p. 183 | J. M. GALLEMORE by J. M. Gallemore

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1875

J. M. GALLEMORE

By J. M. Gallemore

Faith.

“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22. The Lord desires that his children should be strong in faith, and they are often brought into straightened circumstances in order that their faith may be tested and strengthened. Were we never placed in such circumstances, our prayers would not go up with that earnest pleading that they ought, and our faith would not be strengthened as it should be by beholding God's readiness to deliver and assist us at all times.

We have the history of the Lord's wonderful dealings with his people in days that are past. We see them led to the Red Sea, and just at the point of despair, we behold their deliverance by the power of the Lord. We see them again in the wilderness brought into apparently fatal circumstances, and at this point we have another manifestation of God's willingness and power to help, as he brings forth from the rock water in due season; at a time when his people are ready to despair. We see them fed and cared for in like manner at a time when none but God could help. We see them at their weakest point as they feel their own insufficiency, and as they are ready to give up the battle, triumphing over their enemies, putting them to utter flight. And just so, throughout their entire history, except when led away from God by sin, we see the Lord working with and for them; we see him testing and working to strengthen their faith—yet how weak is their faith, and how prone they are to doubt.

God is still trying and testing the faith of his people; he is still working to strengthen their faith. When we realize how weak our faith is, is it any wonder that God sometimes brings us to see our need and to feel our dependence upon him? that he casts us down and lifts us up again, that we may see his power and willingness to help, and that our faith may be made strong in the Lord? After witnessing and realizing the help of the Lord in our own cases, as the Christian often does, how are we sometimes led to see and realize our lack of faith, and how little and unworthy we are made to feel! Oh, that there was not in us such an evil heart of unbelief!

If we could but learn to grasp the promises of God with full assurance, and submit ourselves to his ways; if we could but learn to do our whole duty, and cease taking thought for the morrow (when we know that he who careth even for the little sparrow is much more mindful of the wants of his believing children), how much more we should please God, and how many cares and anxieties we might avoid.

Let us then lay strong hold upon the sure promises of God; seeing that it was through faith the worlds were framed, and through faith that all the ancient worthies obtained a good repute, and performed mighty works in the name of the Lord. See Heb. 11. May the Lord strengthen our faith, and may we be able to grasp his precious promises without doubting. What a hope is the Christian's; what a precious consolation, even in this life, to know that as a father cares for and pities his children, so the Lord cares for those that are his, and that he will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly before him.

J. M. GALLEMORE

Salisbury, Mo.