DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
We are constrained to say, now, when your chastening hand falls upon us—“The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). It is impossible for you to do that which is unkind, and if we have received good at your hands, shall we not receive with equal cheerfulness that which appears to be evil?
You do well, O Lord, and in everything you do the best thing that could be done. We would not only be resigned to your will, but we would feel a divine pleasure and satisfaction in the thought that you have your own will; for who should have it, who should reign, who should be the disposer of events, but yourself?
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Trust in the LORD forever, because in the LORD, the LORD himself, is an everlasting rock!” (Isaiah 26:4)
Seeing that we have such a God to trust in, let us rest upon him with all our weight; let us resolutely drive out all unbelief, and endeavor to get rid of doubts and fears, which so much mar our comfort; since there is no excuse for fear where God is the foundation of our trust. A loving parent would be sorely grieved if his child could not trust him; and how ungenerous, how unkind is our conduct when we put so little confidence in our heavenly Father who has never failed us, and who never will.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
God is patient. It’s time to learn why.
I was so encouraged by this line in today’s prayer: “It is impossible for you to do that which is unkind.”
Impossible, because kindness is deep within God’s very nature. Kindness is who he is.
One book that has reminded me afresh of the beauty and the freeness of God’s love is Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. This book is an absolutely stunning picture of God’s grace to us in Christ. It will fill you up with confidence to know that God will always be patient, because that’s who he is.
I’ve been moved to tears several times while reading this book and seeing the stunningly beautiful and thoroughly biblical picture of Christ’s love for his people. The book is great reading for any sinning and suffering Christian (which is all of us!)
I hope you’ll grab a copy and read it this summer. I promise that you won’t regret it!