November 15

"—Spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings." Deuteronomy 32:11.

THIS is to aid, and also to secure them. When they mount her back, they are little aware of her design; but she sails away with them, and sometimes shakes them off. Then they must fly themselves, but she follows after. She hovers near them, and when their pinions flag, and they are unable to keep longer on the wing, with surprising speed and skill she darts and places herself underneath them, and thus receiving their whole weight, she prevents their fall, succors their weakness, and refreshes them for another flight. The Lord never entirely leaves his people; and it is well he does not, for without him they can do nothing. He does, however, in a degree withdraw from them, to make them more sensible of their weakness, and induce them to rely more upon himself, but not so as to hazard their safety. Thus the mother, when her infant, beginning to walk, is too venturesome, leaves him alone—not to go over a plank across a river, but in the room with her, and upon the carpet, where the fall will alarm and caution, not kill or fracture him. And she soon takes him up, and presses him to her bosom and her lips again. God has himself—how much we need to teach and affect us!—employed another tender image. When young and feeble, the day perhaps warm, and the ground rough, the little lambs are unable to keep pace with the flock, and would be left panting and bleating behind, but the Shepherd of Israel gathers them with his arm, and carries them in his bosom.

Many are not convinced of their weakness, because they have never made in earnest a trial of their strength. But when a man begins to apply himself to the purposes of the divine life, he feels how unable he is to do any thing as of himself; and he would never be induced to take one step effectually in a religious course without such an assurance as the gospel presents. Possibility, probability, is not enough; he must hear the voice that cries, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." And he does hear this. And though much is required and expected of him, he sees all the means necessary to the end. He sees a cause more than adequate to the effect. It is a great thing to be a Christian; but "OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD."

He has said, "I will strengthen them in the Lord," and, "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." He aids them by his providence, and by communion with each other, and in the ordinances of religion. Ministers are "helpers of their joy." His word quickens them; his statutes help them. In the holy assemblies, and at the table of their dying Lord, while they wait upon him, he renews their strength; and they mount up with wings, as eagles; and they run, and are not weary; and they walk, and are not faint. But all these are only the means, the Holy Spirit is the agent. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. Our dependence upon him is entire. We pray in the Spirit; we live in the Spirit; we walk in the Spirit. He leads us into all truth; he seals us unto the day of redemption. But for his influence, who would not every moment despond and sink?

But the eagle, by taking and bearing her young on her wings, not only sustains and supports them, but protects and secures them. Is an enemy in sight? She soars with them above his reach. Does the archer discharge his arrows from below? They must pierce through her body before they can touch them. "The path of life is above to the wise, to depart from hell beneath." And God is the refuge as well as the strength of his people. And to each of them he says, what David said to Abiathar, when he fled to him from the slaughter of Saul, "Abide with me; fear not; for he that seeketh thy life, seeketh my life; but with me thou shalt be in safeguard." When they can realize this, their soul dwells at ease. This is sometimes their privilege; it ought to be always their experience. Their security is always the same, but Paul was persuaded of it. "I am persuad'd," said he, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."