These holy ones are distinguished by many things from each other. Some of them are in public life and some in private. Some are rich, and some poor; some are young, and some old. But all are equally dear to God, and partakers of the common salvation; in which there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. They pass under various denominations among men, and these too often keep them at a distance from each other, and lead them to mistake and censure each other; and often they would seem to wish to draw Him along with them, and confine his influences within their respective exclusiveness. But no; He owns them all. They are all children of the same family, and going to the same temple to worship; and however they may differ in dress, or age, or stature, they all stand in the same relation to each other, and to himself. Some of them are strong, and others are weak in faith. He has in his fold lambs as well as sheep; and in his family babes as well as young men. But a bruised reed will he not break, and the smoking flax will he not quench, but will bring forth judgment unto victory. This honour have all his saints: "All his saints are in thy hand."

In his fashioning hand. They are the clay, and he is the potter, and he makes them vessels of honour, prepared unto every good work. He fearfully and wonderfully made them as creatures. But they are his workmanship by another and a nobler creation "This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise."

In his preserving hand. For now they are precious, they are the more exposed. They are called a crown and a diadem, and the powers of darkness would gladly seize it; but observe where it is placed for security: "Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God;" and there they are safe, perfectly safe — safe, not owing to their strength, but to their situation. By another image the Saviour establishes the same confidence. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

In his guiding hand. To lead a blind man, you take him in your hand. Thus the Lord leads his people. He knoweth the way that they take, but they do not, "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known." You take a little child in your hand to lead him. Though God, says Bishop Hall, has a large family, none of his children are able to go alone; they are too weak, as well as too ignorant. But fear not, says God: "I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

In his chastening hand. They are sometimes alarmed at their afflictions, and cry, Do not condemn me — as if they were in the hand of an enemy. But he is their father and not like fathers of our flesh, "for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness." Luther therefore said. "Strike on, Lord, strike on; for now I know I am thy child." We deserve to lose the rod, and by our improper behaviour we forfeit all claim to his correction; and we may well wonder and exclaim, "Lord, what is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him, that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment?" But he does not deal with us according to our desert. And therefore, rather than leave us to make flesh our arm, or the world our portion, he will remove every stay of support, and dry up every spring of comfort. But he does not afflict willingly. If needs be only, we are in heaviness: and when we mourn our faults, the rod drops upon the ground, and he hastens to wipe away our tears. "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord."

Whatever, therefore, Christians have to distress and perplex, here is enough to comfort and to satisfy them: "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God."

Morning Exercises For Everyday In The Year
By Rev. William Jay