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My Father's hand...
From Spurgeon's sermon, "Frost and Thaw"
It will greatly comfort you if you can see God's hand
in both your losses and your crosses.
Surely you will not murmur against the direct agency of your God.
It will put an extraordinary sweetness into 'daily mercies',
and make the comforts of life more comfortable still,
to know that they are from your Father's hand.
If your table be scantily furnished it shall suffice for your
contented heart, when you know that your Father spread it for
you in wisdom and love.
This shall bless your bread and your water; and shall make the
bare walls of an ill-furnished room as resplendent as a palace,
and turn a hard bed into a couch of down--
to know that your Father does it all.
We see his smile of love even when others see nothing
but the black hand of Death smiting our best beloved.
We see a Father's hand when the pestilence lays
our cattle dead upon the plain.
We see God at work in mercy when we ourselves are
stretched upon the bed of languishing.
It is ever our Father's act and deed--
this is true of the little things as well as of the great things.
Christian, remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity.
Rest assured that when God is pleased to send out the biting winds
of affliction he is in them, and he is always love, as much love in
sorrow as when he breathes upon you the soft south wind of joy.
See the lovingkindness of God in every work of his hand!
God is infinite in understanding, and works as
he wills by ways unguessed of mortal mind.
Join together in heartily praising the wonder-working God,
who does all things according to the counsel of his will!
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