85 Happy as the Day
Happy as the Day "In your name shall they rejoice all the day." Psalms 89:16
"Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name — the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming: The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:5-7 The believer has all the elements of misery in his nature, and he is often surrounded by the most trying circumstances. Yet he has a source of joy, which is sufficient to enable him to rejoice all the day long. He may be happy every day, and all the day. He should rejoice — but not as the world does in health, wealth, wisdom, skill, strength, station, or worldly prospects; but in the name of his God. The name of God reveals His nature, His purposes, and the provision He has made for His people; it was proclaimed to Moses, (Exodus 34.) It is embodied in Jesus, and it assures the Christian of all that he can need, and should be the object of his glory and joy. The name of God assures us of pardon — full, free, and immutable; a daily pardon, a pardon of all sin; for a part of His name is, "forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." Here every word that is used for the evils of the heart, and the improprieties of the life, in the holy Scriptures, is introduced, to show that all manner of sin is forgiven. God pardons daily — the sins of the heart, the sins of the tongue, and the sins of the life. May we not well rejoice all the day in the name of our God, which forbids fear, generates confidence, and promises pardon. No one feels himself so unworthy, as the real Christian; and he has a growing sense of unworthiness which would weigh him down — but his God says, "I am gracious." Grace looks for nothing in its objects — but takes advantage of the creature’s unworthiness to glorify itself. And this part of the divine name assures the believer of acceptance with God, and of a standing before him as a beloved child in Jesus. For as base and unworthy as we are — we are accepted "in the beloved," to the praise of His glorious grace. A believer has often a vivid and heart-affecting view of his daily infirmities, and sees so much in his own spirit, temper, disposition, and conduct which must be most offensive in the sight of God, that he is occasionally tempted to think that God will cast him away from His presence, and take His Holy Spirit from him; but the name of his God is, "slow to anger." Swift to show mercy, slow to manifest wrath, displaying infinite patience, forbearance, and grace. Not only so — but the name of God assures him of pity in weakness and affliction, of supply in poverty and need, and of comfort in distress and sorrow; for his God is, "the merciful." Mercy will pity and sympathize with misery; until it relieves and delivers. Mercy is laid up for future needs, and kept for the day of need; for He keeps mercy for thousands.
Every promise shall be made good, and every promised blessing shall be given as required, for Jehovah is, "abundant in truth." His Word is the word of veracity, and will be fulfilled to the very letter. It may be seen by-and-bye, that God has often gone beyond His promise — but it will not be seen that He ever came short of it.
If then Jehovah is the gracious, the merciful, and slow to anger; if He keeps mercy for thousands, forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; if He is abundant in goodness and truth; and if His name is to be illustrated and glorified, in dealing with His people — then may they not well rejoice in it all the day long? It gives a warrant to faith, hope, and prayer, and secures the believer always. The consistent Christian rejoices in God’s name , as containing all that he needs, and as preventing all he fears. He rejoices in it in private and in public — in prosperity and in trial. His joy is holy and humble; it is abiding and sweet.
Reader, a believer has always cause for joy, and the cause of his joy is always the same — and it is his duty as well as his privilege to rejoice in the name of his God. The unhappiness of Christians often arises from their ignorance of God’s name, or from the working of unbelief, which leads them to imagine that it will not be illustrated in their experience.
Believer, do you know God’s name? If so, rejoice in it, spread the knowledge of it, and let all see that it is the source of your sweetest joy!