"He hath said."

"He hath said."—Hebrews 13:5

IF we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is there which shall not fall smitten with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God's covenant? Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will not the corruptions within, and the snares without; will not the trials from above, and the temptations from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark of "He hath said"? Yes; whether for delight in our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, "He hath said" must be our daily resort.

A long stretch of road spread out before me, my lungs fought for air and tears streamed down my face. I knew I was driving toward the end of something and could not see the beginning of anything else. Though I’d prayed and begged the Lord for over a year that this thing might be done, somehow…this “somehow” was choking me. I was afraid. I was sad. I was uncertain. And my only solace was what “He hath said.”

What he hath said to me is sort of irrelevant, that it was all I had to cling to, to stem the flow of tears and restore my normal breathing patterns is what is significant. Looking back now, though I’d asked the Lord for this to be done, and I was now mere day or so from that prayer being answered, what I know now is that I really didn’t want it done. I wanted the pain and struggle gone but would have preferred that to be accomplished by the Lord changing the circumstances to my liking. However, as with all “wrongly” answered prayers, hindsight brings clarity.

In the days and weeks preceding this end, the Lord reminded me that he was good, trustworthy, withheld no good thing, and that he was with me. He told me that he knew my name and heard the voice of my supplications.

Today…I am glad His answer was an end and not a change. But I am most glad for what “He hath said” to me in preparation for this end.

And this may teach us the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand. … Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with the promises of God? … so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? (Charles Spurgeon)