“ ■ remembered G od and was troubled” (Psa. 77: 1 3 ). One would expect this verse to read, “ I re membered God and was glad” or “ I remembered God and was comforted.” We do not ordinarily as sociate the remembrance of God with trouble. But calling God to mind sometimes makes us unhappy. At least it should. I can think o f at least three ways in which by remembering the Lord I am troubled. WHEN I REMEMBER HOW HOLY GOD IS AND HOW SINFUL I AM, I AM TROUBLED. It was when Job saw God that he abhorred him self. It was when Isaiah saw the King that he cried, “Woe is me for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips . . .” It was Daniel in the presence o f a holy God who said, “My comeliness was turned in me to corruption.” It was Peter at the feet o f his Lord who said, “ Depart from me for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord.” This generation, with no fear of God before its eyes, needs a new vision of a holy and righteous God. We used to sing “ Amazing Grace” with mean ing because we understood that line, “ ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear.” The average man today has a concept of God with no more moral force than Santa Claus. Sin has been explained away in double-jointed psychiatric terms and men are not going to the mourner’s bench over guilt complexes, inhibitions and frustrations. But we do not get under conviction by looking at our sins but rather when we face the Saviour. John the Baptist did not say, “Behold the sin of the world” but “ Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” Men must re member God before they are troubled. We have a generation of sinners who do not know they are sinners and churches full of professing Christians who feel no need for daily cleansing. One reason for such a state is that we have not stirred up the minds of men to remember that God is just and righteous and holy. We have whittled Him down to our size and toned down His holiness in order to make us comfortable in our sins. We need a message of comfort today but men cannot be truly comforted until they are first made miserable over their sins. God tunes His instru ments from the base. Christian experience, like the Book of Romans, begins with a righteous God and sinful men. God first hurts before He heals. We cannot have rejoicing until we have had repent ance. David had a proper concept o f sin: “ Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned.” He did not merely
i i i m ? u « i t S w i n c r o 1
REMEMBER » 1 Ci» I w l f c * iw V HP K » i l
by Vance Havner
12
THE K IN G 'S BUSINESS
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