by John Newton
Dear friend,
Your constitution, your situation, your temperament, all that is either comfortable or painful in your lot–is of God’s divine appointment. The hairs of your head are all numbered! The same power which produced the planets, is necessary to the production of a single hair; nor can one of them fall to the ground without His notice, any more than the stars can fall from their orbits!
In providence, no less than in creation, He controls the very greatest as well as the very smallest things.
Healing and wounding are equally from His hand–and equally tokens of His love and care over us.
Our faithful and good Shepherd affords to us strength according to our day. He knows our frame, and will lay no more on us than He will enable us to bear–no more than He will cause to work for our good. Our comforts of every kind come free and undeserved–and when we are afflicted, it is because there is a need-be for it. He does it not willingly. Our trials are either beneficial medicines, or honorable appointments, to put us in such circumstances as may best qualify us to show forth His praise.
Our sea may sometimes be stormy, but we have an infallible Pilot, and shall infallibly gain our port!
Therefore do not be afraid; only believe!
by John Newton
Standing For God 