by
D.MARTYN LLOYD-JONES
"The Lord hath done
great things for us, whereof we are glad." – Psalm 126:3
Some Christians are
sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more
upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them.
Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe
their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad
adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any
allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a
Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously,
and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God.
He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and he hath put
a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done
great things for me, whereof I am glad." Such an abstract of experience
as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true
that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out
of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we
know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient
Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their
dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been
in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of
Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been
through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks
to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us "out into a
wealthy place." The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God,
who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs
cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part
of our life’s song, "He hath done great things for us, whereof we are
glad."