Pastor's thoughts for August
Over the course of the next months I will be using lessons from Dr. V. Raymond Edman’s book, But God. Dr. Edman, former President of Wheaton College provides this description for his book: “little lessons of large importance learned from the Holy Scriptures, with poems by Annie Johnson Flint” (a prolific writer of hymns). For the articles, I may or may not include the poems. I am aware that this is not a new book (1962—hope that won’t be a deterrent to reading these articles), yet I’ve chosen to use his chapters for some of the upcoming articles as he uses principles from Scripture to illustrate truths applicable to every believer.
“Thy Strength and My Day”
give me Thy strength for my day, Lord,
That wheresoe’er I go,
There shall no danger daunt me
And I shall fear no foe;
So shall no task o’ercome me,
So shall no trial fret,
So shall I walk unwearied
The path where my feet are set;
So shall I find no burden
Greater than I can bear,
So shall I have a courage
Equal to all my care;
So shall no grief o’erwhelm me,
So shall no wave o’erflow;
Give me Thy strength for my day, Lord,
Cover my weakness so.
Annie Johnson Flint
“BUT GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART”
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked…. 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:1-3, 22-26).
The heart is usually tougher and stronger than the flesh, because the spirit within us can rise above the infirmities of the body. In Proverbs 18:14 is the concise declaration: The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit who can bear it? It is known that an athlete can continue to play in the excitement and thrill of the game even though he has suffered a broken bone. Despite multiple wounds, a soldier can continue resisting the onslaughts of the enemy. A frail girl can continue her life’s calling despite appalling handicaps. But a broken heart—who then can triumph?
For the Psalmist, both heart and flesh had failed. Bruised and bewildered by injustice and iniquity, he saw no prospect for the triumph of the right. He had observed the prosperity of the wicked, and therefore it seemed to him that indeed he had cleansed his heart in vain and washed his hands in innocence. He himself had been plagued and chastened every morning while the ungodly had more than heart could wish, and in their pride they boasted: ‘how doth God know? And is their knowledge in the most High?’
The Psalmist found no answer to his painful dilemma until with all humility he took his case to God—I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end (73:16, 17)/ When everything and everyone had failed him and injustice seemed to prevail, he found God to be his unfailing Helper: 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory (73:23-24). And he was satisfied: Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth (Psalm 73:25). Faith was the answer to bewilderment of heart and exhaustion of flesh.
The entire Psalm hinges on the single word but. Up to that point there seemed to be no real help for God’s troubled servant; but God proved Himself to be the strength of this heart and his portion forever. Then tears turned to triumph, bewilderment to blessings, and perplexity to praise.
Suppose the godless do make much gain and the impenitent are prosperous. Suppose we suffer loss because of godliness and integrity, so that poverty is our lot. God is our guide now and has prepared glory for us hereafter.
- Heart would faint—but God is our strength!
- Flesh would fail—but God is our portion forever!
