Evening, February 17
Go To Morning Reading
“Whereas the Lord was there.”
Ezekiel 35:10
Edom’s princes saw the whole country left desolate, and counted upon its
easy conquest; but there was one great difficulty in their way—quite unknown to them—“ The Lord was there; ”
and in his presence lay the special security of the chosen land. Whatever
may be the machinations and devices of the enemies of God’s people, there is still the same effectual barrier to thwart their
design. The saints are God’s heritage, and he is in the midst of them, and will protect his own.
What comfort this assurance yields us in our troubles and spiritual
conflicts! We are constantly opposed, and yet perpetually preserved!
How often Satan shoots his arrows against our faith , but our faith defies the power of hell’s fiery darts; they are not only turned aside, but they are quenched
upon its shield, for “the Lord is there.” Our good works are the subjects of Satan’s attacks. A saint never yet had a virtue or a grace which was not
the target for hellish bullets: whether it was hope bright and sparkling,
or love warm and fervent, or patience all-enduring, or zeal flaming
like coals of fire, the old enemy of everything that is good has tried
to destroy it. The only reason why anything virtuous or lovely survives
in us is this, “the Lord is there.”
If the Lord be with us through life, we need not fear for our dying
confidence; for when we come to die , we shall find that “the Lord is there ;” where the billows are most tempestuous, and the water is most chill,
we shall feel the bottom, and know that it is good: our feet shall
stand upon the Rock of Ages when time is passing away. Beloved, from
the first of a Christian’s life to the last, the only reason why he does not perish is because
“ the Lord is there .” When the God of everlasting love shall change and leave his elect
to perish, then may the Church of God be destroyed; but not till then,
because it is written, Jehovah Shammah , “ The Lord is there .”