Morning By Morning #188

Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease,
without fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

God’s divine love is more obvious and shines more brightly from the midst of His judgment. One lonely star is more beautiful as its light smiles through a break in the storm clouds, the blooms of the oasis are more vibrant in the midst of the desert sand, and love is more enchanting from the midst of anger.

When the Israelites provoked the Most High God with their continued idolatry, He punished them by withholding both dew and rain. Thus, they experienced a severe famine, but while God did this, He made sure His own chosen ones remained secure. When all the other brooks dried up, there was one reserved just for Elijah, and even when that one failed, the Lord preserved another place of sustenance for him. (See 1 Kings 17:1 – 9.) Not only is this true, but God was not limited to just one “Elijah,” for He also had His remnant in accordance with His doctrine of election of grace. This remnant, who were hidden “in two caves, fifty in each” (1 Kings 18:4), were not only fed but were fed from King Ahab’s table by God’s faithful servant Obadiah while the entire country suffered from a famine.

We can glean from this that regardless of what may come our way, God’s people are safe. Let the solid earth shake and let the skies be torn in two, yet even amid the destruction of the world, believers remain as secure as they are during their calmest times of rest. And if the Lord does not save His people under heaven, He will save them in heaven. If the world becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven itself will receive them and be their place of safety.

Therefore be confident when “you…hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matt. 24:6). Allow no disturbance to distress you, but remain quiet “and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Whatever may come upon the earth, Jehovah will keep you secure “under his wings” (Ps. 91:4). Stand upon His promises, rest in His faithfulness, and you can defy even the darkest future, for nothing can harm you. Your only concern should be to exhibit to the world the blessedness of obeying the Voice of wisdom.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Especially in this day of terrorism, many people live in fear. Yet this should never be the case for believers. We should recognize the fact that to fear is to sin, for Paul wrote, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23), and fear is the opposite of faith. Our Lord also admonished us against being fearful, for He declared, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matt. 10:28).

To change our plans due to the evilness of mankind is to put the evildoers in control, and that is nothing but a trap. Consider the words of Solomon: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe” (Prov. 29:25).

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom. 8:15).