May 16

’Anil he said, Thus saiih the Lord. Make this valley full of dTlches. For tliiis staUh the Lord, Ye shall v,o’ ‘sc wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled u-ith water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.” — 2 Kings iii. IG, 17.

THE armies of the three kings were famishing for want of water: God was about to send it, and in these words the prophet announced the coming blessing Here was a case of human helpless7iess: not a drop of watei could all the valiant men procure from the skies r find in the wells of earth. Thus often the people of the Lord are at their wits’ end; they see the vanity of the creature, and learn experimentally where their help is to be foun. Still the people were to make a believing preparation for the divine blessing; they were to dig the trenches in which the precious liquid would be held. The church must, by her varied agencies, efi’orts, and prayers, make herself ready to be blessed she must make the pools, and the Lord will fill them. Thia must be done in faith, in the full assurance that the blessing is about to descend. By and by there was a singular bestowal of the needed boon. Not as in Elijah’s case did the shower pour from the clouds, but in a silent and mysteriousmanner the pools were filled. The Lord has His own sovereign modes of action: He is not tied to manner and time as we are, but doeth as He pleases among the sons of men. It is ours thankfully to receive from Him, and not to dictate to Him. We must also notice the remarkable abundance of the supply — there was enough for the need of all. And so is it in the gospel blessing; all the wants of the con;;rcgatiDn and of the entire church shall be met by the divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this, victory shall lie speedily given to the armies of the Lord.

What am I doing for Jesus? What trenches am I digging r 0 Lord, make me ready t( receive the blessing vzhich Thou art so willing to bestow.