Faith's Checkbook

brucesbiblepage

Aug 10

August 10
He Lowers to Raise
The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. (1 Samuel 2:7)
All my changes come from Him who never changes. If I had grown rich, I should have seen His hand
in it, and I should have praised Him; let me equally see His hand if I am made poor, and let me as
heartily praise Him. When we go down in the world, it is of the Lord, and so we may take it patiently:
when we rise in the world, it is of the Lord, and we may accept it thankfully. In any case, the Lord hath
done it, and it is well.
It seems that Jehovah's way is to lower those whom He means to raise and to strip those whom He
intends to clothe. If it is His way, it is the wisest and best way. If I am now enduring the bringing low, I
may well rejoice, because I see in it the preface to the lifting up. The more we are humbled by grace,
the more we shall be exalted in glory. That impoverishment which will be overruled for our enrichment
is to be welcomed.
O, Lord, Thou has taken me down of late and made me feel my insignificance and sin. It is not a
pleasant experience, but I pray Thee make it a profitable one for me. Oh, that Thou wouldst thus fit me
to bear a greater weight of delight and of usefulness; and when I am ready for it, then grant it to me,
for Christ's sake! Amen.