CONFIDENCE IN GOD by H. C. Miller

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 20, 1869

CONFIDENCE IN GOD.

By H. C. Miller

To be doubting and fearful, always looking ahead, like the children of Israel, into the wilderness before us, and torturing our minds with gloomy forebodings, conjuring up difficulties that do not yet exist, and then murmuring about our hard lot, murmuring against God, is doing as did Israel in the wilderness of sin when they complained, before they were hungry, of the starvation before them. This is displeasing to God, and will bring the sore displeasure of our Heavenly Father upon those who continue therein. God likes to see his children have confidence in him. He is pleased with our faith, “and without faith it is impossible to please him.” When Israel came to a new difficulty, they forgot his previous help, and how he had worked for them in a most wonderful manner, and immediately began complaining and looking back. “Yea, they spake against God. They said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.” Ps. lxx, 19–22.

While they could but admit that God had done wonderful things for them, they were still always ready at every new difficulty, to utterly ignore the past manifestations of his power, and to unbelievingly inquire, “But can he do this?” “Now all these things happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Israel remembered God's help in the past, but in the present time of need forgot God; that is, they considered not his ability to work still greater works for them. God would have us feel strong, and very confident in present times of need, and would have us remember past blessings in order to present confidence. This was the manner of holy men of old, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, who strengthened themselves in God, by considering his works in the past. In view of what God had done for him in the past, David could say with confidence: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” And at present, “My cup runneth over.” It was the custom of the patriarchs, when God met them, and blessed them, to set up a memorial, in the shape of a pillar of stone, or by building an altar unto the Lord, and in subsequent times of distress to refer to them, in order to be strengthened in faith. The case of Jacob when he fled from his father's house, and the angels descended upon the ladder, and God, standing above it, spake a promise to him, is worthy of notice. There he made a vow; there the Lord entered into a covenant with Jacob. When God met Jacob afterwards, he confirmed his faith by referring to this time, event, and place. Gen. xxxi, 13. In his prayer for help, Gen. xxxii, 9–12, his faith grows strong by his remembrance of past blessings, and he calls not on the Lord he knew not, but on “the Lord which saidst unto me, return unto thy country, and I will deal well with thee.” “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Let us set up in our memories stones of help, that in time of trial we may strengthen ourselves, and become confident in the Lord, by reference to them, and thus remember God.

H. C. MILLER.

Battle Creek, Mich.