THE ANTICIPATION

 

OCTOBER 24

THE ANTICIPATION

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23:6

In looking back, we see that God 

  has been true to his Word
  and faithful to his promise.

Not one good thing has failed,
  of all that the Lord our God has promised;
  all has come to pass.

His grace has been sufficient for us,
 His strength has been made perfect in our weakness.
 As our days, and we have had long days, dark days,   sharp days, days that have made flesh 

  and blood shake and tremble;
  but as our days so has our strength been!
 
Goodness and mercy' began with us,
  they have always accompanied us,
  and now they will not forsake us.

We can testify, with the psalmist, that 

  "the Lord is good, ready to forgive, 

  and plenteous in mercy unto all 

  who call upon him."

Can God's goodness fail?   Impossible! for he is "abundant in goodness and truth!"

Can God's mercy fail?   Impossible! for "the mercy    of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon       those who fear him and his righteousness to     children’s children.
 
God's mercy found a channel in which 

  to flow to poor sinners,
  in the person and work of Jesus;
  mercy flowed to us when we never sought it
  nor even thought of it;
  and shall it fail us now? Oh no!

  from day to day, even until our dying day,
 we shall have to say,
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not     

  consumed, because his compassions fail not.

  They are new every morning; great is thy       

     faithfulness.”

Sooner may the water in the ocean fail, or
  the light in the sun fail,
  than that the mercy of God toward

   his poor people should fail.

 His faithful Word is, "for I will not leave thee, 

  until I have done that which I have 

  spoken to thee of."

And what is that?

  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: 

  the LORD will give grace and glory: 

  no good thing will he withhold from 

   them that walk uprightly.

 
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, 

  and afterward receive me to glory.  

                                                Psalm 73:24
 
JAMES SMITH 1869