it was to the disciples of old, “who left all, and followed Him.” Therefore, may we repeat, “Let the rich rejoice in that he is made low” (James 1:10); it is but walking in the Saviour’s steps, and, as did Moses, let us esteem “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt” (Hebrews 11:26) or the world. Oh! “give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me” (Proverbs 30:8). “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, for the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Too often it “blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous” (Exodus 23:8); “but godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6)—that is the “blessing of the Lord which maketh rich, and He added no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). That is the blessing which strengthens us to flee from worldly things—to flee from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and to follow after righteousness, and lay hold on eternal life. This is the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, who says to such as press forward to attain it, “I know thy work and thy poverty, but thou art rich; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:9-10). Jehovah Jireh has provided all things for us, both in this world, and in the world to come. And as a friend* has written, “Unless God Himself be our portion, and His love the joy of our hearts, earthly possessions will bring us no true blessing and gladness. God wants us to be rich; nay, He wants us to possess all things. But the way to riches is to give up all, even ourselves. He who looks upon himself as his own, has nothing, however rich he may appear; but he who looks upon himself as not his own, but bought with a price, the servant of Jesus Christ, can say, ‘all things are ours, whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas or the world, or life or death, or things present, or things to come—all are ours, for we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s, and God is our Father in heaven, who gives—who gives all, who gives Himself, and for evermore.’” * The late Dr. Adolph Saphir—The Lord’s Prayer. Pp. 274-275. Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee, Naked, poor, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be. Perish every fond ambition, All I’ve sought, or hop’d, or known, Yet how rich is my condition, God and heaven are still my own. Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Saviour, too; Human hearts and looks deceive me, Thou art not, like them, untrue. And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate, and friends disown me, Show Thy face, and all is bright. Go then, earthly fame and treasure, Come disaster, scorn, and pain, In Thy service, pain is pleasure, With Thy favour, loss is gain. I have called Thee, Abba, Father, I have set my heart on Thee; Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, All must work for good to me. Soul! then know thy full salvation, Rise o’er sin, and fear, and care, Joy to find in every station, Something still to do or bear. Think what Spirit dwells within thee; Think what Father’s smile are thine; Think that Jesus died to win thee; Child of heaven, canst thou repine?
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 02:41:14 +0000
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