Isaiah 8:22

REFLECTIONS

How truly blessed and profitable it is to watch the Lord's care over his people! Though in times of general wickedness, the Lord visits a nation and a kingdom; yet will he take care of his chosen in the general overthrow. If men will look unto an arm of flesh, that arm shall be their confusion. But if his people do but sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, then he will be for a sanctuary; and when he sends troubles and visitations on the earth, yet like a Father to his children, who seeth a storm approaching, he brings them into the house and shuts the door after him, and thus secures them from the danger; so the Lord saith, Come my people, enter thou into the chambers of my providence and the covenant of my love, and shut, thy doors about thee, until the indignation be overpast. Oh! the love of God in Christ to his people!

Precious Jesus! I must not close my meditation on this Chapter, until that I have first bent the knee of my soul in thanks to thee, thou dear Lord, that here, as in other portions of thy blessed word, I discover, that thou who art to me the Rock of ages, and the rock of my salvation, hast been, in all ages, to the unbeliever, a stone of stumbling, and a rock offense. Lord! how is it that thou hast manifested thyself unto me, and not unto the world? How is it that thy humiliating state, thy life of sorrow, and death of shame, should appear to me so lovely, while it becomes so offensive to others? Surely it is grace makes all the difference. I should have fallen on this stone and been broken, as well as thousands have done, hadst thou not kept me from it! Yea, Lord, there was a time when I saw no beauty in thee, to desire thee: and art thou now the altogether lovely, the fairest among ten thousand! To thee, Lord, be all the praise! I bless thee, my adorable Redeemer, for that sweet scripture thou hast said, and left upon record: And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me!