Trust Him to tune thy voice His "Wait" shall issue in "Rejoice!" "Wait PATIENTLY for Him.” He doth not bid thee wait, Thine eyes shall surely see, The Lord thy God arise for thee: "OUR GOD SHALL COME." PSALM i. 5. "Gather my saints together unto me." What an expressive word "my saints!" How the Lord appropriates them as His own! "They shall be mine, in that day when I make up my jewels." What precious words-" my saints," "my jewels!" What sinful, erring creatures we are! How do we daily and hourly provoke the Lord who loves us! What naughty children the Lord has to manage! How He may say of us, as Moses said of Israel, "Ye have been rebellious against the Lord since the day that I knew you;" and yet, "my saints!" "my jewels!" Oh, what grace! what wondrous love! Mark another word here. "Gather my saints." "He shall gather the lambs in His arms." He shall "gather" them as a shepherd his sheep in the hour of weakness and danger-the weak ones, the nervous ones, those who start at a shadow and tremble at the fluttering of a leaf. They shall not be weak or nervous then. The frail body shall be dropped for ever, and they shall be clasped in an embrace such as they have never known on earth, to a bosom of infinite love. But observe the next word, "Gather my saints together." It is the family meeting; it is the grand re-union; it is the glad assembly. We shall not rise to meet the Lord individually—in isolations; we shall be gathered together. So the apostle speaks of our gathering together unto Him.” And again, "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them." No more separations; no more divisions; no more discords; no more sects, or systems: all together! One mind, one heart, one joy, one glad meeting, without the shadow of a farewell ever darkening its shores! What heart does not bound at the thought! And yet one word more the sweetest of all— "unto Me." Ah! what would all the others be without this? Nothing, nothing! The foam, the dust, the shadow, the air! What would that meeting be without Jesus? What is any meeting without Him? The very notes of heaven would be discord. Its jasper walls would be hideous. Its very air would be oppressive. It would all be dreariness and darkness and death. With His name every song is sweet. In His smile every countenance is bright. Every chord of the golden harps will vibrate with His praise. Every voice will be vocal with His name. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!-throughout eternity. For this the Lord Himself prays: "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." Love can only be satisfied with the presence of its object. So with the Saviour. He longs for us. He waits for us. We must be with Him. How can He be happy without us? But who are these thus gathered? Mark it well, reader: "Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." They are those who have made a covenant with God through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are the blood-bought ones. They are those who have cast themselves -all sin and guilt, helpless and undone on the finished work of the Lord Jesus. They are those who cry from the depths of their hearts, Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee. Reader, have you done this? If you have not, you are not in that covenant; and if you are not in that covenant now, can you think of that meeting? You may hide this sad picture from your conscience, or, worse than all, charge your sin on God, by a series of excuses. But it will not avail then. Mark the next verse: The heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is judge Himself." His righteous dealings will then be acknowledged by every lip and felt by every heart. Even the wicked shall be compelled to own it. And not only so, but righteousness shall be written on everything, as it never has been yet. And why? "For God is judge Himself." He shall be judge in the earth, and the result will be righteous judgment. Misrule, injustice, oppression, will all end then. "Righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea." And what is the practical lesson from all this for the world as well as God's people? There is a word for each at the close of this chapter. "Ye that forget God, consider this." Unconverted reader, weigh it well, lest God "tear thee in pieces." The day is at hand. Fly to Jesus. He is your only hope. Out of Him you are not safe for a moment. Be warned, and haste to the refuge. Christian, "order your conversation"-or citizenship" aright." Aim to glorify Jesus. Let His praise fill your heart. Let His image be clearly written on every act of your life. for Christ. Be whole-hearted Meet again! yes, we shall meet again, His people all Together Christ shall call. Soon the days of absence shall be o'er, And thou shalt weep no more; Our meeting day Shall wipe all tears away. Now I go with gladness to our home, There I will wait To meet thee at heaven's gate. |