For the afflicted ones the Lord has an especial care, and we see Him as the “Great Shepherd” caring for the lambs and sheep of His flock.
What is wanted amongst us, is not so much Lew thoughts, though knowledge has its proper place, but what we have learned, and it may be some time ago, brought home in the power of the Holy Ghost to our souls. So as in the address to Philadelphia (Rev. 3), we have the Lord saying to these feeble but faithful ones, “Behold I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” I believe we are not so much in danger of giving up the truth, as losing the power of it in our souls, as for instance, the coming of the Lord, which has long been held as a doctrine, but is losing its power, and is in danger of doing so, in our souls.
It has been remarked something to this effect, if the devil can take away the coming of the Lord as a present hope, we lose spiritual power and are on the road which leads to the loss of our crown; but if this is kept bright before us, no man or devil can rob us of our crown. We were reading this morning, “If they speak not according to this word, it is because they have no light (margin, no morning) in them.” For the Jews, “The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” (Isa. 8:2020To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20), Mal. 4:22But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)). But, alas, they have no such hope, and are a part of the apostate nation.