Evening, April 18
Go To Morning Reading
“And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.”
Genesis 32:12
When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was
coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God’s protection, and as a master reason he pleaded, “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.” Oh, the force of that plea! He was holding God to his word—“Thou saidst.” The attribute of God’s faithfulness is a splendid horn of the altar to lay hold upon; but
the promise, which has in it the attribute and something more, is
a yet mightier holdfast—“Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.” And has he said, and shall he not do it? “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” Shall not he be true? Shall he not keep his word? Shall not every word that cometh out of his lips
stand fast and be fulfilled? Solomon, at the opening of the temple,
used this same mighty plea. He pleaded with God to remember the word
which he had spoken to his father David, and to bless that place.
When a man gives a promissory note, his honour is engaged; he signs
his hand, and he must discharge it when the due time comes, or else
he loses credit. It shall never be said that God dishonours his bills.
The credit of the Most High never was impeached, and never shall be.
He is punctual to the moment: he never is before his time, but he
never is behind it. Search God’s word through, and compare it with the experience of God’s people, and you shall find the two tally from the first to the last.
Many a hoary patriarch has said with Joshua, “Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your
God spake concerning you; all are come to pass.” If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an “if,” you may urge it with certainty. The Lord meant to fulfil the promise,
or he would not have given it. God does not give his words merely
to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for awhile with the intention
of putting us off at last; but when he speaks, it is because he means
to do as he has said.