October 28

PART II.—Psalms 118:14.

THE people of God not only require strength to be stedfast, to labour, to fight, and to suffer, but they will require strength especially to die. Dying is an unknown, yet tremendous conflict. It is to grapple with an untried adversary, with one who was never foiled or defeated. And so sure as he has been in every age of the world an invincible conqueror, so surely will he conquer us. Yet there is a victory to be obtained by the dying christian over the king of terrors. Thousands have joyfully encountered him, and have passed into eternity, exclaiming, in holy triumph, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We live in Christ, and by him, and to him—and as we die in Christ, supported by his grace, so that death is not a curse, but a blessing; hence it is mentioned among the chartered privileges of the Lord's people. O yes, the pains of affliction would destroy the christian, were not Christ his strength. The waves of death would overwhelm them, and then heart and flesh would utterly fail, but Christ is the strength of their heart and their portion for ever. How desirable it is that we feel conscious of our own weakness—conscious weakness is real strength, for "when we are weak then we are strong." Let us cultivate a spirit of entire dependance upon Jesus, for without him we can do nothing. And how cheering it is, that in the midst of all our insufficiency, Christ in all his immutable sufficiency is ours, and ours for ever. Then with the greatest confidence may we exclaim, "We can do all things through Christ strengthening us."

"Thine image Lord bestow, Thy presence and thy love, I ask to serve thee here below, And reign with thee above.

Teach me to live by faith, Conform my will to thine; Let me victorious be in death And then in glory shine."