The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-10-30

monites, the kings were defeated near Il
Mizar, the law was given, and ne may
have meant to say difficulties as great a:
Jordan, enemies as strong as the kings
lone of these things shall move me. He Is
my God; or it may mean that since these
places are farthest from the tabernac,c
David is saying, What if | am afar OF.
no trial can be too severe for me"
".
God of my life" This is further on in
the line of truth. You will notice that
the two preceding expressions are thus put
together. One who is learning of God is
like a child learning his alphabet. He
knows his letters, but who is there that
knows all the words into which the letters
may be shaped. and who has read all the
books which they can make up. 1t is SO
with God. He is the God of my life. What
if l am forsaken, He is my Father; what
if I am comfortless, He is like my mother;
what if 1 am cast down. He is my re-
s%torer; what if l am hopeless and undone,
He is my hope.
Good nv rock" David was a fugitive
and had little means of defense. He is
continually pursued by his enemies, and
since the country is full Of mountains and
caves of refuge are on every side of him
they become to him the picture Of God:
lie calls Him my rock. The names OF God
are suited to every circumstance in life.
Nothing is more fitting for us than to get
hold OF this expression OF Davids. You
will be tempted on every side. the enemy
is too strong for you, but literally David's
expression is, God is my cliff" That is,
He rises above the things of this world.
ard He wants His children to understand
that wherever there is a heart big with
sorrow, wherever there is al eve filled
with tears or a lip quiverlng with agony
His ear is wide open to all their cries.
memory; He will not forsake His own.
vi.
God my strength" This means my
strength belongs to God, and | must use
it only for His glory. He is taking note OF
all that I DO, and one day | shall be called
to an account. God might if He pleased
wrap Himself about with night as a gar
ment. He might dwell alone far above
this world, and look down with indifrer-
encc upon the doings or His creatures;
We might look up into the heavens and
BEHOLD the stars and say. Il am nothing
compared with these, and God does not
care sor me-" but not so. He notices
every ore Of us. He knows our names.
has numbered the hairs of our head, and
not a sparrow falls to the ground except
beneath the gaze Of His eye. Whatever
we do or bear or suffer the eye OF God IS
upon Us.
Oae of the most interesting pictures in
the Louvre is that Of Christ with eyes so
wonderful that walk which wav' you will
the gaze is upon YOU. and so God Is the
God OF nv strength and one day l must
VII.
God: my exceeding JOY" This includes
all that has gone before. and it exceeds all
others, first. in it's nature, for it is not
happiness. that depends uDon circum-
stances. 1t is joy OF which David speaks
which may be ours. though the night Is
upon us and the burden is really too heavy
for us to bear. 1t exceeds all others in its
duration. for it never ends. This can be
said of no other experience. all others have
their boundaries. but this is an illimitab!e
sea reaching beyond the bonds OF time and
lasting through eternity. 80 God. tins
is a sous cry. ''th" Il ;ng God" no one
else can satisfy MY 3D." He is mine,
and nothing can separate me from Him:
God of my life He will be whatever l
long to have Him be. God my rock"
re il nv defense in every time OF need.
God my strength" All that ] have Is
His. "God. my exceeding JOY" He Is be;
yond all that the world can give. and
when that JOY fills the soul earth IS
changed to heaven.