James Smith, 1842

        "Wearisome nights are appointed to me." Job 7:3

Whatever the Lord appoints for His people while below, bears the mark of infinite wisdom upon it. All His appointments are gracious — they flow from His infinite love. Wearisome nights are painful — but they are often beneficial. They remind us of mercies we have forgotten to be thankful for; of favors we have seldom if ever acknowledged. They conform to Jesus — he had wearisome nights when here below. What a night was that preceding His death! See Him on the cold ground in Gethsemane's garden — He agonizes with His God; He expostulates with His wearied disciples; He sweats great drops of blood. Oh what a dreadful night! Who shall attempt to estimate the weight of woe, under which the Redeemer groaned! The wrath of God for your sins, was upon Him; the curse of God for your transgressions, was entering as oil into His bones; the strokes of divine justice were bringing Him into the dust of death. How dreadful! How bitter must that cup have been, which made Him groan out from His inmost soul, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me!"

No friend was near to soothe His sorrow, or to attempt to alleviate His woe; He trod the winepress alone. Think then of Jesus, as you are tossed to and fro unto the dawning of the day; and think that He suffered for your sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring you to God. His was a wearisome night indeed!

Consider Job — how many, and what wearisome nights had he! His body literally covered with sore boils, from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet. His mind racked and tormented in an unexampled manner. His children, all His children removed, by sudden death; all His property stolen or destroyed; His servants disobedient and disorderly; His friends cruel and unkind, laying to his charge things which he knew not; and His wife estranged from him, crying "Curse God and die!" Add to all this, the light of the Lord's countenance was concealed from him, and Satan let loose, tempting, harassing, and distressing him.

What are your wearisome nights, compared with his? He had not one or two — but many such nights; until His soul chose strangling and death, rather than life.

Look at David, the man after God's own heart — how many wearisome nights had he! Sometimes we find him in a palace on a princely bed; at other times in a wilderness, a desert, or a cave. We read of his sore running in the night, and ceasing not; his soul refusing to be comforted; of his being so troubled that he could not speak. He exclaims, "My soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near unto the grave. You have put away my acquaintance far from me, you have made me an abomination unto them. My heart is smitten and withered like grass; by reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my skin: for I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping."

Thousands of God's people before you, have been thus exercised and tried; therefore do not think that your lot is hard, or that Jehovah is lacking in love to you. He says, "As many as I love — I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent." Think of your mercies — consider your deserts. Call upon God for patience and resignation to His will. Be more concerned to do and suffer the will of God, than to have your own desires granted. Wearisome nights will soon end, the last wearisome night will soon have passed away; and then you will "enter into peace." Rejoice always in the Lord, and drink of the river of His pleasure.