THE EXPOSTULATION

 

OCTOBER 17
  

THE EXPOSTULATION

"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" 

                                         Matthew 14:31
 
 
Many aged Christians give way to doubt.
They yield to fear.
They are more affected by their own feelings 

  than they are by God's Word.
They judge more by what passes within them,
 than they do by what God has said to them.
 
This casts them down, this disquiets them.
Peter doubted, because he was on an unnatural element,
and in new and trying circumstances.
 
But Jesus reproves him for doubting, and
he will reprove thee.
"wherefore didst thou doubt?"
 
Ah, you say, "My sins are so many and so aggravated!" 
But Jesus promises to pardon them.
 
"My imperfections and infirmities are so great!" 
But Jesus will clothe you in his righteousness.
 
"My prayers are so broken and so lifeless!" 
But Jesus pleads for you as your ever-living intercessor.
 
"But I seem to be everything I ought not, 

   and nothing at all that I ought." 
But Jesus will completely save you.
 
You see your sins, 

  because he has given you light.
 
You feel your imperfections, 

  because he has given you life.
 
You are dissatisfied with yourself, 

  because he has shown you his beauty.
 
You complain of your prayers, 

  because his grace prompts you to desire perfection.
 
You loathe yourself,

  because he has partly sanctified you, and

  implanted within you the desire 

     to be exactly like himself.
 
Why do you doubt? 

Has he not promised
  that he will never cast you out;
  that where sin abounds, 

      his grace shall much more abound;
  that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord

      shall be saved?
 
Now, you know that you come to him daily
  in desire and simple prayer;
you know you pant and plead that grace
  may reign in your heart;
you know that you call upon his dear name.

Doubt not, then.
 
"Why art thou down cast, O my soul? 

And why art thou disquieted within me?

 hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, 

who is the health of my countenance, 

and my God.           Psalm 43:5
 
JAMES SMITH 1869