Nov. 9
NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE
"Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and
that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord
God" Ezek. 34:30
To be the Lord's own people is a choice blessing, but to know that
we are such is a comfortable blessing. It is one thing to hope that
God is with us, and another thing to know that He is so. Faith saves
us, but assurance satisfies us. We take God to be our God when we
believe in Him; but we get the joy of Him when we know that He is
ours, and that we are His. No believer should be content with hoping
and trusting, he should ask the Lord to lead him on to full assurance,
so that matters of hope may become matters of certainty.
It is when we enjoy covenant blessings, and see our Lord Jesus
raised up for us as a plant of renown, that we come to a clear
knowledge of the favor of God toward us. Not by law, but by grace, do
we learn that we are the Lord's people. Let us always turn our eyes in
the direction of free grace. Assurance of faith can never come by the
works of the law. It is an evangelical virtue, and can only reach us
in a gospel way. Let us not look within. Let us look to the Lord
alone. As we see Jesus we shall see our salvation.
Lord, send us such a flood-tide of thy love that we shall be washed
beyond the mire of doubt and fear.