Evening, October 10
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Jeremiah 15:21
"And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will
redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible."
Jeremiah 15:21
Note the glorious personality of the promise. I will, I will. The Lord
Jehovah himself interposes to deliver and redeem his people. He pledges
himself personally to rescue them. His own arm shall do it, that he may
have the glory. Here is not a word said of any effort of our own which
may be needed to assist the Lord. Neither our strength nor our weakness
is taken into the account, but the lone I, like the sun in the heavens,
shines out resplendent in all-sufficience. Why then do we calculate our
forces, and consult with flesh and blood to our grievous wounding?
Jehovah has power enough without borrowing from our puny arm. Peace, ye
unbelieving thoughts, be still, and know that the Lord reigneth. Nor is
there a hint concerning secondary means and causes. The Lord says
nothing of friends and helpers: he undertakes the work alone, and feels
no need of human arms to aid him. Vain are all our lookings around to
companions and relatives; they are broken reeds if we lean upon
them--often unwilling when able, and unable when they are willing.
Since the promise comes alone from God, it would be well to wait only
upon him; and when we do so, our expectation never fails us. Who are
the wicked that we should fear them? The Lord will utterly consume
them; they are to be pitied rather than feared. As for terrible ones,
they are only terrors to those who have no God to fly to, for when the
Lord is on our side, whom shall we fear? If we run into sin to please
the wicked, we have cause to be alarmed, but if we hold fast our
integrity, the rage of tyrants shall be overruled for our good. When
the fish swallowed Jonah, he found him a morsel which he could not
digest; and when the world devours the church, it is glad to be rid of
it again. In all times of fiery trial, in patience let us possess our
souls.