The Sure Mercies of David
By Francis Monroe Burg
Drawn by the Power of His Love—The Delights of the Converted Soul—The Rich Reward “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits unto me?” THE converted soul, out of constraint, renders to God the very best service of which his being is capable. The constraint that becomes the mainspring of his devotion is born of love. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Says the great New Testament apostle, “The love of Christ constraineth us.” This witness for God had an experience that inspired the following testimony concerning the love of God: “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8: 38, 39. He so appreciated the “excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” that everything of any mere temporal worth to him lost its value; and to him to live was Christ, and to die for Christ was gain. This “chosen vessel” of the Lord was, because of this experience, preeminently prepared to make known to men Him who “was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” 2 Cor. 5: 19. He became an ambassador in Christ’s stead, to beseech men to be reconciled to God. Verse 20. THE MAINSPRING OF EXPERIENCE
Many others besides Paul have had an experience in the love of God, and have felt a strong constraint, as he did, to give their all to His service. Here is the mainspring of Christian experience. There is an obvious reason why so many professed Christians are walking far away from God, and in their lives so little of consecration and self-sacrificing devotion is seen. They have not had that deep experience in the forgiveness of sins, and in the “power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,” that will put them under everlasting constraint to devote everything to the service of their Redeemer. Isaiah shows how men will forsake and leave their former ways when once God has been revealed to them. In chapter 30, verses 18, 19, the Lord said He was “waiting” to be gracious to His people; and that when He should hear their cry, He would be “very gracious” to them. They would then be in a position to hear and know His voice telling them the way to go. The Christian who is under constraint by the love of God, is continually inquiring to know His will. The “still, small voice” prompts him against every danger of deviating to the right hand or to the left. He walks in “ways of pleasantness,” and “all his paths are peace.” The things he once loved, and which were displeasing to God, are now detestable to him. As the prophet states it in verse 22, “Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away; . . . thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.” So it will be in a normal Christian experience—things that are offensive to God are hated and despised. THE BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
When all idols are cast out of the heart and separated from the life, a fulness in the things of God will follow. This thought is expressed by the prophet in a most beautiful manner: “Then shall He give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.” Verses 23, 24. What beautiful figures are used here to suggest the fatness and the fulness of a life where the love of God has won the undivided affections, and where the avenues for receiving are unobstructed! Isaiah further shows the privilege of the Christian to enjoy a completeness and fulness in his life: “And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters. . . . Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.” Verses 25, 26. While verse 26 applies literally to the new earth state, it has at the same time a beautiful meaning and application here. It is the privilege of the Christian to live in the full sunlight, instead of groping in the shadows of the lowlands. The light of his experience can be like that of the sun when it shall finally shine in its sevenfold fulness. “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; . . . say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God.” Isa. 40: 9. Shall we not get up higher, where the full light shines? From there we can see far “beyond time’s little day, to the fair morning of a better life.” We may see just ahead the grandest pageant ever heard of, when He “who loved us, and gave Himself for us,” will be crowned King of kings in the presence of the assembled universe. Exalted high on His throne of burnished gold will be the blessed Son of God and Son of man. Beside Him will be seated those who have been the deepest in sin,—who have hated, reviled, and persecuted Him, or who have done the darkest deeds, all forgiven, and washed as white as snow in His precious blood. Won by His great love, they have confessed, in deep repentance, their terrible guilt, and in faith received His pardon. Now they are the foremost witness for Him who was called Jesus because He saved His people from their sins, because He was willing to forgive. I have wondered if David, whom God chose to lead His people in telling the story of His love, and whose testimony has led many to “see, and fear, and to trust in the Lord,” will not lead in the coronation anthem around the great throne. ASSEMBLED FOR THE CORONATION
As the people of all worlds assemble to witness this wonderful coronation scene, and when they hear the swell of the song which none can sing save them who have had an experience that enabled them to learn it, they will fall down and “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Who can ask for more as an incentive to give to Christ his very best, yea, his all, forever? Will you, dear reader, not do this, and cherish the hope of living in the eternal years to praise Him as you can not until your vision is extended as it will be then? Will you seek God as David did? Then you will find Him as he found Him; and you will join this great leader of God’s redeemed in praises that will fill the vast universe, and Jehovah’s praise will be made glorious.