The Bag of Aflliction
Sunday, January 02, 2005
And ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with Sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. — HEB. XII. 5-11.
"I tell you from the LORD, there is gold within; look in this bag, the bag of affliction; count over all the gold which the LORD has given you in this affliction, and then you will be quiet. If a mercy be taken away from you, consider the burden that is taken away too. If a misery come, consider the mercy that comes with it. Labour ever, labour to see both together, as well what is for you as what is against you; then you will never be much discouraged, althought your affliction be never so great." Lifting up of the Downcast--William Bridge.
11Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. Psalm 42
|
