God shoots many kinds of arrows,.
Back to Christ's Comfort for Weary Pilgrims!
(Thomas Watson, "http://www.gracegems.org/Watson/lords_prayer.htm" The Lord's Prayer")
"May Your will be done." Matthew 6:10
We pray here, that we may have grace to submit
to God's will patiently — in whatever He inflicts.
Patient submission to God's will, is a gracious frame
of soul, whereby a Christian is content to be at God's
disposal, and acquiesces in His wisdom. "It is the Lord's
will — let Him do what He thinks best." 1 Samuel 3:18
Patient submission to the will of God, lies in seeing His
hand in the affliction. "Affliction does not spring from
the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth."
Job 5:6. Affliction does not come by chance! Job eyed
God in all that befell him. "The Lord gave me everything
I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name
of the Lord!" Job 1:21. Job looks beyond second causes
— he sees God in the affliction! "The Lord has taken it
away." There can be no submission to God's will — until
there is an acknowledging of God's hand in the affliction.
Patient submission to God's will, lies in justifying God.
God is holy and just, not only when He punishes the
wicked — but when He afflicts the righteous. "Now we
are being punished because of our wickedness and our
great guilt. But we have actually been punished far
less than we deserve." Ezra 9:13
While we live here in this valley of tears, patient
submission to God's will is much needed. The Lord
sometimes lays heavy afflictions upon us. "Your
arrows have struck deep, and Your blows are
crushing me!" Psalm 38:2. God sometimes lays
many afflictions upon us. "He multiplies my
wounds." Job 9:17. God shoots many kinds
of arrows.
God sometimes afflicts with POVERTY — which is a
great affliction. To have an estate reduced almost to
nothing, is hard to flesh and blood. "The Almighty has
made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the
Lord has brought me home empty." Ruth 1:20, 21
God sometimes afflicts with REPROACH. Dirt may be
cast upon a pearl; and those names may be blotted,
which are written in the book of life. Piety shields
from hell — but not from slander.
God sometimes afflicts with the DEATH of loved ones.
"Son of man, I am going to take away your dearest
treasure. Suddenly she will die!" Ezekiel 24:16
God sometimes afflicts with INFIRMITY of body.
Sickness takes away the comfort of life. Sometimes
God lets the infirmity continue long. Some diseases
are chronic, and linger and hang about the body
for many years. The Lord is pleased to exercise
many of His precious ones with chronic affliction.
God tries His people with various afflictions — so that
they have need of patient submission to His will.
Murmuring is not consistent with submission to
God's will. Murmuring is the height of impatience,
it is a kind of mutiny in the soul against God. "They
began to murmur against God." Numbers 21:5
When water is hot — then the scum boils up; when
the heart is heated with anger against God — then
murmuring boils up!
Murmuring springs from pride! Men think they
have deserved better at God's hand; and, when
they begin to swell with pride — they spit poison!
Back to Christ's Comfort for Weary Pilgrims!