THE FAMILY ALTAR
August 5.
"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son whom He receiveth." Heb. 12:6.
"Surely, God does not love me, or He would not let me suffer
so long or so much !" How often do we hear that complaint from
sorely tried Christian friends ! How prone we are to make it our-
selves when we have to endure long and severe trials ! How hard
it is for flesh and blood to believe that God is revealing His love
toward us when He visits us with great and severe afflictions !
And yet it is true, must be true. No Christian heart can and will
believe that God inflicts suffering on us for the mere sake of
seeing us suffer. "He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the
children of men." (Lam. 3, 33.) So there can be but one reason
why He takes us into His school of suffering: He has our good,
our profit, in mind. "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with
you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth
not? Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which cor-
rected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather
be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they,
verily, for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but
He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness"
(Heb. 12, 7 — 10.) Is it not love when the Father in heaven chas-
teneth us to make us partakers of His holiness? Without holiness
no man shall see the Lord. Therefore let us take to heart what
the apostle says in conclusion : "Now, no chastening for the present
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it
yieldeth peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exer-
cised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down,
and the feeble knees." (Vv. 11. 12.)
We ask: Can God be Lord of love,
And also Lord of sov'reign power,
Yet look in silence from above
While hearts are breaking every hour?
So question we, nor apprehend
Our question answered long ago,
When God His best Beloved did send,
To make His own our deepest woe.
Ah! yes, God's heavens most grandly glow
When night reveals each shining star;
We need our darkest hours to know
How great His tender mercies are.
