January 19

"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 1. 15.

THE promises of God are precious in their nature, extensive in their application, and certain in their fulfilment. Mr. Newton beautifully remarks, — "The firmament of revelation is spangled with exceeding great and precious promises, as the sky is with stars; but their value and beauty are most perceptible to us in the night of affliction." Let us look at the one before us.

A DISTRESSING PERIOD. "The day of trouble." We cannot expect uninterrupted sunshine; we must look for dark and cloudy days. There are many things that tend to trouble and perplex the Christian.

A KIND DIRECTION. "Call upon me." This is not the language of the world. How many professed friends have their hearts, hands, and houses open to receive the sons of prosperity, while they are all shut against the children of adversity? Not so with our best Friend; he is willing to receive us under a cloud, and gild that cloud with an assurance of his love and favor. It is well when our troubles lead us to, rather than from God. Call upon him in the language of prayer, with thankfulness for past favors, and in the exercise of Christian submission to his will.

A GRACIOUS PROMISE. "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

Deliverance shall come from God. This shall be accomplished in his own time, by his own means, and in his own way.

Glory shall redound to God. "We must go to God," says Henry, "with prayers when we are afflicted, and with praises when we are delivered." Let us be thankful, that in the wilderness we not only have the waters of affliction, but the streams of comfort.

O Saviour, the promise fulfill; Its comforts impart to my mind: Then calmly I'll bow to thy will, To the cup of affliction resigned.