View source for THE TENDER SOLICITUDE

'''Back to [[THE WORDS OF JESUS]]'''
----
<p>&quot;Remember&nbsp;<em>the  words of the Lord Jesus</em>, how He said,&quot;<br><br>
  <em>&quot;The  very hairs of your head are all numbered!&quot;</em>&nbsp;—  Matthew 10:30<br><br>
  What a &quot;word&quot; is this! All  that befalls you, to the very numbering of your hairs — is known to God!  Nothing can happen by<em> accident</em><em>&nbsp;</em>or&nbsp;<em>chance</em>. Nothing can elude His inspection. The fall of the  forest leaf — the fluttering of the insect — the waving of the angel's wing —  the annihilation of a world — all are equally noted by Him! Man speaks<strong>&nbsp;</strong>of&nbsp;<em>great</em><em>&nbsp;</em>things  and&nbsp;<em>small</em><em>&nbsp;</em>things  — but God<strong>&nbsp;</strong>knows no such distinction.<br><br>
  How especially comforting to think of  this tender solicitude with reference to His own covenant people — that He  metes out all their&nbsp;<em>joys —</em><em>&nbsp;</em>and  all their&nbsp;<em>sorrows!</em><em>&nbsp;</em>Every&nbsp;<em>sweet</em>--and every&nbsp;<em>bitter</em>--is ordained by Him. Even &quot;wearisome  nights&quot; are &quot;appointed.&quot; Not a<em>&nbsp;</em><em>pang</em><em>&nbsp;</em>I feel, not a&nbsp;<em>tear</em><em>&nbsp;</em>I shed — but is known to Him. What are called  &quot;dark dealings,&quot; are the&nbsp;<em>ordinations  of undeviating faithfulness</em>.&nbsp;<em>Man</em><em>&nbsp;</em>may err — his ways are often crooked; &quot;but as  for God —&nbsp;<em>His</em>&nbsp;way  is perfect!&quot; He puts my tears into His bottle. Every moment&nbsp;<em>His  everlasting arms</em><em>&nbsp;</em>are underneath and around me. He keeps me &quot;as  the apple of His eye.&quot; He &quot;bears&quot; me as a man bears his own son!<br><br>
  Do I look to the FUTURE? Is there much  of uncertainty and mystery hanging over it? It may be, much foreboding of evil.  Trust Him. All is marked out for me. Dangers will be averted; bewildering mazes  will show<strong>&nbsp;</strong>themselves to be interlaced and interweaved with  mercy. &quot;He keeps the&nbsp;<em>feet</em><em>&nbsp;</em>of  His saints.&quot; Not a&nbsp;<em>hair</em><em>&nbsp;</em>of  their head will be touched.<br><br>
  He leads sometimes darkly,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>sometimes sorrowfully; most frequently by cross and  circuitous ways, which we ourselves would not have chosen; but always&nbsp;<em>wisely</em>, always&nbsp;<em>tenderly</em>. With all its mazy windings and turnings, its  roughness and ruggedness — the believer's is not only a&nbsp;<em>right</em><em>&nbsp;</em>way — but&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;right  way — the&nbsp;<em>best</em><em>&nbsp;</em>which  covenant love and wisdom could select.<br><br>
  &quot;Nothing,&quot; says Jeremy  Taylor, &quot;does so establish the mind amid the rollings and turbulence of  present things — as both a look&nbsp;<em>above</em><em>&nbsp;</em>them  and a look&nbsp;<em>beyond</em><em>&nbsp;</em>them;  above them — to the steady and loving hand by which they are ruled; and beyond  them — to the sweet and beautiful end to which, by that hand, they will be  brought.&quot; &quot;The Great Counsellor,&quot; says Thomas Brooks,  &quot;puts clouds and darkness round about Him, bidding us follow at His beck  through the cloud, promising an eternal and uninterrupted sunshine on the other  side.&quot; On that &quot;other side&quot; we shall<strong>&nbsp;</strong>see<strong>&nbsp;</strong>how  every apparent rough blast has been hastening our&nbsp;<em>boats</em><em>&nbsp;</em>nearer the desired&nbsp;<em>haven</em>.<br><br>
  Well may I commit the keeping of my  soul to Jesus in well-doing — as unto  a faithful Creator. He gave&nbsp;<em>Himself</em><em>&nbsp;</em>for  me. This transcendent pledge of love — is the guarantee for the bestowment of  every other needed blessing. Oh, blessed thought! my<em> sorrows</em><em>&nbsp;</em>are numbered--by the Man of Sorrows; my&nbsp;<em>tears</em><em>&nbsp;</em>are counted--by Him who shed first His tears, and  then His blood for me!<em>&nbsp;</em>He will impose no&nbsp;<em>needless</em><em>&nbsp;</em>burden, and exact no&nbsp;<em>unnecessary</em><em>&nbsp;</em>sacrifice.<strong>&nbsp;</strong>There  was no unnecessary&nbsp;<em>drop</em><em>&nbsp;</em>in  the cup of His own sufferings; neither will there<strong>&nbsp;</strong>be in that of His people. &quot;Though He slays me  — yet will I trust in Him!&quot; &quot;Therefore comfort one another with&nbsp;<em>these  words</em>.&quot;</p>

----
'''Back to [[THE WORDS OF JESUS]]'''