2 September

Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.—Psa. 103:13.

THE experience of past years has taught me to distinguish between ignorance and disobedience. The Lord is gracious to the weakness of his people; many involuntary mistakes will not interrupt their communion with him; he pities their infirmity, and teaches them to do better. But if they dispute his known will, and act against the dictates of conscience, they will surely suffer for it. This will weaken their hands, and bring distress into their hearts. Wilful sin sadly perplexes and retards our progress. May the Lord keep us from it! It raises a dark cloud, and hides the Sun of righteousness from our view; and till he is pleased freely to shine forth again, we can do nothing; and for this perhaps he will make us wait, and cry out often, ‘How long, O Lord! how long?’

Thus, by reading the word of God, by frequent prayer, by a simple attention to the Lord’s will, together with the use of public ordinances, and the observations we are able to make upon what passes within us and without us, which is what we call experience, the Lord watering and blessing with the influence of his Holy Spirit, may we grow in grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour; be more humble in our own eyes, more weaned from self, more fixed on him as our all in all, till at last we shall meet before his throne.

Let us then, dear Sir, be of good courage; all the saints on earth, all the saints in heaven, the angels of the Lord, yea, the Lord of angels himself, all are on our side. Though the company is large, yet there is room;—many mansions;—a place for you;—a place, I trust, for worthless me.

On Faith, and the Communion of Saints, [1:316]; 1:222

This week’s devotionals are from Jewels From John Newton

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