Morning By Morning #316

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

God—“The eternal God” (Deut. 33:27)—is Himself our support at all times, especially when we are sinking into deep trouble. There are seasons in a Christian’s life when he sinks quite low in humiliation. Under a profound sense of his own great sinfulness and because he feels so worthless in his own eyes, he is humbled before the Lord until he scarcely knows how to pray.

Dear child of God, remember at times like these, even when you are at your very worst and lowest, “underneath [you] are the everlasting arms.” However low sin may drag you, Christ’s great atonement is still fully under you. Perhaps you have descended to the depths of the ocean, but you cannot have fallen beyond the reach of His salvation, for “he is able to save completely” (Heb. 7:25). And sometimes a Christian will sink very low again due to some severe trial from without, one where every earthly prop seems to be pulled away. What will happen then? Even then—“underneath [him] are the everlasting arms.” A believer cannot fall so deep into distress and affliction that the covenant grace of our ever-faithful God will be unable to encircle him. A Christian may also be sinking due to troubles from within, but regardless of how fierce the conflict, he cannot fall so low as to be beyond the reach of “the everlasting arms.” They are still underneath him and as long as they sustain him, Satan’s efforts to harm will come to no avail.

This assurance of God’s support should be a true comfort to every weary, but earnest, servant in His service. It implies the Lord’s promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And even when death comes to us, His promise still holds true. When we are crossing over Jordan, we will be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Ps. 23:4). We will descend to the grave through death, but we will go no lower, for the eternal arms will prevent our fall. Throughout this life and even at its close, we will be upheld by “the everlasting arms”—arms that neither tire nor lose their strength, for “the LORD is the everlasting God…He will not grow tired or weary” (Isa. 40:28).

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Today we revisit yesterday’s theme of the Lord Himself being our protection. We are to trust Him completely to be our refuge and our defender. Once again may we meditate on one of the Psalms. Yet as we do, notice God’s promises are conditional, applying only to those who are His own.

If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91:9 – 16

Lord, “I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Ps. 56:11).