THE FAMILY ALTAR
"This is my comfort in my affliction; for Thy Word hath
quickened me." Ps. 119:50.
We Christians so often forget the fact that we are pilgrims
and strangers in this world ; that we have here no continuing city,
but have our true home in heaven. Has not our blessed Savior
given us the unfailing promise : "I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto Myself ; that, where I am, there ye may be also" ?
Yet we forget this sweet truth so often and then are in great
danger of becoming "naturalized" in this wicked world, and of
no longer "pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3, 14.) But if we forget,
there is One who does not forget us nor leave us to perish in our
danger. Our faithful God and Savior comes to our rescue with
many and tearful afflictions that teach us to see and realize the
vanity of all earthly things. But while thus correcting and chas-
tising us He also comforts us. In His precious Word He comes
to us in our suffering and quickens our drooping faith and hope,
enlivens and kindles anew our love for Him and our better and
abiding home above. His blessed Word is no empty sound and
no dead letter, but divine truth and power and spirit and life.
Aye, He Himself becomes our "Comforter," our One and All, for
whom our heart longs and yearns with passionate love, declaring
with Asaph: 'Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there
is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my
heart f aileth ; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion
forever." (Ps. 73, 25.) Let us, therefore, daily read and hear His
quickening Word with a heart hungering for His loving, comforting
presence, and we shall gratefully declare with David: "Why art
thou cast down, 0 my soul? And why art thou disquieted
within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who
is the Health of my countenance and my God." (Ps. 42, 11.)
