The Judge by James Smith, 1856.

God is the Judge, Psalm 75, 7. There is one supreme judge of what is right and wrong, and that judge is Jesus. He is qualified to judge, and He is appointed to sit in judgment on all the actions of men, and to reward everyone according to his works.

But it is not to God's final judgment we are about to refer, but to the present. Many professors talk or seem to feel as if great mistakes were made, and therefore they justify themselves in complaining. But Jesus is judge of what is right and what is best. His wisdom is infinite. His knowledge comprehends the past, the present, and the future. His power is omnipotent. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting and is over all His works. His love to His people surpasses knowledge. This being the case, there can be no question that Jesus is the best judge of what is right and of what should be.

God is the judge as to our persons. Some wish they had more strength, some that they had more health, some that they had more beauty, some one thing, some another thing, some imagine that they are too tall, and some not tall enough. Some are crooked or otherwise deformed, and are grieved that they are not straight or well formed. But God is the judge, and our formation, size, shape, appearance, etc., are all according to His will, and if according to His will, it must be best. Beware of how you sit in judgment on the wisdom of God, or think yourself capable of improving His plans.

God is the judge as to who should be born, their size, shape, appearance, and every other particular. Therefore be silent before Him, be satisfied with your lot, and believe that by and by you will see a reason for what tries or troubles you at present. If you were humble, you would not be much affected by what man may think or what man may say, but would bow before God and say, If I can honour you by being deformed, or destitute of beauty, or weak, or diseased, it is enough. May your will be done, your name be hallowed, your glory be advanced, and I am content, more, I am well pleased.

God is the judge as to our circumstances. Whether I am to be rich or to be poor, whether I am employer or employed, whether I am healthy or sick, whether I thrive or go to wreck, God is the judge as to which is best. He is judge as to the nature or number of my mercies, trials, troubles, comforts, crosses, losses, bereavements, and varied changes. I cannot tell what would be best, what would really do me good. I must bow to the wisdom of the all-wise God, accept the appointments of His grace, and be satisfied with the arrangements of infinite love. If there was anything like chance in the world, I might complain or wish for an alteration. But since God exercises His judgment and has ordained my lot, it is for me to approve of it and seek grace that I may honor Him in it.

God is the judge as to our events. Many things are sent to try us, and they try our thoughts, our faith, our fortitude, our patience, our humility, and our perseverance. How things may end, we do not know. What certain providences are intended to produce, we are not informed. But we may rest assured of this, that God's ends will be accomplished, His purposes will be performed, and the predictions of His Word will be fulfilled. We may, therefore, very safely leave all results to God, The path of duty is plainly marked out. We should walk in that path, taking no thought for the morrow. We should trust God's promises, walk by God's precepts, observe God's providences, and then we may say, I have nothing to do with the future, for God is the judge. He puts down one and sets up another.

Christian, are you tempted to complain of your lot, or do you wish to choose for yourself? It is better to leave it with God, and try to believe that it is best to be as you are and where you are There is no doubt that you can glorify God exactly where you are more than anywhere else. You can do all that God wishes you to do right where you are. It is not a change of circumstances so much as a change of heart that you need. You need more grace and contentment rather than more health or wealth or beauty.

Depend upon it. God has made no mistake. And if your body is not so finely formed, or you are not so indulged with health, or so favoured with gifts, as some are, it is all right, for God is the judge. It is His doing, and shall not the judge of the earth do right?

Defer to God's judgment, lie low before God's throne, seek to be filled with God's Spirit, and so you will be satisfied to have all things ruled by God's will. He does according to His will in heaven, and there is no complaint or repining there, and He does according to His will on earth, and there should be no dissatisfaction with God's allotments.

We have too high an opinion of ourselves and of our own judgments, and while this is the case, we shall attempt to invade the rights of the Most High God or to dictate to the Supreme Ruler. Man, poor vain man, would gladly be judge. He would take the throne of His Maker. He would snatch the rule from His hand, judge His justice, be the God of God.

But who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say unto Him that formed it, Why have you made me thus? God is the judge. Therefore be silent all the earth before the Lord.