"Shall We Receive Good At The Hand Of GOD, And Shall We Not Receive Evil?"

You should consider from whose 

hand it has been sent to you!
(James Buchanan, "Comfort in Affliction" 1837)

"In the day of prosperity be happy--

but in the day of adversity CONSIDER: 

GOD has made the one as well as the other."

 Ecclesiastes 7:14

In the day of adversity, you should consider 

from whose hand it has been sent to you! 

It comes direct from the hand of GOD!

Intermediate agencies may have been 

employed in inflicting it:
  a cherished family member may have 

   been the messenger of disease;
  a treacherous friend may have 

   been the cause of bankruptcy;
  an avowed enemy may have been 

   the author of reproach and shame;
  Satan himself may have been 

   allowed to smite you!
But through whatever secondary 

agency it may have been conveyed--

adversity comes from GOD'S hand! 

"I form the light--and create darkness;
 I make peace--and create evil.
 I the LORD, do all these things." Isaiah 45:7

"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High 

that both calamities and good things come?" 

Lamentations 3:38

"Shall we receive good at the hand 

of GOD--and shall we not receive evil?" 

Job 2:10

"Who gave man his mouth?
 Who makes him deaf or mute?
 Who gives him sight or makes him blind?

 Is it not I, the LORD?" Exodus 4:11

"See now that I myself am HE! 

There is no god besides ME. 

I put to death and I bring to life, 

I have wounded and I will heal, 

and no one can deliver out of MY hand!" 

Deuteronomy 32:39

"The LORD brings death and makes alive;
 HE brings down to the grave and raises up.
 The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
 HE humbles and HE exalts." 1 Samuel 2:6-7

"This is what the LORD says: As I have 

brought all this great calamity on this people . . ." 

Jeremiah 32:42

"When disaster comes to a city, 

has not the LORD caused it?" Amos 3:6

"For HE wounds, but HE also binds up;
 HE injures, but HIS hands also heal." Job 5:18

From these and many other passages, 

it is plain that temporal affliction is 

ascribed to GOD in the Holy Scriptures. 

No one who acknowledges GOD'S Providence 

at all, can fail to believe that the numerous 

afflictions and calamities of human life are 

permitted, appointed, and overruled by 

the Supreme GOVERNOR of the world!

This is a consideration of great practical 

importance, and should be seriously 

weighed in the day of adversity.

It assures us that our afflictions are neither 

imposed by a fatal necessity, nor produced 

by the uncertain vicissitudes of chance--

but come forth from the hand of ONE who 

is infinitely wise and just and good!

It also teaches us in many of our afflictions, 

and those which it is indeed most difficult to bear--

to look beyond, and to rise above, the consideration 

of the mere human agency by which they have 

been inflicted. I refer to such afflictions as 

are brought on us through the malice of 

our fellow-men, in regard to which we are 

too apt to alone consider the secondary 

agency through which they fall upon us--

instead of steadily contemplating GOD as 

addressing to us, through human agency, 

the warnings and lessons which we need 

to learn and improve. 

Whereas, did we consider all afflictions, 

of whatever kind, as emanating from 

the unerring heart of our loving FATHER--

we would find, that even those which 

the hand or the tongue of man inflicts--

are a wholesome discipline, and means 

of spiritual improvement.

Let us remember, then, that every affliction, 

through whatever channel it may flow--

comes to us ultimately from GOD'S loving hand!

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