Gems for the Weekend
April 16-17
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
The earth - why not heaven? The earth is the scene of all this evil, causing such sorrow and mourning. But now, having better learnt God's ways, they can commit all to Him. Meekness is not merely to have a sense of nothingness in ourselves, or to be filled with sorrow for the opposition to God here below; but it is rather the calmness which leaves things with God, and bends to God, and thankfully owns the will of God, even where naturally it may be most trying to ourselves. (William Kelly - Lectures on Matthew)
N.J. Hiebert # 2218
"And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest; for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous (noble character) woman." (Ruth 3:11)
The grace of Boaz was great, and the grace of our Boaz is without limit. Faith is never disappointed when it comes to Him, expecting something from Him. (The flesh is disappointed, however, because the Lord never gives the flesh what it asks for except to chastise it.) Grace rejoices when faith makes bold requests. It says, "Open thy mouth wide." Faith may ask that mountains of difficulties be removed and thrown into the sea, and it will happen. And the Lord will ever especially answer the prayer of a believer in which he yields entirely to Himself. In one of our hymns we sing, "I yield my future, way, and destiny into Thy hands, O Father, for Thou dost keep me." No matter how much faith may request, grace will always answer, "Fear not." Not only that; the Lord will also say, "All that Thou sayest will I do." He wants us to trust Him implicitly. (H.L. Heijkoop - The Book of Ruth)
N.J. Hiebert # 2219
