[Songs in the Night - April 23]
The Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake. I Samuel 12:22
SAMUEL appealed to fleshly Israel to remember
the great things that God had done for them as a
ground for thankfulness and faithfulness—their delivery
from Egypt, their guidance through the wilderness
and their entrance into the land of Israel; but if we
apply these words to spiritual Israel, with what greater
force do they come to us!
The Lord has delivered us
from Egyptian bondage, the bondage of sin and death.
He has led us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
He not only lifted our feet from the horrible pit and
the miry clay, but he placed them upon the Rock,
Christ Jesus; yea, more! he has put a new song into
our mouths, even the loving-kindness of our God.
He
not only forgave our sins, but accepted us in Jesus,
and invited us to joint-heirship with Christ.
He not
only gave us exceeding great and precious promises
to cheer our hearts in the wilderness journey, but has
in reservation for us things exceeding great and precious,
of which he has given us a glimpse or foretaste
through the Holy Spirit, an earnest of our inheritance. Z'08-203 R4201:4 (Hymn 19)