January 31

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble. - Nahum 1:7.

OR, as it is in the margin, “He is their strength in the day of trouble.” He does not keep his people from trouble, but he is their refuge and relief in it. From whence does this “day of trouble” arise? Does it arise from danger? Why, he is our strength for protection. However persuasive or powerful our foes may be, we may say with David, “The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” and with Paul, “In all these things we are more than conquerors.” Or does the day of trouble arise from duty? Then he is our strength for assistance. How often have we been oppressed by a sense of our inability to perform the work required of us. While thinking of plucking out a right eye, or cutting off a right hand, of walking by faith instead of walking by sight, living while on earth with our conversation in heaven, and looking at the things which are unseen and eternal, well may we exclaim, “Who is sufficient for these things?“ The work looks fitter for an angel’s strength than for a man’s. And it is so; but we have more than the ability of an angel for the performance of it; “our sufficiency is of God.”

By this Abraham was enabled to offer up his son Isaac, and thus strengthened Daniel entered the lion’s den, and the three Hebrew children the fiery furnace. Or is the day of trouble the result of affliction? Why, then he is our strength to support and deliver us. He does not always release his people from their afflictions, but he can sustain us under them, and comfort us in all our tribulations. Instead of releasing Paul from the thorn in the flesh, though he was very importunate in praying for its removal, he said, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” And Paul was perfectly satisfied that the trial should remain, since the “strength” to sustain it was insured to him. Most gladly, therefore, says he, “will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” And now the promise is, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days so shall thy strength be.”

Whatever the nature and degree of our affliction may be, we shall always find God to be a “very present help in the day of trouble.”