Over the years I have been especially comforted by the words and devotional thoughts of Christians, some who have gone before and others who continue to live the life of faith and have something to say to me about that life. I thought I would use this post to include a few favorite reflections.
Hannah Whitall Smith: The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life
~ Is God in Everything? ~
"The question here confronts us at once, 'But is God in everything, and have we any warrant from the Scripture for receiving everything from His hands without regarding the second causes that may have been instrumental in bringing them about?'... Second causes must all be under the control of our Father, and not one of them can touch us except with His knowledge and by His permission... By the time it reaches us it has become God's will for us, and must be accepted as directly from His hands.... He, who counts the very hairs of our heads, and suffers not a sparrow to fall without Him, takes note of the minutest matters that can affect the lives of His children, and regulates them all according to His own perfect will, let their origin be what they may... If our Father permits a trial to come, it must be because the trial is the sweetest and best thing that could happen to us, and we must accept it with thanks from His dear hand. This does not mean, however, that we must like or enjoy the trial itself, but that we must like God's will in the trial; and it is not hard to do this when we have learned to know that His will is the will of love, and is therefore always lovely."
~ Is God in Everything? ~
"The question here confronts us at once, 'But is God in everything, and have we any warrant from the Scripture for receiving everything from His hands without regarding the second causes that may have been instrumental in bringing them about?'... Second causes must all be under the control of our Father, and not one of them can touch us except with His knowledge and by His permission... By the time it reaches us it has become God's will for us, and must be accepted as directly from His hands.... He, who counts the very hairs of our heads, and suffers not a sparrow to fall without Him, takes note of the minutest matters that can affect the lives of His children, and regulates them all according to His own perfect will, let their origin be what they may... If our Father permits a trial to come, it must be because the trial is the sweetest and best thing that could happen to us, and we must accept it with thanks from His dear hand. This does not mean, however, that we must like or enjoy the trial itself, but that we must like God's will in the trial; and it is not hard to do this when we have learned to know that His will is the will of love, and is therefore always lovely."
J.C. Ryle: Practical Religion
~ Makes No Mistakes ~
"The Lord Jesus makes no mistakes in managing His friends' affairs. He orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom: all things happen to them at the right time, and in the right way. He gives them as much sickness and as much health, as much poverty and as much riches, as much sorrow and as much joy as He sees their souls require. He leads them by the right way to bring them to the city that will be their eternal home. He mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician, and takes care that they do not have a drop too little or a drop too much. His people often misunderstand His dealings; they are silly enough to imagine that their course of life might have been better ordered: but in the resurrection day they will thank God that not their will but Christ's will was done."
~ Makes No Mistakes ~
"The Lord Jesus makes no mistakes in managing His friends' affairs. He orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom: all things happen to them at the right time, and in the right way. He gives them as much sickness and as much health, as much poverty and as much riches, as much sorrow and as much joy as He sees their souls require. He leads them by the right way to bring them to the city that will be their eternal home. He mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician, and takes care that they do not have a drop too little or a drop too much. His people often misunderstand His dealings; they are silly enough to imagine that their course of life might have been better ordered: but in the resurrection day they will thank God that not their will but Christ's will was done."
Trenton Black Singer/Songwriter
When the Rain Falls Hard
When the sun shines it face on the meadows
And it warms all the lands that you roam
And it grows up the trees like tall towers
Round the place that you’ve always called home.
When the stream flowing by fills with laughter
And the bend in its path is a smile
And it asks you to sit down beside it
And to rest from your work for a while
You’ll be singing the song of the happy
You’ll be singing the praise of the kind
You’ll be singing the song of the peaceful
As you rest and you strengthen your mind
* * * * * * *
When the cold bitter waves crash around you
And they howl as if showing their teeth,
But you stand on a Rock with the light on your face
While the darkness goes howling beneath
When the winds blow in every direction
But they never can cut you adrift
And the cable strains hard at the anchor
But the anchor refuses to lift
You’ll be singing the song of the battered
You’ll be singing the song of the strong
You’ll be singing the song of the hopeful
As you stand all the day and night long
* * * * * * *
When the clouds fly to unwanted places
And they flood out the back ways and roads
And they drown out your glad expectations
As they bring to you heavy new loads
When in days and in nights you are restless
And the pain stabs so deep to your heart
And gray forecasts arise all around you
And it seems they will never depart
You’ll be singing the song of the broken
You’ll be singing the song full of tears
You’ll be singing the song of the burdened
As you fight through the sorrows and fears
* * * * * * *
When you look up ahead for a pathway
But you find that the journey is done
And you look all around for a shadow
But you stand in the light of the Son
When the mist that has shrouded your footsteps
Blows away and is ever no more
And you lay down your bundle of troubles
On that bright and long sought after shore
You’ll be singing the song of contentment
As you sit and you rest by that sea
You’ll be singing the anthem of victory
When at last from life’s pain you’re set free
When the Rain Falls Hard
When the sun shines it face on the meadows
And it warms all the lands that you roam
And it grows up the trees like tall towers
Round the place that you’ve always called home.
When the stream flowing by fills with laughter
And the bend in its path is a smile
And it asks you to sit down beside it
And to rest from your work for a while
You’ll be singing the song of the happy
You’ll be singing the praise of the kind
You’ll be singing the song of the peaceful
As you rest and you strengthen your mind
* * * * * * *
When the cold bitter waves crash around you
And they howl as if showing their teeth,
But you stand on a Rock with the light on your face
While the darkness goes howling beneath
When the winds blow in every direction
But they never can cut you adrift
And the cable strains hard at the anchor
But the anchor refuses to lift
You’ll be singing the song of the battered
You’ll be singing the song of the strong
You’ll be singing the song of the hopeful
As you stand all the day and night long
* * * * * * *
When the clouds fly to unwanted places
And they flood out the back ways and roads
And they drown out your glad expectations
As they bring to you heavy new loads
When in days and in nights you are restless
And the pain stabs so deep to your heart
And gray forecasts arise all around you
And it seems they will never depart
You’ll be singing the song of the broken
You’ll be singing the song full of tears
You’ll be singing the song of the burdened
As you fight through the sorrows and fears
* * * * * * *
When you look up ahead for a pathway
But you find that the journey is done
And you look all around for a shadow
But you stand in the light of the Son
When the mist that has shrouded your footsteps
Blows away and is ever no more
And you lay down your bundle of troubles
On that bright and long sought after shore
You’ll be singing the song of contentment
As you sit and you rest by that sea
You’ll be singing the anthem of victory
When at last from life’s pain you’re set free
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