"There is corn in Egypt."—Genesis 42:2.
Famine pinched all the nations, and it seemed inevitable that Jacob and his family should suffer great want; but the God of providence, who never forgets the objects of electing love, had stored a granary for His people by giving the Egyptians warning of the scarcity, and leading them to treasure up the grain of the years of plenty. Little did Jacob expect deliverance from Egypt, but there was the corn in store for him. Believer, though all things are apparently against thee, rest assured that God has made a reservation on thy behalf; in the roll of thy griefs there is a saving clause. Somehow He will deliver thee, and somewhere He will provide for thee. The quarter from which thy rescue shall arise may be a very unexpected one, but help will assuredly come in thine extremity, and thou shalt magnify the name of the Lord. If men do not feed thee, ravens shall; and if earth yield not wheat, heaven shall drop with manna. Therefore be of good courage, and rest quietly in the Lord. God can make the sun rise in the west if He pleases, and make the source of distress the channel of delight. The corn in Egypt was all in the hands of the beloved Joseph; he opened or closed the granaries at will. And so the riches of providence are all in the absolute power of our Lord Jesus, who will dispense them liberally to His people. Joseph was abundantly ready to succour his own family; and Jesus is unceasing in His faithful care for His brethren. Our business is to go after the help which is provided for us: we must not sit still in despondency, but bestir ourselves. Prayer will bear us soon into the presence of our royal Brother: once before His throne we have only to ask and have: His stores are not exhausted; there is corn still: His heart is not hard, He will give the corn to us. Lord, forgive our unbelief, and this evening constrain us to draw largely from Thy fulness and receive grace for grace.
This is why I love C.H. Spurgeon's writings. When I get to heaven, I would like to go to this brother and thank him for being faithful to write these words. There have been so many times when Morning & Evening or Faith's Check Book have exactly the word I needed from the Lord. I am amazed at the faithfulness of God and how the Holy Spirit can take words penned more than 100 years ago and make them fresh today.
Today I was in a frame of fretfulness and fear - fear of man, fear of the future, fear that all my failures could never be made right. The whispers of "No forgiveness, no grace, no redemption" were being hissed into my ears. But praise God that "there is forgiveness with Thee that Thou mayest be feared" and "Of His fulness have all we received and grace for grace".
How comforting to know that "His heart is not hard". There are times like today when I do lose sight of God. The circumstances and fears loom so large that in my unbelief, God appears to shrink. I am sorry to say that this won't be the last time either, to my own shame. But I go to Him and say "Lord, forgive my unbelief!" Would that I draw from that fountain of grace, undeserving sinner as I am but a sinner who has been redeemed by the Savior's precious blood.
Famine pinched all the nations, and it seemed inevitable that Jacob and his family should suffer great want; but the God of providence, who never forgets the objects of electing love, had stored a granary for His people by giving the Egyptians warning of the scarcity, and leading them to treasure up the grain of the years of plenty. Little did Jacob expect deliverance from Egypt, but there was the corn in store for him. Believer, though all things are apparently against thee, rest assured that God has made a reservation on thy behalf; in the roll of thy griefs there is a saving clause. Somehow He will deliver thee, and somewhere He will provide for thee. The quarter from which thy rescue shall arise may be a very unexpected one, but help will assuredly come in thine extremity, and thou shalt magnify the name of the Lord. If men do not feed thee, ravens shall; and if earth yield not wheat, heaven shall drop with manna. Therefore be of good courage, and rest quietly in the Lord. God can make the sun rise in the west if He pleases, and make the source of distress the channel of delight. The corn in Egypt was all in the hands of the beloved Joseph; he opened or closed the granaries at will. And so the riches of providence are all in the absolute power of our Lord Jesus, who will dispense them liberally to His people. Joseph was abundantly ready to succour his own family; and Jesus is unceasing in His faithful care for His brethren. Our business is to go after the help which is provided for us: we must not sit still in despondency, but bestir ourselves. Prayer will bear us soon into the presence of our royal Brother: once before His throne we have only to ask and have: His stores are not exhausted; there is corn still: His heart is not hard, He will give the corn to us. Lord, forgive our unbelief, and this evening constrain us to draw largely from Thy fulness and receive grace for grace.
This is why I love C.H. Spurgeon's writings. When I get to heaven, I would like to go to this brother and thank him for being faithful to write these words. There have been so many times when Morning & Evening or Faith's Check Book have exactly the word I needed from the Lord. I am amazed at the faithfulness of God and how the Holy Spirit can take words penned more than 100 years ago and make them fresh today.
Today I was in a frame of fretfulness and fear - fear of man, fear of the future, fear that all my failures could never be made right. The whispers of "No forgiveness, no grace, no redemption" were being hissed into my ears. But praise God that "there is forgiveness with Thee that Thou mayest be feared" and "Of His fulness have all we received and grace for grace".
How comforting to know that "His heart is not hard". There are times like today when I do lose sight of God. The circumstances and fears loom so large that in my unbelief, God appears to shrink. I am sorry to say that this won't be the last time either, to my own shame. But I go to Him and say "Lord, forgive my unbelief!" Would that I draw from that fountain of grace, undeserving sinner as I am but a sinner who has been redeemed by the Savior's precious blood.
But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail, I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail, And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee? Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee Though prostrate in the dust
(from Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul by Anne Steele)
The springs of comfort seem to fail, And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee? Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee Though prostrate in the dust
(from Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul by Anne Steele)
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