Encouragement in Christ JESUS - 09MAY23 A.D.

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." —Genesis 8:22 [KJV]

"Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."—1 Timothy 4:8. By faith we view the declarations of Jehovah as the blessings of a father's love. The returning seasons, the revolving periods of time declare the glory of our heavenly Father; while the Christian meditates upon and gratitude inspires his heart for the innumerable blessings of time, yet far nobler subjects demand the contemplation of his soul. Happy for us, when temporal blessings are enjoyed as covenant mercies, and are sanctified to us in Christ Jesus. We see and adore the sovereignty of God in appointing times and seasons. The immutability of his will is the law by which they are governed. When the fixed period shall come, all nature shall be reduced to its primitive nothing. Time shall be swallowed up in a never-ending eternity. Happy soul, who art taught the displays of grace from the images of nature, who bows to the sovereignty of love, rejoices in the covenant of grace, and rests upon the immutability of God's purposes and promises in Christ Jesus to poor sinners! Such are assured that as in nature, so in the kingdom of grace, seed-time and harvest shall not fail to God's church and people, because of "his everlasting covenant which is ordered in all things, and sure."

There is a time for the immortal seed of the word to be sown in every elect soul. This is experienced by the seed striking root in conviction of sin; by its springing up in faith, desire, and love to Jesus. And because the sun of righteousness ever lives and shines upon his members, they shall most assuredly reap a harvest of eternal glory. Chilling cold and winter's blasts may succeed the summer of love and warmth of affection. Nights of darkness, from desertion, temptation, and affliction, may follow days of peace, joy, and consolation. These various seasons and changes will pass upon and be experienced by believing souls "while the earth remaineth;" that is, so long as our earthly, sensual nature continues; but it is sentenced to dissolution. We must leave it on this side Jordan, then we shall see it no more as an enemy for ever. But in the presence of Jesus the soul shall have fulness of joy, and the body shall be raised a glorious body, to enjoy the pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore. There shall be no night of darkness, no chill of affections, no winter of distress. At present this is our sweet consolation; of every one of his beloved members Christ saith, "Because I live, ye shall live also."—John 14:19. In the experience of faith we know "Christ is our life;" with joy we declare, "when He shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory."—Colossians 3:4.

William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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