Isaiah 38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known your truth. I. THE DUTY OF SERIOUSLY MEDITATING ON OUR BEING MERCIFULLY SPARED among the living. It is right and rational to rejoice in this prolongation of your life; but such rejoicing is useless, unless it be founded on a serious thought of the blessing received. To rejoice in being alive, for the sole selfish enjoyment which you hope to derive from life, is nothing better than the natural instinct of a mere animal. II. THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH A BLESSING. There is nothing in creation more amazing than what is called life; a miracle, indeed, perpetually witnessed, and therefore generally overlooked; but curious to be contemplated, and most difficult to be comprehended in its various attendant circumstances. 1. As a mere object of curiosity, a mere piece of machinery, the lowest living creature is above the utmost reach of human intelligence. 2. But how much more important is life when considered as a means of enjoyment. 3. How much higher still does life rise in its interest and importance when considered in connection with an understanding mind. 4. Yet all this is the least of the matter; and if the life of man were nothing more than what we see of it here, wonderful as it is, it would be only as an empty show, or as a fleeting meteor, bursting on the view and gazed at for a moment, but gone for ever, even before it could be understood. 5. But this very fleeting nature of life imparts an additional value to its possession, when viewed in its true light, namely, as connected with an eternal state. 6. How much more exalted still does our idea of life become, when it is connected with salvation! III. THE WAY IN WHICH YOU SHOULD EXPRESS THIS THANKFULNESS AND USE THIS BLESSING. "He shall praise Thee." 1. Nothing can possibly be. more clearly right and reasonable than this, that we are bound to live to the praise of that gracious Being by whose power and providence we do live. 2. This, indeed, is the great, the express end for which you were brought into the number of "the living"; the only occupation also m which you will find any solid happiness m life, namely, to praise or glorify God; to make His will the rule of your life, to make His glory the aim of your life. 3. But these words do evidently express something more than merely the duty of living to the praise of God, and of praising Him the more fervently the longer that He spares us among the living. They seem particularly to proclaim the importance of life on this account alone, that it affords us an opportunity of showing forth the praises of God. So the devout believer feels a relish in life, altogether distinct from his natural instincts or personal enjoyments; namely, in the power which it puts into his hands of praising the gracious Author of his spiritual privileges and eternal hopes. Nor is it enough to say, that he might still better praise God m the heavenly courts. There are calls for this praise more urgent, and opportunities of this praise more direct, even in this mortal scene, than in the eternal state; occasions for bearing your testimony to God's perfections, which are not required in heaven above; occasions for exercising your great Christian graces of faith and charity, which are not afforded, and which cannot be afforded in a state of perfect holiness and felicity. (J. Brewster.) Parallel Verses KJV: The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. |
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