Ver. 20.-Personal relations with God. "The Lord God, even my God." It is possible for us to have tho11ghts of God that keep him wholly external to us, and altogether unrelated to us. And it may be feared that such are the thoughts of God usually cherished by men. Though they may have a certain influence on us, the full and saving power of God cannot be known until we have appropriated him, and come into direct and personal relations with him. A man finds God a living force upon thought, heart, life, and conduct when he calls him my God. The work of Christ is, in great part, t_he bringing about of this relation, and the persuasion of the man to recognize it fully. Man lost says, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, and hid myself." Man redeemed, and stand;ng right with God, says, "I flee unto thee to hide me." "For thou art my God." I. How CAN Goo BE THUS PERSONALLY APPREHENDED? 1. By accepting the reve- lation of his fatherhood which he makes in Christ the Son, and entering into the privilege and duty which it involves. 2. By winning the trustful, thankful love of those who know they are forgiven and redeemed, 3. By maintainin;.( those close and intimate communions with God which bring freshly to us the joy of his care. II. WHAT rs INVOLVED IN SUCH PERSONAL RELATIONS? 1. On God's part. Just what God loves, and what he is sure to meet with the fullest bestowments of his grace, is man's love and trust 1,xpressed in the words "my God." 2. On man's part. 'l'he relation becomes the most hallowing force exerted on the whole life. The man wants to be worthv of, wants to be like, his God. Ill. \VHAT MAY IMPERIL SUCH RELATIONS AFTER THEY HAVE BF.EN APPREHENDED? This may be treated in detait, or in the general principle. To say, "my God," involves maintaining the trustfulness of full and obedient submission; and, therefore, the peril lies in some returning form of wilfulness. This separates us at once, in feeling, from God, so that the words "my God" will not rise to our lips.-R. T,
EXPOSITION.
OHAPTER XXIX. alluded to, no doubt, for the sake of example. On the faith of them be grounds VerB. 1-9.-These ·rnrres continue the with teufold effect bis appeal to people nnd account of what David said to the whole princes to join heartily ln the work. The eongTegation, respecting his son Solomon verses (6-9) also contain the stntement of and his ten<!",: age in view of the great the hearty prncticnlresponse which was made ~nterprise of •••,,lt:liag tbe temple; respect- by the "chiefs of the fathers antl princes of ing the public preparations which had been tho tribes," and other varieties of givers, already made, and the giFts uf his own in- nntl of tl1t, Mn•equent genernl joy. <lividwi.l propert)-tlict;(;l latter bciug Yer. 1.-'l'he 11uidcty which DariJ feU on CH. xx1x. 1-30.J THE FIRST BOOK OF 'l'HE CHTIONICLES. 435