Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14
"Be of good courage!" Alas, how can one be so, when all sense and feeling dishearten the mind and dejeer the soul? Lively frames in duty, sweet enlargements of heart, heavenly transports of joy, delightful ecstasies of faith, rapturous tastes of love, all, all, like Noah's dove, have taken their flight; and I fear, says the drooping soul, never, never more to return. Truly, like Hezekiah, "I mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me." Isaiah 38: 14. Still saith the Comforter, by his word, "Be of good courage." Remember thy calling. It is to live by faith, honor thy Lord, and be obedient to his word. Thou hast the sentence of death in thyself, that thou shouldst not trust in thyself, lest thine heart depart from thy Lord. Not frames and feelings, but God's love and promises in Christ to sinners, are the foundation of hope. These are abundantly sufficient to inspire the soul with courage, yea, with good courage, to go on in the ways of the Lord.
Steadfast faith cleaves to Jesus, abides by the truth, perseveres in dutiful obedience. Shall these ever be suspended for want of lively frames and joyful feelings! How would this prove that we walk by faith, and that our eye is single to Christ's glory? Nay, we should then serve him only according to the changes of sense and passion, rather than by the uniform, consistent obedience of faith.
The Lord's word is our rule of duty. His promises are our support. His grace is sufficient for us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. If our hearts are weak, that we cannot run with alacrity the way of God's commandments as we desire, so much more reason have we to wait on the Lord for the "times of refreshing from his presence." For "he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Isaiah 40: 29. "Wait, I say, on the Lord." David repeats the injunction, with a holy fervor, to his own soul and others. God has promised; expect fulfilment. Here is the exercise of faith, trust in the Lord Christ for what we stand in need of; of hope, expecting to receive all from him; of patience, waiting continually upon him. Most precious promise! "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint." Isaiah 40: 31.
*