‘I will be their God, and they will be my people’ (Hebrews 8:10)

That is, to all His people – the object of their adoration and trust, the subject of their meditation, and the source of all their happiness. To be our God, is more than being our friend, or helper or benefactor. He engages to do us good according to His all-sufficiency, to bestow upon us blessings which none else can. He will pardon us, and pardon like a God – He will sanctify us, and sanctify us like a God – He will comfort us, and comfort us like a God – He will glorify us, and glorify us like a God.

If He is our God, He is our all, and all He has is ours. He is our inheritance, and a glorious inheritance He is. Consider, when in danger, in darkness, in distress, in temptation, in duty, or in pain; God will be to you a God, delivering, enlightening, comforting, strengthening, and sanctifying you.

Make a God of Him, look to Him for all He has promised, which is all you want; adore His divine perfections and rejoice that they are all engaged to make you blessed. Live to His glory, walk by His word, and He will glorify Himself in your present and everlasting welfare. He rejoices to do good unto His people; He delights to bless them.

Here I would dwell, and ne’er remove,
Here I am safe from all alarms;
My rest is “everlasting love”
My refuge, “everlasting arms”.

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘For about twelve months, I now went on enjoying peace in the church, the congregation increasing, and sinners being brought to Christ. My own inward experience was seldom the same long together – I was sometimes rejoicing, and sometimes mourning; sometimes very bold, and sometimes very fearful.

I had much cause to bless the Lord, who made His work to prosper in my hands, and for constantly furnishing me with fresh matter for the pulpit’.