It pleases God to send it, and whatever pleases Him pleases me

Today’s Puritan AUDIO Devotional:

God's most stubborn enemy
Jonathan Edwards, 1703-1758
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It pleases God to send it, and whatever pleases Him pleases me

(Thomas Guthrie, “Christ and the Inheritance of the Saints” 1858)

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
 and there are no grapes on the vines;
 even though the olive crop fails,
 and the fields lie empty and barren;
 even though the flocks die in the fields,
 and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” Habakkuk 3:17-18

What should hinder him who sees God as his heavenly Father, and believes that all events proceed from His hand, and are managed by His wisdom, and are prompted by His love–from kissing the rod, and saying, “My Father, not my will, but may Your will be done.” I say, what should hinder him from taking the agonizing cup and draining it to the bitterest dregs.

We have perfect confidence in God’s wisdom and in His love. We only do Him the justice which we would expect from our own children, when we believe that He does not afflict us willingly, nor unnecessarily grieve His redeemed children, nor ever chastens us but in love.

His was a noble saying who, when his crops were rotting in flooded fields, and poverty stared at him from the scowling heavens, and other men cursed the weather; on being asked his reason for saying that it pleased him, replied, “It pleases God to send it, and whatever pleases Him pleases me.” We are ready to envy a man whose faith could triumph over such great misfortunes.

Yet why should we not lie as calmly in the arms of God’s providence, as we lay in infancy on our mother’s bosom?

Having an ever-living, an ever-lasting, an ever-loving father in God–how may we welcome all of His providences!

Drawing some good from every evil, as the bee extracts honey even from poisoned flowers–how may we say, “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!”

Sweetly submissive to the will of God, shall it not fare with us as with the pliant reeds that fringe the margin of the lake, and bending to the blast, not resisting it–raise their heads anew, unharmed by the storm that has snapped the mountain pine, and rent the hearts of oaks asunder?

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”Job 1:21

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job 2:10

“Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him”Job 13:15

“He is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His eyes.” 1 Samuel 3:18

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider:
 God has made the one as well as the other.” Ecclesiastes 7:14

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39

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Arthur Pink, “The Attributes of God”
Chapter 16. The LOVE of God

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