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to fear on our part is that we shall not keep our eyes continually fixed
upon Jesus, that we shall not have an eye single to the glory of God,
so that if we were called to lay down our armor and sleep in death we
might not be ready to give an account of our trust. Forget not for a
moment that you are Christ’s property, bought with an infinite price,
and that you are to glorify Him in your spirit, and in your body, which
are His.
Be of Good Comfort
To the afflicted ones I would say, Be of good comfort in the hope of
the resurrection morning. The waters of which you have been drinking
are as bitter to your taste as were the waters of Marah to the children
of Israel in the wilderness, but Jesus can make them so sweet with His
love. When Moses presented before the Lord the sad difficulties of
the children of Israel, He did not present some new remedy, but called
their attention to that which was at hand; for there was a bush or shrub
which He had created that was to be cast into the water to make the
fountain sweet and pure. When this was done, the suffering people
could drink of the water with safety and pleasure.
God has provided a balm for every wound. There is a balm in
Gilead, there is a physician there. Will you not now as never before
study the Scriptures? Seek the Lord for wisdom in every emergency.
In every trial plead with Jesus to show you a way out of your troubles,
then your eyes will be opened to behold the remedy and to apply to
your case the healing promises that have been recorded in His Word.
In this way the enemy will find no place to lead you into mourning and
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unbelief, but instead you will have faith and hope and courage in the
Lord. The Holy Spirit will give you clear discernment that you may
see and appropriate every blessing that will act as an antidote to grief,
as a branch of healing to every draught of bitterness that is placed to
your lips. Every draught of bitterness will be mingled with the love of
Jesus, and in place of complaining of the bitterness, you will realize
that Jesus’ love and grace are so mingled with sorrow that it has been
turned into subdued, holy, sanctified joy.
When Henry White, our eldest son, lay dying, he said, “A bed of
pain is a precious place when we have the presence of Jesus.” When
we are obliged to drink of the bitter waters, turn away from the bitter