Children of God… will you not bear witness, that, through all your trials and troubles, the faithfulness of your Savior’s love has been the “very joy of your hearts?” You have had many crosses and losses – has He ever deserted you? You have been in severe afflictions, and have seen the flowers of many a “sweet hope” wither and decay – did your Friend desert you then? Others may have proved faithless – all other help may have failed you – friendship’s help, promised help, expected help – all, all may have been but as the foam upon the billow, as the footsteps in the sand – but, has Christ ever failed you? Could you, in the darkest and the saddest hour of your grief, say to Him? “Lord, You have promised what You did not perform.” Will you not bear witness concerning the past? – “Not one good thing has failed, of all that the Lord has promised – all has come to pass.”
The Throne of Grace, Alexander Strahan Publishers, 1865.
As we grow in Christ, we feel more unworthy to be in His presence, at times wanting to run, but more assured of His eternal commitment, His promise to always hold us close to Himself in His arms of love.
Sermon, Going fishing, Luke 5:1-11, April 15, 2018.
I tell you, if He were to shut you out, dear soul, whoever you may be, if you go to Him, He would deny Himself. He never did deny Himself yet. Whenever a sinner comes to Him, He becomes his Savior. Whenever He meets a sick soul, He acts as his Physician… If you go to Him, you will find Him at home and on the look-out for you. He will be more glad to receive you than you will be to be received… I tell you again that He cannot reject you. That would be to alter His whole character and un-Christ Himself. To spurn a coming sinner would un-Jesus Him and make Him to be somebody else and not Himself any longer. “He cannot deny Himself” [2 Tim. 2:13]. Go and try Him; go and try Him.
