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“The Lord is Very Pitiful”

James 5:11

The horrible atheism of our depraved nature continually quarrels with the Most High; and when we are under God’s afflicting hand and his providence crosses our will, the evil of our nature becomes evident. When greatly distressed, we are far too apt to think ill of and to speak in rebellion against the Most High. I wish it were not so; but it is. Our hard speeches and suspicions betray a terrible lack of faith in and submission to our all-wise and ever-gracious God.

Goodness and Mercy

Looking back over my life, how I wish I could blot out every murmuring thought and take back every murmuring word. They were all unwarranted and ungodly. I have repented of the evil privately and do so now publicly. When I take survey of my life in this world, I see that the kindness of God has run all through it like a golden thread. Goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, always pursuing me and chasing me into the arms of God, even when I have wickedly rebelled against him and his goodness and mercy.

Are you not compelled to confess the same, my brother, my sister? Even our apparent woes have been real blessings. I do not know for which we should bless God most — for our sorrows or for our joys. The best piece of furniture I have ever had in my house is the cross of affliction. Adversity is the richest field in all the farmland of life. We have never reaped such a harvest from any seed as from that which fell from our hands while tears were falling from our eyes. When we have gone forth weeping, bearing precious seed, we have invariably come again, rejoicing, bringing our sheaves with us. Truly the Lord has strengthened us “upon the bed of languishing” and made our beds in all our sicknesses (Psalm 41:3).

Very Pitiful

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him!” (Psalm 34:8) — “The Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting!” (Psalm 100:5) — “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy!”

Let every heaven born soul say, “He healeth all my diseases.” Let every tried believer say, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Let the aged saint bring the spoils of his experience and lay them down at the feet of the Lord our God who, up to now, has helped him. May God the Spirit graciously turn our eyes away from ourselves to God our Savior that we may ever be mindful of this blessed, sweet, comforting fact — “The Lord is very pitiful.”

The Apostle James, writing by divine inspiration, corrects our judgment of God and his providence, telling us to patiently endure unto the end of our days believing God. Oh, for grace to patiently endure every trial of faith, every crossing of my will, everything appointed by my heavenly Father for me, confidently trusting him!

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s