PROMISES FOR THE DAY OF TRIAL.
God calls his own children to pass through a stern discipline. As gold is purified in the fire, so his beloved ones must be refined in the furnace of affliction. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering, and the disciple cannot expect to be above the master. But all afflictions are made to work together for good, and the following paragraphs may comfort any passing through the deep waters: The day of trial came and the blow, as usual, fell most heavily upon the mother. Her child was dead. In her troubles she hastened to the promises of God; and when asked if she found support from them, she answered, “What are the promises for, if not for such a season as this?” The child of God is often called to walk in darkness. The further he proceeds, the greater is the darkness. The light of reason fails to guide him. He is confused, and the gloom within is tenfold that of the gloom without; for, “if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!” He casts himself upon God, and receives—deliverance? no—nothing but a promise. “Fear not; when thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned: neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” And it is enough; “hath he said, and shall he not do it; or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” The promises of God give light; they are the Lord’s candles. When the Lord had delivered David out of the hands of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, he said, “Thou art my lamp (or candle,) O Lord, and the Lord will enlighten my darkness.” A motherless boy was once asked if he would not like to have another mother to take care of him. He assented, and then added: “But my grandmother will take care of me, and she’ll do it, whether she is paid for it or not.” This was child-like. The experience of the past was to the lad a pledge for the future. Now to the Christian, the promises of God are pledges that, come what may, all will be well. In their past experience all his promises are endorsed as kept, so that they can say with the Apostle, “I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.” Is the night dark? Has the sun gone down, and is there no moon? Take, then, these pledges—these candles of the Lord—and let there be light in thy heart. “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.”