It is the believer’s privilege to use this language. If he is looking for aught from the world, it is a poor “expectation” indeed. But if he looks to God for the supply of his wants, whether in temporal or spiritual blessings, his “expectation” will not be a vain one.

Constantly he may draw from the bank of faith, and get his need supplied out of the riches of God’s lovingkindness. This I know, I had rather have God for my banker than all the Rothschilds. My Lord never fails to honour His promises; and when we bring them to His throne, He never sends them back unanswered.

Therefore I will wait only at His door, for He ever opens it with the hand of munificent grace. At this hour I will try Him anew.

But we have “expectations” beyond this life. We shall die soon; and then our “expectation is from Him.” Do we not expect that when we lie upon the bed of sickness He will send angels to carry us to His bosom?

We believe that when the pulse is faint, and the heart heaves heavily, some angelic messenger shall stand and look with loving eyes upon us, and whisper, “Sister spirit, come away!”

As we approach the heavenly gate, we expect to hear the welcome invitation, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

We are expecting harps of gold and crowns of glory; we are hoping soon to be amongst the multitude of shining ones before the throne; we are looking forward and longing for the time when we shall be like our glorious Lord — for “We shall see Him as He is.”

Then if these be thine “expectations,” O my soul, live for God; live with the desire and resolve to glorify Him from whom cometh all thy supplies, and of whose grace in thy election, redemption, and calling, it is that thou hast any “expectation” of coming glory.

They shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” Such is the veritable record of the living God—a record made good in the experience of all those who have been enabled, through grace, to exercise a living faith. We must remember how much is involved in these three words— “wait for me.” The waiting must be a real thing. It will not do to say we are waiting on God, when in reality, our eye is askance upon some human prop. We must absolutely be “shut up” to God. We must be brought to the end of self and to the bottom of circumstance, in order fully to prove what God’s resources are. “My soul, wait thou only upon God” (Psalm 62:5 KJV).

Thus it was with Jehoshaphat, in that scene recorded in 2 Chronicles 20. He was wholly wrecked upon God; it was either God or nothing. “We have no power” (v. 12). But what then? “Our eyes are on you” (ibid.). This was enough. Jehoshaphat was in the very best attitude and condition to prove what God was. To have been possessed of creature strength or creature wisdom would only have proved a hindrance to him in leaning exclusively upon the arm and the counsel of the Almighty God.

THINGS NEW AND OLD

When you feel at the end of your tether, remember God is at the other end!

So often we simply neglect to look for the answers to what we have asked, which shows the lack of earnestness in our petitions. A farmer is never content until he reaps a harvest; a marksman observes whether or not his bullet has hit the target; and a physician examines the effect of the medicine he prescribes. Should a Christian be any less careful regarding the effect of his labor in prayer?

Every prayer of the Christian, whether for temporal or spiritual blessings, will be fully answered if it meets certain biblical requirements. It must be prayed in faith and in accordance with God’s will. It must rely on God’s promise, be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, and be prayed under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

God always answers the general intent of His people’s prayers. He does so not only to reveal His own glory but also to provide for the Christian’s spiritual and eternal welfare. Since we see in Scripture that Jesus Christ never rejected even a single petitioner who came to Him, we can believe that no prayer made in His name will be in vain.

The answer to our prayer may be coming, although we may not discern its approach. A seed that is under ground during winter, although hidden and seemingly dead and lost, is nevertheless taking root for a later spring and harvest. BICKERSTETH

Delayed answers to prayer are not only trials of faith; they also give us opportunities to honor God through our steadfast confidence in Him even when facing the apparent denial of our request. CHARLES H. SPURGEON

We cannot ride in our own chariots and God’ s at the same time. God must burn up with the fire of His love every earthly chariot that stands in the way of our mounting into His.

Would you mount into God’ s chariots? Then take each thing that is wrong in your life as one of God’ s chariots for you. Ask Him daily to open your eyes, and you will see His unseen chariots of deliverance.

Whenever we mount into God’ s chariots we have a translation—not into the heavens above us as Elijah did, but into the heaven within us; away from the low, groveling plane of life, up into the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, where we shall ride in triumph over all below . But the chariot that carries the soul over this road is generally some chastening, that for the present doth not seem joyous but grievous.

Nevertheless afterwar d!

No matter what the source of these chastenings, look upon them as God’ s chariots sent to carry your soul into the high planes of spiritual achievement and uplifting. You will find, to your glad surprise, that it is God’ s love that sends the chariots—His chariots in which you may ride prosper ously over all darkness.

Let us be thank ful for every trial that will help to destroy our earthly chariots, and will compel us to take refuge in the chariots of God, which always stand ready and waiting beside us in every trial.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he [only] is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 62:5–6).

We have to be brought to the place where all other refuges fail, before we can say He only. We say, He and my experience; He and my church relationships; He and my Christian work. All that comes after the and must be taken away from us, or must be proved useless, before we can come to the He only . Only then we mount into God’ s chariots.

If we want to ride with God upon the heavens, all earth riding must be brought to an end.

He who rides with God rides above all earthborn clouds!

Oh, may no earthborn cloud arise to hide Thee fr om Thy servant’ s eyes.

No obstacle can hinder the triumphant course of God’ s chariots!

HANNAH WHITALL SMITH

Art thou suddenly called to occupy a difficult position full of responsibilities? Go forward, counting on Me! I am giving thee the position full of difficulties for the reason that Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works and in all the business of thy hands.

This day I place in thy hands a pot of holy oil. Draw from it freely, My child, that all the circumstances arising along thy pathway, each word that gives thee pain, each manifestation of thy feebleness, each interruption trying to thy patience, may be anointed with this oil.

Interruptions are Divine instructions.

The sting will go in the measure in which thou seest Me in all things.

“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day. . . . They are your life” (Deuteronomy 32:46–47).

“I will now turn aside, and see this great sight” (Exodus 3:3 KJV).

Our Father is always trying to get us to the place of spiritual discoveries. God is not interested in getting mere information into our souls; He wants us to have a revelation of Himself. God has challenging futures for us and will go to miracle lengths to get us to pay attention. If God calls me from ease and idleness, it will be that His under girdings are sufficient for a great service. “I will turn aside,” for it is God who calls me.

As “my expectation is from him” (Psalm 62:5 KJV), I will listen today.

Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord : say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord ? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?—Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.—The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.—Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.—Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.—My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

I am the Lord : . . . they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.—Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord , and whose hope the Lord is.—Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.—My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.—I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.