The Pilgrim Path---Hebrews 13: 5

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

PROVIDENCE / DIFFICULTY

This past week I was able to cover some of the devotional writing of John Flavel on the passage above. The old Puritan knew what trouble and hardship were about. Late in the year of 1662, the ministers in England that were not members of the Church of England---were “turned out” of their churches. This was around 1,800 men. Flavel was one of those preachers. He was not an Anglican---he was a Presbyterian. He had to preach where he could (and it was dangerous to do so). It would be a while before Nonconformists would be given a “license” for a meeting house (1672). One of the finest treatises Flavel ever wrote was on, “Providence.” This tiny segment was soul-enriching and faith-building---I figured it should be repeated on a Sunday Morning:

The word of promise assures us that whatever wants and straits the saints fall into, he will never leave or forsake them (Heb. 13: 5), and he will be with them in trouble! (Psa. 91: 15). Consult the various providences of your life up to this point, and, I believe, you will find the truth of these promises confirmed as often as you have been in trouble. Ask your own hearts, where and when was it that your God forsook you, and left you to sink and perish under your burdens? I do not doubt that most of you have been, at one time or another, plunged into difficulties out of which you could see no way of escape by the eye of reason. Yea, it may be that it staggered your faith in the promise, like David: David said in his heart, “Now I Shall perish one day by the hand of Saul” (I Sam. 27: 1). And yet not withstanding all, we see him emerge out of that sea of trouble, and the promises made good in every jot and tittle to him! Doubtless you may observe your own case and be satisfied, and ask your own soul the question, “Did God abandon or cast you off in the day of your trouble?” Certainly you must deny your own experience if you should say so. It is true there have been times you were overwhelmed with difficulties you have met with, in which (1) You could see no way of escape, and concluded you must perish in them. (2) Difficulties have staggered your faith in the promises, and made you doubt the Fountain of all sufficiency would let out itself for your relief. (3) Yes, difficulties have provoked you to murmuring and impatience, and thereby provoked the LORD to forsake you in your straits, but yet you see he did not forsake you. He either strengthened your back to bear them, or lightened your burden, or opened an unexpected door of escape, according to that promise (I Cor. 10: 13), so that the evil you feared did not come upon you!

From Samuel Rutherford: Even among men, we see hewn stones, timber, and a hundred scattered parcels and pieces of a house, all under tools, hammers, and axes, and saws; yet the house, the beauty and ease of so many lodgings and ease-rooms, we neither see nor understand for the present; these are but in the mind and head of the builder as yet. We see red earth, unbroken clods, furrows, and stones; but we see not the summer lilies, roses, and the beauty of a garden.

From Thomas Watson: Troubles befall us for our profit. Afflictions teach us. The school of the cross is a school of light. It shows us more of our own hearts. Sharp afflictions are to the soul as a soaking rain to the house. You do not know there is a leak until it rains. We do not know what unmortified lusts are in the soul until the storm of affliction comes, and then we feel unbelief, impatience, carnal fear, and drooping down in many places. Affliction is a sacred eye-salve that clears our eyesight…It is God’s medicine to expel pride and the fever of lust. The water of affliction is not to drown us but to wash off our spots.

From William Gurnall: God in wisdom conceals the comforts he intends to give you at various stages of your life, so that he may encourage your heart to full dependence upon his faithful promises now. Thus, to try the metal of Abraham’s faith, he let him go on until his hand was stretched forth to slay Isaac, and then he came to his rescue. Christ sent his disciples to sea, but stayed behind himself, with the design to test their faith, and show his love. Comfort yourself with this: though you do not see God in the way, yet you will find him in the end.

HYMN

What-e’er my God ordains is right: he never will deceive me;

He leads me by the proper path; I know he will not leave me.

I take content what he hath sent; his hand can turn my griefs away,

And patiently I wait his day.

Samuel Rodigast, 1675 / translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1863

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our Risen LORD, Pastor Jason