Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-10-12
Sunday ReaaiHs.I
EDITED BY REV. F. L. LEEPER.
God For Me.
Episcopal Recorder.

LplScOpal Recorder
David found comfort in the fact of
Gods interest in him, saying in the
tifty-siXth Psalm, "God is for me-"
Few but most weighty words, and
words which every Christian, de-
spite his insignificance and weakness,
can with perfect propriety make his
own. Indeed, to do less than this is
to fail short of any proper apprecia-
ton of the true position the Christian
occupies in the sight of God.
1t is the wondrous comprenensive>
ness Of the fact expressed by these
words which alone accounts for the
whole scheme of salvation, and our
individual interest therein.
Had he not been for us from the
counsels Of eternity, he would not
have given the Son for us, nor when
he came In flesh have laid upon him
the iniquity of us all. He was for us,
and therefore laid upon Christ the
wrath due to us. .1 8 I-L
He was for us when we were ruined
in the fall, and continued for us not
withstanding our persistent rebellion
against him, and despite our repeated
rejection of his mercy.
Had God not been for US, we should
never have been brought to humbly
seek his face, and it has been only be-
cause he was for us that we have been
sustained amid many trials, upheld
in many temptations, and enabled to
overcome in many struggles. Faint
we may be, yet that we are still pur-
suing we owe to the glorious fact that
he is for us; but smoking fax or
bruised reeds we may be, but that we
are neither entirely quenched nor ut
terly broken we can only attribute to
the fact that he has been on our side,
and that greater is he that is for us
than those that are against us.
Infinite in being, omnipotent in
love, infallible in wisdom, and with
mercy that is exceeding broad, and
clothed in all the attributes of heav-
emily majesty, God has been, is still,
for us. His championship for us can
know no change. 1t has been, it is,
it ever shall be. Eternally and i'm
mutually the same, our covenant God
is for us-and therefore will he ever
listen to our prayers. Because he is
for us, before we cry he will answer,
and ere the petition of his dear child
is uttered, the heavenly messenger
will be ordered to fly swiftly to his
aid.
If then God be for us, who can be
against us? How sure, how safe, is
the position of the Christian! Well
may he liken his defences to the
munitions of rocks-for he who is fol
us is greater than they that be against
us. Many and malignant are the
enemies which encompass us, bitter.
ly and ravenously do they seek to dc
us harm; but God is for us, and with
his everlasting arms beneath us we
shall not, nay, we cannot fail. AT
tiicted and harrassed we will be; foes
within and foes without may cause
us dismal apprehensions, so that, like
David, when in another mood hi
feared that some day he would fal
into the hands of Saul, we may la
ment over present difficulties, ana
despond over future prospects, but al
this cannot affect our great ally. Goo
is for us, and he cannot fail. ,....s
Away from home, and therefore ex
posed to new temptations, to greater
risks, and beguiled by the allure
ments Of the world, we have at thi
vacation season increased need to as
sure ourselves of the present hell
which is now ours. He is a presen
refuge, as well as on our side, and W,
can best honor him by relying upol
him. l
But if God is for us, how are WI
showing ourselves toward him? d,
we let men see that we are on tn
Lords side? Do we walk so tina
men recognize the fact that we ar
depending upon more than human
support; that we are communin,
with One who is holy and who can
not look upon sin with any degree @
allowance? The knowledge that Go,
is for us is a doctrine full of comfort
but it also cries aloud to us, ant
should impel us TO pureneSs and hOli
ness Of living.