Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Men in their natural state imagine
that they can have some acquaintance with God and often seek to impress
themselves and one another with their devotion to their ideas
about what he is like. They devise religions and other
superstitions in order to define and give order to their philosophies
about him and his dealings with men. Most often these concepts
are centered on how they can influence him into bestowing
his blessings on them. Cain was one of the very first
men to demonstrate these traits. He devised an offering for the
Lord which he thought was surely worthy of his notice. He soon
found out that the Lord is the one who defines how and with
what men are allowed to approach unto him. He grew angry when
he discovered that his offering was rejected by the Lord, and
slew the one who was approved by God. This has always been
the pattern of natural men, as they slew the prophets and finally
rejected the one sent into the world by Him to be the Redeemer.
Even now this same pattern is played out time and again, and
shall be even to the very end of the world as we know it. The
Lord is determined to bring His people to Himself by a way which
they knew not, just as surely as He has set the stars and their
places and called them all by name. He has determined to call
His people the sheep of His pasture and the apple of His eye, unto
Himself at a time appointed by Him. We can proclaim the certainty
of this even as Job spoke of God's handiwork in setting the
stars in place. But this does not make us acquainted
with the one who sets the stars in place. Men often like to boast
in their doctrine and even set up tests to determine who the
children of God are by whether or not they adhere to their definition
of certain doctrines. Yet it is not by perfect doctrinal
knowledge that one is made acquainted with the One who is the Redeemer,
but it is by the calling and operation of His Spirit, quite
apart from the works of the flesh, that a man is enabled to know
Him. This knowledge is not that which can be taught by men, nor
can it be conferred by one man to another. David said, Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain
unto it. David knew, as Paul did, that
God alone could bring a man into a place of rejoicing and understanding
and a place of fellowship or communion with the God who inhabits
eternity. in reality and not in the imagination
of men. Men imagine all sorts of vain
things and assume that by their deeds and devotion that such
blessedness comes. Some assume that because they
are faithful proclamers of God's word that they must be included
in the number of those who are known to him. Multitudes are
convinced that their doctrinal scheme is the absolute truth,
which if they embrace tightly enough, they too must be included
along with their families as members of a covenant people.
Yet the scripture plainly reveals that all of the promises of God
are yea and amen in Christ and to all those who are in him. Simply put, he is pleased to
dwell with his elect and to call them out of darkness and into
his glorious light, according to his design, even as surely
as we can survey the heavens and see the unchanging placement
of the stars which he has set forth. Yet the comfort of God's
children is not found in surveying the skies, their righteous deeds,
nor even in their creeds and confessions. But as Isaac Watts
wrote, when I survey the wondrous cross on which the prince of
glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and poor contempt on
all my pride. Can there ever be any greater
place of comfort and rejoicing for the sons of God than in the
Spirit-led contemplation of the substitutionary atonement which
the Lord Jesus Christ made for them? Can I survey this scene
of woe? where mingling grief and wonder
flow, and yet my heart unmoved remain, insensible to love or
pain. Come, dearest Lord, thy power
impart to warm this cold and stupid heart, till all its powers
and feelings move in melting grief and ardent love. Do you find comfort in the glorious
work of Christ? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.