◄ Mercifully Mastered ►

But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies" (Lam. 3:32).

We are going to discover that our Father's grace and mercy shine brightest against the darkness of the daily Cross.

"We make a most serious mistake, when, in any time of need or pressure, we turn to the creature for help or sympathy. We are sure to be disappointed. Our Father will allow us to prove the vanity and folly of all creature-confidences, human hopes, and earthly expectations. And on the other hand, He will prove to us, in the most touching and personal manner, the truth and blessedness of His own Word, They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me' (Isa. 49:23). No, never! He, blessed be His name, never fails a trusting heart. He cannot, nor would He, deny Himself. He delights to take occasion from our needs, our woes and weaknesses, to express and illustrate His tender care and loving-kindness, in a thousand ways." -C.H.M.

"Our Father is a very present help in trouble.' We may be sure that He who permits the suffering is with us in it. He was even in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). It may be that we shall see Him only when the trial is past; but we must dare to believe that He never leaves the crucible."

"What a melancholy reflection it is upon our old man that we have to be shut up' to all the mercies of our Father! If we could evade them and cheat ourselves of them, notwithstanding their gracious freedom, we would. The Father is still shutting men up to faith. It should be natural for us to trust Him, but it is not. Our Father must employ severe measures to reduce us to despair and root us out of our self-confidence and self-righteousness. All of heaven's wisdom is brought to bear upon us to confess that our help cometh from the Lord.'" -L.E.M.

"That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy" (Rom. 9:23).