Jehovah Jireh
“This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshi7ig” —
“(Tfje Eorti iotll probiliE.” — Gen. xxii. 14.
The Elim-palms only environed Israel’s temporary resting-place, — marked one of the many wilderness camping-grounds on the way to Canaan. In the very next words after the recorded tent-pitching by the twelve wells, we read, “And they took their journey from Elim” (Ex. xvi. i).
If “Arise ye and depart, for this is not your rest,” be the watchword for all God’s pilgrims still, what, it may be asked, of the untrodden journey? What of to-morrow’s march? What of the unknown future?
“The Lord will provide!” That future is in the keeping of the God of the pillar-cloud, and we may well leave it there. These refreshing palm-groves at one encampment may well be taken as pledges of His faithfulness and loving care, till the last stage of the wilderness journey be reached, and ’ the fields of living green ’ appear in view.
How beautiful the impress of the Divine hand in the works of outer nature. Every blade of grass, every forest leaf, how perfect, in symmetry of form, and in tenderness 16S PALMS OF ELIM.
of colour! With what exquisite grace He has pencilled every flower, delicately poised it on its stalk, or spread a pillow for its head on the tender sod! The God who has “so clothed the grass of the field,” will not be unmindful of the lowliest of His covenant family.
It is for us to say, as we lie passive in His hands, “Undertake Thou for me!’” He portioning out for us as He sees meet, and having His own infinite reasons for what may appear perplexing to us: — we, with an unquestioning and unreasoning faith, fully trusting His power, tenderness, vigilance, love. He does not consult our short-sighted wisdom in what He does. The clouds do not consult the earth as to when they shall visit its fruits and flowers — its corn-fields and forests, with their watery treasures. The pining plant does not dictate to the firmament-reservoirs as to when they shall unseal their hidden stores. These give a kindly and needful supply “in due season,” and the earth has never yet (for six thousand years) had to complain of them as niggard almoners of their Creator’s bounty. So it is with the soul: He who maketh the clouds His chariot — who opens and shuts at will the windows of heaven — locking and unlocking the fountains of the great deep — says to all His people, ‘Trust Me; I will give you all needed present blessings; “I will come unto you as the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth.” I do not pledge myself as to how or when the rain shall fall — but “I will cause the shower to come down in his season: there shall be showers of blessing.”’
Happy for us, if we are able to respond with an avowal of entire confidence in a present, personal God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being! Behold the sun of the natural heavens, the great central luminary — a dumb insensate mass of matter — holding its dependent planets in
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their orbits, controlling their unerring movements; they, in calm, silent submission, yielding obedience to the will of this sovereign lord! How much more may we hold on our way in the orbit of undeviating obedience, exulting in Jehovah’s ever-present power and love; so that in the remotest solitude, as well as the densest crowd, we can say, ‘Alone, yet not alone, for my Father is with me! ’
And if we thus confide in God, He will confide in us. Beautiful are the words of the prophet, “Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; those that remember Thee in Thy ways.” Those that remember Thee and confide in Thee, “Thou meetest tJmn!” The Lord comes out half-way to meet the confiding heart.
Let us listen to the words of Him who spake as never man spake, “Take no thought “(that is to say. Be not over-anxious or over-careful)” for the morrow.” That ‘morrow’ is in the hands of One boundless in His resources, infinite in His compassion. He not only apportions the lot of His people, but He moulds and adapts them for their lots and positions in life. Just as in outer nature He adapts the varied classes in the vegetable world for different climates. As the palm was the tree of the desert, the olive that of Palestine, the cedar, of Lebanon, so is it with every tree of righteousness. They too are ^’- the planting of the Lord;” and wherever planted, there, in their varied ways, they may ‘glorify’ Him. Do not charge God with insincerity, when He declares, through His inspired Apostle, that all things work together for good to them that love Him. “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” If He leads you along a rough and thorny road, hear His loving voice thus reassuring your faith and lulling your misgivings, ‘Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ He foresees and anticipates every emergency that can overtake you. He can avert every danger, and disarm every foe. As you may be now surveying the yet-untrodden road, leading ’ uphill and downhill to the city of habitation,’ remember the words of Him who hath said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”
“Leave, oh leave thy fond aspirings,
Bid thy restless heart be still;
Cease, oh cease thy vain desirings,
Only seek thy Father’s will.
Leave behind thy faithless sorrow,
And thine every anxious care;
He who only knows the morrow
Can for thee its burden bear.
Leave the darkness gathering o’er thee.
Leave the shadow land behind;
Realms of glory lie before thee,
Enter in, and welcome find.”
“commit thy way unto the lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.”