The "things present," which belong to us through the covenant of peace
made with Christ, are precious and greatly to be desired. We have the
promise of all things needful for this life. "My God shall supply all
your need." "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly." Bread is sure; water is sure. "The young lions do lack,
and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good
thing." "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what
ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye
shall put on." "Consider the ravens" and "the lilies," and "be not
faithless, but believing;" for if God so feedeth the ravens and
clotheth the lilies, "how much more will he" feed and clothe you, "O
ye of little faith!"
Come and meditate upon his promises, for they are positive and sure,
and full of sweet comfort. All your wants are supplied by your Lord
Jesus. Are you sick? He is your Healer. Are you weary? He is your
Rest. Are you in trouble? He is your very present Helper. Are the days
dark? He is your Sun. Are you in danger from the darts of the
adversary? He is your Shield. Does the desert sun beat hot upon your
head and the desert sand scorch your pilgrim feet? He is "as the
shadow of a great rock in a weary land." When the wicked, even your
enemies and your foes, come upon you, he is your Fortress and your
strong Tower. He is your Teacher, Brother, Friend and Saviour. What
more do you desire?
And when "things present" are about to pass away for ever, and your
trembling feet touch the cold waters of the river of death, before the
last fond grasp of earth is given, Christ will take your hand in his,
and as he draws very near to you, you will feel in that hour that
Christ is the best portion your soul can possess. His finger will
point plainly toward "things to come," and he will doubtless give you
glimpses of glory before the time.
We need not, however, wait till the last hour to consider the things
God has laid up for us. The lesson of present content is more easily
learned while we sit, like Bunyan's Patience, waiting for our good
things. Passion would not be satisfied till his lap was filled with
golden treasure, but Patience, with empty hands, was very quiet,
though Passion laughed scornfully. "Patience," says Bunyan, "is
willing to wait."
What a beautiful figure of the Christian! And what are these good
things for which the Christian is willing to wait?
First of all, he has a home in the future. No earthly home can be
compared to it, for it is a home where change and death never come.
The earthly home may be made desolate by death, but in the heavenly
home there shall be no vacant place. "There shall be no more death,
neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for
the former things are passed away."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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