I KNOW THAT THOU FAVOUREST ME

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

JULY 19

 

Psalm 41:11

By this I know that thou favourest me, because

mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

 

What believer does not know this!
 
And yet who is sufficiently affected by the fact.
 
If God had not favoured us, we had been still dead in sin.
 
Or we had been smarting under the lashes of a guilty conscience.
 
Or we had been shut up in despair.
 
Or our enemy had triumphed over us. He is superior to us in wisdom, power, experience, and perseverance.
 
He has had great advantage given him by our weakness, timidity, and cowardice; by our powerful corruptions, and ignorance of his devices.
 
He has endeavoured to lead us into sin, draw us into apostasy, or drive us to despair but he has not prevailed.
 
He certainly would if the Lord had not favoured us. But Jesus has interceded for us.
 
The Holy Spirit has helped our infirmities. Our heavenly Father has faithfully fulfilled his word, and has restrained, curbed, and kept him back. He has shielded us in the day of conflict and protected us in the heat of the battle.
 
Surely the Lord had favoured us, for we have stood, when many have fallen; have persevered while many have gone back; we live to-night as the monuments of his mercy.
 
Each of us may say, I am God’s favoured child.
 

Then will I trust his power and grace,

Deliverance to command,

Till with his saints, before his face

In endless bliss, I stand.

 
James Smith