Together, we have faith

April 19, 2024

The Lord’s Promise

Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 3:6

“When the Lord gave the command, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,' he also added the promise, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' There is much to encourage in this. It shows that the Lord does not merely send his servants, but that for their protection and blessing he himself goes with them. Almost every page of the Acts of the Apostles gives varied evidence of this, and clearly shows that a special providence was ever guiding and overruling

all their journeyings-the when and the where of them, as well as the purpose and the duration. Nor is it different now, for as the old command is still binding on us, happily the old promise is still binding on the Lord, and he delights to fulfil it; for wherever

his people in faith and love go forth with his message, he goes with them to cheer their heart and open their way and bless their labours. Yea, the very steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, especially when doing Christian work and in a Christian spirit.”

The Lord’s promise. God is everywhere present and always with us, even in our most mundane and secular labors and needs. Macdonald above tells the story of a person convicted by the gospel preaching of D.L. Moody but lost in the crowds to a counselor seeking to speak with him. After the meeting, in a coffee shop, the counselor saw the person there and was able to lead him to Christ. We recently took a trip to D.C. to the Museum of the Bible. We took the Metro but frankly got lost with which train and which track to take to and from the Museum, even with the maps and mobile helps. God provided two strangers who came up to us and led us both to the Museum and back to our hotel. This may be a little thing, but it saved us a lot of frustration and walking time. We also saw two friends from the Lancaster area and one was from our church at the Museum. Wonderful coincidences? I think not. God was with us, guiding, protecting and leading. Trust his promise to always be with us to the end of the age.

A Puritan Prayer —

“O Lord God,

Thou art our Preserver, Governor, Saviour, and coming Judge. 

Quieten our souls to call upon thy name; 

Detach us from the influence of the flesh and the senses; 

Impress us with the power of faith; 

Promote in us spirituality of mind that will render our services acceptable to thee, and delightful and profitable to ourselves. 

Bring us into that state which attracts thine eye, 

and prepare us to receive the proofs of thy love. 

Show us our danger, that we may fly to thee for refuge. 

Make us sensible of our sin’s disease, 

that we may value the good Physician. 

Placard to us the cross, that it may slay the enmity of our hearts. 

Help us to be watchful over our ways, jealous over our tempers, 

diligent over our hearts. 

When we droop, revive us, 

When we loiter, quicken us, 

When we go astray, restore us. 

Possess us with more of that faith which is the principle of all vital godliness. 

May we be rich in faith, strong in faith, 

live by faith, walk by faith, experience the joy of faith, 

do the work of faith, hope through faith.”