And God loveth all His children, Rich and poor, and high and low, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." He knoweth all His people, From everlasting knew,- In living and in dying They shall remain His own. The little flock He knoweth,- And trusting in His might. C And thus He knows His people, By hope so bright and blest, Where truth shines forth serene, He knows them by their loving— And thus He knows His people,- So help us, Lord, we pray Thee, That none of glory rob us, Nor make our love grow cold: Since numbered with Thine own. "NEITHER shall ye profane My holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you."Leviticus xxii. 32. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."-Exodus xx. 7. "This glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD."-Deuteronomy xxviii. 58. "They that honour Me, I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."-1 Samuel ii. 30. "Holy and reverent is His name."-Psalm cxi. 9. "Thine enemies take Thy name in vain." -Psalm cxxxix. 20. "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God, for God is in Heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few.". Ecclesiastes v. 2. "I say unto you, Swear not at all."St. Matthew v. 34. "Above all things, my brethren, swear not."-St. James v. 12. In the last chapter we thought of God as our Father, and of ourselves as His children. Next we come to the words, "Hallowed be Thy name." We must remember that though God is our Father, we must honour and reverence Him as the great God," the maker of Heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible." If we really love Him, we shall have no difficulty in keeping this ever before our minds. Those who love and honour their earthly parents never speak of them disrespectfully, they never allow others to mention them lightly in their presence. But how few remember the duty they owe to God in this respect. How very few honour His holy name and His Word as they ought. |