Let me listen to this psalm of reconciliation, as it makes music for my soul to-day.

It tells me of the Divine favour. "_Lord, Thou hast been favourable to Thy land._" As I write these words, the sun has just slipped out from behind the cloud. It has been there all the time, but the ministry of the cloud was needed, and so it appeared as though there would be sun and spring no more. "Behind a frowning Providence He hides a smiling face."

And it tells me of the Divine forgiveness. "_Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people._" Yes, when the sun appears, He loosens the frozen earth and streams, and turns the bondage into liberty. The soul that was imprisoned in freezing guilt attains a joyous freedom.

And it tells me of revival. "_Wilt Thou not revive us again?_" It is the next step in the returning spring. The sleeping, benumbed things will all awake! "The flowers appear on the earth." Where grace reigns, graces spring! Forgiveness is attended by renewal, and the wilderness begins to "blossom like the rose."

NOVEMBER The Sixteenth

_THE MAKING OF A BRAVE MAN_

ACTS iv. 13-22.

Here is a marvellous transformation! I have been wondering at the littleness of the denier, and now this same denier is making the world wonder by his majestic boldness! His one resource is now the risen Christ, and his one moral standard is "whether it be right!" Once he quailed before an accusing maid; now he stands undaunted before the rulers of the earth. How has it all come about?

He has been to the empty tomb. The awe of the resurrection is upon his spirit. Through the once blind cul-de-sac of the grave he has seen the King and the great white throne.

And he has been by the lake on the morning of reconciliation. The live coal from the altar of his Lord's love has touched him and has purged away the uncleanness of his denial.

And he has been in the upper room at Pentecost, and the mighty Spirit has come upon him like wind and flame, endowing him with forceful and enthusiastic character. Now he can dare for G.o.d, now he can work for G.o.d, now he can burn for G.o.d! And this is how he has been transformed.

NOVEMBER The Seventeenth

_IF G.o.d BE FOR US----!_

ROMANS viii. 31-39.

Who else is worth naming? How much does anybody count? If the sun be on my side, why should I be dismayed at any icy obstacle that may rear itself in my way? Sun _versus_ ice! G.o.d _versus_ my impediments! Why should I fear?

If the atmosphere is on my side, then even the opposing strength of iron will rust away into powder. "The breath of the Lord bloweth upon it," and if the holy breath, G.o.d's Holy Spirit, is for us, then the apparently invincible obstacle will crumble away into dust.

But we are deceived by ma.s.s, and we are forgetful of spirit. Mere size affrights us. We are dismayed by numbers. We forget the quiet, pervasive, all-powerful ministry of the Spirit of G.o.d. We are overwhelmed by the phenomena of tempest and earthquake and fire, and we forget that almightiness hides in the "still, small voice," in "the sound of a gentle stillness." G.o.d's breath is more than the fierce threatenings of embattled hosts. "If G.o.d be for us, who can be against us?" I will hide myself in His holy fellowship, and "none shall make me afraid."

NOVEMBER The Eighteenth

_EXHILARANT SPIRITS_

"_He maketh my feet like hinds' feet._"

--PSALM xviii. 31-39.

I think of Wordsworth's lines, in which he describes a natural lady, made by Nature herself:

"She shall be sportive as the fawn That wild with glee across the lawn Or up the mountain springs."

And it is this buoyancy, this elasticity, this springiness that the Lord is waiting to impart to the souls of His children, so that they may move along the ways of life with the light steps of the fawn.

Some of us move with very heavy feet. There is little of the fawn about us as we go along the road. There is reluctance in our obedience. There is a frown in our homage. Our benevolence is graceless, and there is no charm in our piety, and no rapture in our praise. We are the victims of "the spirit of heaviness." And yet here is the word which tells us that G.o.d will make our feet "like hinds' feet." He will give us exhilaration and spring, enabling us to leap over difficulties, and to have strength and buoyancy for the steepest hills. Let us seek the inspiration of the Lord.

"It is G.o.d that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."

NOVEMBER The Nineteenth

_THE ARMOUR OF G.o.d_

EPHESIANS vi. 10-18.

The Word describes the armour, and it directs us to the armoury. The description would oppress me if the directions were absent. If I have to forge the armour for myself I should be in despair. But I can go to the armoury of grace, where there is an ever-open door and abundant welcome for every person who fain would be a knight-errant of the Lord. The Lord will provide me with perfect equipment suitable for every kind of contest which may meet me along the road. There are no favourites among the pilgrims except, perhaps, the neediest, and to them is given "more abundant honour."

Sometimes one of the Lord's knights loses one piece of armour, and he must at once repair to the armoury. Perhaps he has lost his helmet, or his shield, or even his breastplate, and the enemy has discovered his vulnerable place. We must never continue our journey imperfectly armed.

The evil one will ignore the pieces we have, and he will direct all his attack where there is no defence. Back to the armoury! Back to the armoury, that we may "put on the _whole_ armour of G.o.d." The Lord is waiting; let us humbly and penitently ask for the missing piece.

NOVEMBER The Twentieth

_THE REAL ARISTOCRACY_

"_Abraham, my friend._"

--ISAIAH xli. 8-16.

I think that is the n.o.blest t.i.tle ever given to mortal man. It is the speech of the Lord G.o.d concerning one of His children. It is something to be coveted even to enjoy the friendship of a n.o.ble man; but to have the friendship of G.o.d, and to have the holy G.o.d name us as His friends, is surely the brightest jewel that can ever shine in a mortal's crown. And such recognition and such glory may be the wonderful lot of thee and me.

"Abraham, my friend." The Lord of hosts found delight in human friendships. He comes in to sup with us. He drinks of the cup of our delights. For, surely, it is one of the supreme characteristics of true friendship that it rejoices at the other's joy. And my heavenly Friend is glad in my gladness as well as sympathetic in the day of sadness and tears. Yes, He comes in to sup with me, and I may sup with Him.

"Abraham, my friend." And He shares His sweets with His friend, in inward counsels, and in tender revelations of His purposes and in the gifts of joy and peace. There is perfect openness between these friends; nothing is hid. They have the run of each other's hearts.

"I tell Him all my joys and fears, And He reveals His love to me."