Faith Makes a Bridge Over the River of Death

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." -Psalm 56:3 [KJV]


A Christian’s fears commence with his joys. Being new-born, he is the subject of new joys and new fears also: and, glory to grace! he has a new object too to trust in—a covenant God in Christ, who is unchangeable in His love. Confidence in Him is the sovereign antidote against dejecting fears. Fears, that the world know not of, beset holy saints.


(1st.) They find and feel their hearts to be superlatively deceitful, and desperately wicked. They dread their corruptions, more than all the men on earth, or devils in hell: they are afraid lest some vile lust, cursed corruption or devilish temptation should prevail, so as to offend their Lord, wound their conscience, and bring a reproach upon that holy name, whereby they are called. This is a godly fear; it can do the soul no harm: it is for its good: it keeps it humble and self-diffident, and causes it to say, “I will trust in Thee.”  Do, saith the Saviour;  My grace is sufficient for thee: My strength is made perfect in thy weakness: My power shall prevail over thy wickedness.

(2d.) They may be afraid, after all their delightful hopes, of living and reigning with Jesus in glory; that, through the pressure of a body of sin and death, the snares and devices of Satan, the allurements of the world, etc., they may come short and perish at last. They may fear, lest, after they have spun the last thread, they should perish on the shore, in sight of glory. But they may boldly and confidently say, “I will trust in Thee.”  For here is a most precious three-fold cord which can never be broken.

Thus saith Jesus, (a.) “I give unto My sheep eternal life.” (b.) “They shall never perish.” (c.) “None shall pluck them out of My hands” (John 10:28.) I thank Thee, my dear Lord! this has been a sheet-anchor to my soul in many a dreadful storm.

(3d.) We may be afraid of that terrible monster—Death! But Christ has conquered him for us. Trust in the Lord, brings perfect victory over him, and joyful triumph against him: so that we can say, “O, death! where is thy sting? O, grave! where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:55.) Faith makes a bridge over the river of death.

But, (4th.) Says a poor sinner, ‘I am not afraid of being damned in hell, but of starving on earth.’But, saith he, “Trust in the LORD, and verily thou shalt be fed.” -Psalm 32:3 

How many are the fears
Which exercise my mind!
But God is nigh, His grace appears:
From this, support I find.
O! teach my soul the art
All times to trust in Thee:
For, O, how gracious is Thy heart!
In love it bled for me.

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)



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