“Whenever I hear that Psalm read. I always think of the first night I came to your mother,” said an old servant, as the now almost grown-up children followed her into the kitchen, after morning reading.
“How is that?” asked one.
“Tell us about it!” exclaimed another.
“Well,” she answered; “it was just bedtime, and your father called me, saying, ‘Come, Ann, and I will show you how to lock up.’ I quickly took my candle, and went round with him from door to door. When we came to the last, he said, ‘This house has bolts and bars, and we fasten them; but the Scripture says, “Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psa. 127); so, except the Lord guard this house we shall not be safe.’”
How comforting it is to timid, nervous children to know that God will guard His own, and also that the darkness and the light are both alike to Him! You remember the Bible says He never slumbers nor sleeps, so, you see, if you wake up at night, and find all dark, or if you are lying awake racked with pain, and feel lonely because everyone else is asleep, just remember God is not asleep, and He sees you.
This reminds me of one of our favorite Bible stories, one which tells how God preserved a certain people from the danger which was all around, when neither bolts nor bars could have saved them. I believe you know which one I mean.
On that dreadful night when the destroying angel went through Egypt, how safe were those Israelites! Still they were only passed over because of the blood, which God had ordered to be placed on the door-posts and lintels; the blood was their safety, not bolts nor bars.
Now this should make us think of those who will be safe from coming judgment, because they are sheltered by the precious blood of Jesus.
Whenever I think of that Egyptian scene, I imagine how anxious the firstborn boys would feel; too anxious about their safety to be able to go on with their play, or work, till they knew God’s word had been obeyed. And you, dear children, are you too anxious about your soul’s salvation to be able to go on with your play? Or have you, by taking Christ as your Saviour, escaped the judgment that God says is coming on all those who obey not the gospel? “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—this is gospel, or good news indeed.
ML 11/03/1918