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God that hath brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; yet
Thou in Thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud
departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by
night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go . . . . . Yet many years
didst Thou forbear them, and testified against them . . . . . Nevertheless for Thy great
mercies' sake Thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for Thou art a
gracious and merciful God" (Neh. 9: 17-19, 30, 31).
(4) The fact that the Lord will not forsake His people delivers them from the bondage
of fear: "Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb. 13: 5, 6).
Many children of God are compelled to walk in lonely paths. Faithfulness often cuts
them off from fellowship. Natural ties also are severed, and friends prove false or fail. It
is to such that the blessed assurance comes, with all its sweetness, that the Lord will not
forsake them:--
"When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up" (Psa. 27: 10).
"Can a woman forget her sucking child . . . . . Yea, they may forget, yet will I not
forget thee" (Isa. 49: 15).
"At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God
that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me"
(II Tim. 16, 17).
The Apostle knew a little of the fellowship of His Lord's sufferings. He, like the
Saviour, was forsaken by his own, but there the parallel ceases. Paul could add,
"notwithstanding the Lord stood with me", but his Saviour, and ours, had to cry,
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27: 46).
Let us never forget in all the joy that comes to us by His gracious presence, that part of
the price for such blessing included the forsaking of the Holy One for our sakes.