Lord, What Is Man

MARCH 14

Lord, what is man,

LORD, what is man, that thou takest

knowledge of him! or the son of man,

that thou makest account of him!  Psalms 144:3

By nature he is an enemy to God, in open rebellion against Him, and justly condemned by Him. He is in love with sin, a slave to lust, a servant of Satan.

He is blind to his best interests, deaf to the call of God, and dead in trespasses and sins.

He is in an open sepulchre, a mass of wretchedness and disease, abominable and filthy beyond description.

And can such a creature be the object of Jehovah‘s love, the purchase of a Saviour’s blood, and the habitation of the Holy Spirit?

Yes-- as such, they were chosen to salvation-- as such, Jesus was sent into the world to redeem them-- as such, the Holy Spirit came to quicken, cleanse, justify, and save them!

Oh amazing grace!

Astonishing mercy!

And will God in very deed dwell with such creatures upon the earth?

Yes—“to this man will I look, and with them will I dwell, even that is poor, and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word.”

Well may the patriarch exclaim, “what is man that Thou shouldest magnify him? and that shouldest set thine heart upon him?

Oh, what is feeble dying man,

Or any of his race,

That God should make it His concern

To visit him with grace?

That God, who darts His lightning down,

Who shakes the world above,

And mountains tremble at His frown.

How wondrous is His love!

James Smith