James Smith

Our natural condition is truly miserable. Like that of Israel in Egypt or Babylon . . .
the crown has fallen from our heads,
our liberty is lost,
a tyrant rules over us, and
we are as degraded as we well can be!

In this state, the Lord . . .
looks upon us,
displays his grace, and
manifests his sovereign mercy.

He imparts his Spirit, exerts his power, and wonderful effects follow, so that with the church of old we may well say, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!" Psalm 126:3

THE FACT. "The Lord has done great things for us!"

In providence, he has supplied us, protected us, elevated us, and distinguished us from thousands of our fellow creatures.

In grace, he has redeemed us by the blood of his Son; called us to the knowledge of himself, by his invincible grace; introduced us into the liberty of the gospel, by sending the Spirit of adoption into our hearts; and by numbering us among his holy and happy children. Nor has he wrought for us as individuals alone — but for his church of which we form a part. He has . . .
converted sinners,
comforted believers,
restored backsliders,
frustrated the designs of Satan, and
conferred innumerable and invaluable blessings!

THE EFFECT. "The Lord has done great things for us — and we are filled with joy!" And well we may be. Would it not be astonishing if we were not filled with joy? Glad for our own sakes — who realize that we are saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation. Glad for the sake of our relatives — who are benefitted in a variety of ways. Glad for the sake of the saints — who are comforted and filled with joy. Glad for the sake of sinners — who are snatched from death, and saved from the wrath to come. Glad for the sake of Jesus — who sees of the travail of his soul, and is greatly glorified thereby. We are glad — and in testimony thereof, we praise and bless his great and glorious name! We consecrate ourselves afresh to his service, desiring to be more than ever devoted to his praise. We endeavor to spread his fame, and strive to bring many more to experience the same joy, and share the same blessedness!

Reader, What has God done for you? Are you one of the favored ones? Have you been delivered from Egyptian bondage, and from the Babylonish yoke? You were Satan's bondslave, and if you are delivered — you must have some knowledge of it. Some of the younger members of the Israelitish families, would not have so distinct, impressive, and powerful a sense of the Lord's delivering mercy in bringing them out of Egypt as the elder ones — but all would know something about it. Just so, all who are delivered from the bondage of sin and Satan, have not the same deep and vivid sense of the Lord's delivering grace — but all have some sense of it.

Has the Lord done great things for you?

If he has chosen you to eternal life,
if he has redeemed you from death,
if he has called you into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ,
if he has put you among his children, and
is he made you one of his heirs —
then he has done great things for you!

What have you done for God? All for whom God does great things — are desirous of doing something for him; and in proportion to the sense they have of his mercy — is the strength of the desire to do much for him. Have you done anything for God, out of simple gratitude for what he has done for you? How do you feel toward God? Do you love him? Do you feel as a kind-hearted child does toward his loving and indulgent father? Or, as an emancipated slave, toward his kind and generous deliverer? How do you feel before God? Glad? Thankful? Full of gratitude? Israel did, and as they reviewed what God had done for them, their gratitude seemed to deepen and glow, and with glad hearts they said, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!"

If the Lord has done anything for you — he is prepared to do more; if he has done great things for you — He is ready to do greater. What he did, he did freely, out of his own loving heart — and He is ready and willing to show you greater things than these. God's doing for us — always precedes our doing for him. Our doing for God — always flows out of what He has done for us. May the Lord do for us yet, exceeding and abundantly above all that we can ask or think!