December 18The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me — Heb. 13:6.
To have the proper course in life, to be able to meet the trials and difficulties of life as they come to us, and to meet them in the proper spirit which the Lord directs—in the spirit of rejoicing in tribulation, and counting such experiences all joy—it is necessary that all fear of man, which brings a snare, shall be removed. And it is our Lord's direction that we shall fear Jehovah, and not fear our mortal fellows. The righteous are bold as a lion, as well as gentle as a dove, and meek as a lamb. This peculiar combination should be found in every Christian, and we doubt if it will be found elsewhere—Z '02, 45 (R 2951). This verse contains one of the precious assurances from the Lord to us amid the oppositions of men to the course of the faithful. At most men can but kill the body; they cannot destroy the new heart, mind and will; it will come forth in the resurrection awakening. Moreover there are metes and bounds placed by the Lord upon their opposition to us; for to them the words apply: "so far and no further." The Lord will permit them to do nothing to us except what will, if we are rightly exercised, do good to our new heart, mind and will. The Father has repeatedly demonstrated this in His helping us against and amid their opposition, whether this opposition has had to be met in church, state, capital, labor, family or society. Sometimes His help has seemed long delayed; yet it has always come in due time in harmony with the assurance of this text. This assurance, backed by God's providences in our lives, causes us to be courageous amid "the contradiction of sinners against" ourselves—P '30, 184. Parallel passages: Psa. 3; 27; 28:1; 29:2-5; 56:1-11; 118:5-16; 8:2; Isa. 51:12, 13; Dan. 3:17, 18; Matt. 8:26; 10:28; Rom. 8:15, 33-39; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Pet. 3:13, 14; 1 John 4:4, 16-18. Hymns: 56, 63, 124, 197, 313, 331, 333. Poems of Dawn, 72: Courage! My Soul. Tower Reading: Z '14, 88 (R 5424). Questions: How has God helped me this week? Has man sought to make me fear? How? How did God's help affect my fear of man? |
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COURAGE! MY SOUL
LET nothing make thee sad or fretful,
Or too regretful—
Be still;
What God hath ordered must be right;
Then find in it thine own delight,
His will.
Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow
About to-morrow,
My heart?
One watches all, with care most true.
Doubt not that He will give thee, too,
Thy part.
Only be steadfast, never waver,
Nor seek earth's favor,
But rest;
Thou knowest that God's will must be
For all His creatures—so for thee—
The best.
LET nothing make thee sad or fretful,
Or too regretful—
Be still;
What God hath ordered must be right;
Then find in it thine own delight,
His will.
Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow
About to-morrow,
My heart?
One watches all, with care most true.
Doubt not that He will give thee, too,
Thy part.
Only be steadfast, never waver,
Nor seek earth's favor,
But rest;
Thou knowest that God's will must be
For all His creatures—so for thee—
The best.