F or this study, we want to consider Psalm 147, verses 3 and 4: “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.” The Bible often does the surprising thing. Some times it is a strange omission. At other times, it is a spectacular reve lation. But here, in these verses from Psalm 147, we have a surprising con junction, a striking contrast, and a s t a r t l i n g combination: “Stars and Sorrows.” Here, in a most remarkable way , we h a v e a combination of worlds and woes. Who, but God, would ever think of joining planets and pains together; of uniting the constellations of Heaven with the crushings of human hearts. This cer tainly is no flight of human fancy, but rather a grand and glorious fact of divine revelation. Heaven with its transcendant glories is brought close to earth with its tragic griefs. The God of heavenly stars is the God of human sorrows. These two verses give us a conception of God that is at once accurate and adequate. It certainly will keep us from false ideas about His char ac t e r . Our contemporary thought is guilty of mistaken ideas about God. On the other hand, He is regarded as a distant God, One who takes little or no interest in things human. When God is considered as being remote and disinterested, there is no love for Him. He is too far off to become the object of our affection. Men do not hold Him in regard since they fail to realize His personal in terest and care. But when God is thought of as being on our level, there is no fear. Men forget that He is the high and lofty One who superintends all. But these verses before us correct such impressions of God, as they re veal His greatness and His grace. The God of the Bible is One who makes the heavenly bodies in His greatness, but mends the broken human hearts. He is lofty, but He is also love. Truly He is the balanced God. At first these two verses seem to be thinking about two things that are widely separated and have nothing in common. But such is not the case. Actually, stars and sorrows have many things in common. They are certainly very much alike. The kin ship is not so obscure as you might
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Looking for that blessed hope
Titus 2:13
Enclosed in Christ: Ac ts 17:28
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| Enclosed, in Christ! s Within, above, around me, > And underneath c The everlasting arms: < Encirclement complete; > Pm satisfied, and sing. ? Nothing alarms. | Enclosed in Christ! > I gladly lose all, \ That 1 may gain Him; c And then I find my gain s Is incomputable, > Past worldly measure. \ In, and for Christ, like Christ, < With Him forevermore! S It grows more plain.
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Enclosed in Christ! He ever is between me And my weakness, My anxiousness, and loss.
> < < 5 ? 5 > < > > < \
And then again
I have no care, no discontent,
Nor failure ,— Not even lacks;
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They’re all nailed to His cross.
Enclosed in Christ! His joy, despite conditions,
Is always mine, His victory is sure.
In Him we live, and move, And have our being. His power is boundless; And will e’er endure.
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> (Mrs. McOuat has been bed-ridden for
—Mother Mac. > (F. McOuat) i
5 several decades.)
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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