in hand.

Give me humble resignation; work in me by Thy Spirit a perfect willingness to lie still as long as it is Thy will that I should, and lead me to rest tranquilly in Thee.

Well may I rest in Thee, and be still. All the past has been ordered by Thee; all that has brought me to my present state, and my present state itself. Let me indulge in no vain regrets; let me not disturb my mind with wishes that this thing or that had not happened. "Be still, and know that I am God," is what the Lord is now saying to me. I do not see why those troubles came; I do not know the reason for my being laid aside; but let "I am God" be enough. He knows what I do not know; that which I cannot see is all plain to Him. He is working out His own designs, and His designs are perfectly wise and good. Let me lie still. Let my

heart echo the twice-repeated words of the Psalmist, "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." If I can but say that, then I cannot fail to "be still."

G

CHAPTER XXIV.

LOVE BECAUSE OF PRAYER HEARD.

“I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.”—Psalm cxvi. 1.

"I LOVE the Lord:" it is much to say that. It is the Lord's command, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart;” it is well and happy, when the heart obeys, and a glow of grateful love is felt, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh thus, "I love the Lord!"

This was a fresh feeling of love for a fresh benefit. The Psalmist had been in trouble and sorrow, in grievous pain, in danger of death; then he had called on the name of the Lord, and the Lord had been gracious to him and delivered him: he had been brought low, and the Lord had helped him ; his soul (his life) had been delivered from

death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from falling. It was for this that his heart broke forth thus, "I love the Lord."

Surely every mercy received should increase our love to God. If we loved Him before, we should now love Him more. If we did not love Him before, this should draw us to love Him. Not a gift, not a deliverance, not an answer to prayer, should we receive, without feeling anew, anew, and more deeply and heartily than ever, "I love the Lord."

But had he actually recovered when he said, "I love the Lord"? Probably he had, for almost directly after he speaks of recovery, though in this verse it is not recovery that he mentions, but the hearing of his prayers. If it is recovery that he thus loves the Lord for, it is recovery granted in answer to prayer; he does not forget how he sought the Lord, and called upon His name, in trouble; in his recovery he sees God's answer to prayer, "I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications."

But it is quite possible that his thankfulness and love began before his recovery, and while he was still in trouble; for what he actually expresses love to God for is the hearing of his prayers, not the granting of what he asked for: "I love the Lord, because He hath heard." When we pray in faith, ought we not to believe that, for Christ's sake, God hears us? And ought we not to love Him for hearing us? Let not my love wait for my recovery. Let me love the Lord, because He hears me. He will grant my requests at His own time, but He hears them now. At whatever time, and in whatever way, He sees best, He will send me the blessing; but while I am yet speaking, He hears my voice and my supplications. Let me love Him for that.

Have I never been conscious of prayer being heard? While outward things remained unchanged, and I was still weak and in pain, have I not had the comfort of believing that God heard my prayer for relief? What meant that peace which came to me? What was it that soothed my spirit, and refreshed

and cheered me, and gave me hope, and for the moment made me almost forget my

pain? What was it that thus gave me comfort immediately after my prayer, nay, while I was praying? Surely, it was that God heard me, and gave me the witness of the Spirit that He did. He answers prayer inwardly as well as outwardly; not only by removing sickness and pain, but also by assuring the heart that He hears.

O my God, I have made my prayer to Thee. In my Saviour's name, I have sought Thee, and called on Thee, and laid my wants before Thee, and besought Thy mercy and Thy healing grace and power: I do humbly believe that Thou hast heard me; I believe it, because I have asked in Thy Son's name, and Thou hast promised to hear all who call upon Thee by Him. O gracious God and Father, I love Thee, because Thou hast heard my voice and my supplications! My heart goes up in thankfulness to Thee for hearing me. From my sick-room I thank Thee; in this my low estate, I love Thee.

It makes me happy to love Thee, it does