ON MINE ARM SHALL THEY TRUST

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

AUGUST 25

Isaiah 51:5

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, 

and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall 

wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

 
And well they may, for it is nerved with omnipotence, it is directed by infinite wisdom, and it is employed by tenderest love.
 
It is stretched out for us to lean upon support; to work for us, and to secure a supply; to fight for us, and defend us from our foes; and to carry us when we are unable to go, that we may make progress in weakness. And when sick.
 
It is a Father’s arm, yet the arm of God.
 
It is a Saviour’s arm, and yet the arm that sustains heaven and earth.
 
It is our Brother’s arm, and yet the arm that bars the gates of hell, and holds every fallen spirit in check.
 
On this arm we trust, not on our own.
 
We must be weaned from trusting on all other. We must be brought to trust wholly and always on the Lord’s.
 
This is warranted by the word.
 
It is approved and commanded by our God. They shall trust in darkness and difficulty—for all my promises contain—because they feel the necessity of it—and when all beside fails and deceives them.
 
God will have us trust in the arm of his power, follow the leadings of his providence, aim at the advancement of his cause, and live dependent on his county, or we shall not know happiness.
 

Arm of the Lord, whose wond’rous power,

The world and all things made,

Thou art our strength, defence, and tower,

Our ever present aid.

 
James Smith