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It is often the experience of the servants of God to meet with discouragements and disappointments in the work of the Lord. Such depressing effects are frequently due to the absence of personal sympathy in the work, the want of an outward shield to protect from untoward external circumstances, and the absence of visible or tangible tokens of what men call "success." St. Paul had a very bitter experience of this kind at Corinth; and it was there — when cast down in spirit by such experience, which had to some extent broken down his energies and darkened his hopes of future success — that God appeared to him in a night vision with the words of encouragement. Now, there are three sources of encouragement here suggested to the apostle. First of all, there is the doctrine of God's Divine presence with His own servants, "I am with thee"; secondly, there is the doctrine of His Divine providence, exercised in behalf of His servants, "No man shall set on thee, to hurt thee"; and thirdly, the doctrine of the Divine purpose to save sinners through the instrumentality of the Word preached and taught by the efforts of His servants. These were great encouragements to continue the work of the ministry in faith and hope, in spite of felt weakness and depression, opposition experienced, and dangers feared, and the absence of visible fruits of his labour. And they are as open to God's faithful labourers today as they were to His servants of old.

I. GOD IS MOST SURELY PRESENT WITH HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS IN THEIR WORK FOR HIM: "I AM WITH THEE." Happy they who hear that loving whistler, whether it come to them through the written Word, or through providential events — for God does so speak to His own, bidding them look away from themselves and their human weaknesses and above their adverse earthly surroundings, unto Him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge, and strength; whose guardian care of them never relaxes, whose guiding eye never slumbers nor sleeps. Oh, what pathos there is in the aloneness of individual life on the great sea of universal being! Who can bear it, and not be crushed by it, if they let it come home to them? Blessed are those who can realise the Divine companionship which was the apostle's source of courage and strength. Every humble believer can claim it — can rejoice in the possession of it; and then, however human sympathy may be withheld, the aloneness of individual life is done away with: the intolerable burden of it is borne by One who is able to bear it; Divine sympathy and love flow into and flood the soul of the believer, in Jesus Christ, who is emphatically our "Emmanuel — God with us." This, then, is the grand secret of the Christian's strength and courage — "I am with thee!" This is the fountain of the Christian's hope and confidence, the support of his energy and of his zeal — "I am with thee!" We must all die alone — speaking after the manner of men — and alone indeed must the departing soul be which cannot say as it enters "the valley of the shadow," "I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me." Oh, for that perfect union with Christ, here below, which will enable us at all times, and in every circumstance of life, to realise the ever-abiding blessedness of the fact that God in Christ is with us! This is the antidote to the tremblings and heart failings of our frail nature: this is the Divine cordial that will sustain every faithful worker for God, through the burden and heat of life's day!

II. NOTICE THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. God exercises a providential care — an unfailing guardianship, over His believing people: "No man shall set on thee to hurt thee." Now, in a certain sense, many did set upon St. Paul, and did hurt him. From the hour that he began to preach the gospel at Damascus, he was never free from trials. Amid his varied successes, adversaries invariably rose up and pursued him from city to city. What then? Was God therefore unfaithful to His own promise? By no means. For mark the form of it. God did not say that Paul was to be exempt from all opposition — trial — ill-treatment at the hands of unworthy men. No! He says, "No man shall set on thee to hurt thee." And when we look into the face of St. Paul do we not see how true God was to His word? Can we say that anything he was called upon to endure in the work and service of God was really hurtful to his true life? It was by means of his imprisonments that the gospel penetrated to regions from which it would otherwise have been excluded; and not one trial did he undergo which was not overruled of God for His own glory, end the highest good of His faithful apostle. And doubt not, beloved, that the same upholding and preserving providence will be exercised as surely today as in the days of St. Paul's earthly career, over you and me, if only we serve God in the same spirit as he did, and with the same unassailable faith and confidence in His all-sufficient grace.

III. NOTICE THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE PURPOSE TO SAVE SINNERS THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF GOD'S SERVANTS. "Be not afraid," says the Lord to St. Paul, "but speak, and hold not thy peace;...for I have much people in this city." This is what gives the crowning force to the following two-fold assurance, "I am with thee," and "No man shall set on thee to hurt thee." God's great purpose of mercy, in Christ Jesus, is the grand foundation rock on which we are encouraged to rest all our hopes of eternal salvation. It is the fountainhead of all our encouragement to come to God, and to work for Him, and with Him. Observe that it is for those within the range of, and working with, the great purpose of God, that this two-fold assurance is alone available. Do we recognise this purpose in ourselves and for others? If we do, we shall be very humble in ourselves, but we shall also be very courageous in pursuing the work of God committed to us. And oh, what wonders might we not be permitted to do in God's service if our faith were stronger in God's service if our faith were stronger in God's presence with us, His providence over us, His purpose of love concerning us. As we look around upon the state of personal religion in this our day, our finite minds may be tempted to despond, and to give up all hope of better things prevailing. But there are thousands upon thousands of God's hidden ones in the world whom we indeed may know nothing of, but He "knoweth them that are His," and that is enough. May He shed abroad His love in all our hearts, leading us to fuller trust in Him, to firmer reliance on the promises of His Word, and to greater earnestness in His service.

(James Mackie, M. A.)

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KJV: Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

WEB: The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Don't be afraid, but speak and don't be silent;