At my father’s house in the country, there is a little closet near the chimney, where we keep the canes, or walking sticks, of several generations of our family. During my visits to the old house, as my father and I are going out for a walk, we often go to the cane closet and pick out our sticks to suit the occasion. As we have done this, I have frequently been reminded that the Word of God is a staff.

During the war, when we were experiencing a time of discouragement and impending danger, the verse “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD” (Psalm 112:7 WNT) was a staff to walk with on many dark days.

When our child died and we were left nearly brokenhearted, I found another staff in the promise: “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5 WNT).

When I was forced to be away from home for a year due to poor health, not knowing if God would ever allow me to return to my home and work again, I chose this staff, which has never failed: “For I know the plans I have for you, . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

In times of impending danger or doubt, when human judgment seems to be of no value, I have found it easy to go forward with this staff: “In quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). And in emergencies, when there has been no time for deliberation or for action, this staff has never failed me: “He that believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16 KJV).

BENJAMIN VAUGHAN ABBOTT

Martin Luther’s wife said, “I would never have known the meaning of various psalms, come to appreciate certain difficulties, or known the inner workings of the soul; I would never have understood the practice of the Christian life and work, if God had never brought afflictions to my life.” It is quite true that God’s rod is like a schoolteacher’s pointer to a child, pointing out a letter so the child will notice it. In this same way, God points out many valuable lessons to us that we otherwise would never have learned. SELECTED

God always sends His staff with His rod.

“Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25 KJV).

Each of us may be sure that if God sends us over rocky paths, He will provide us with sturdy shoes. He will never send us on any journey without equipping us well.

The love of God a perfect plan Is planning now for thee, It holds “a future and a hope,” Which yet thou canst not see.

Though for a season, in the dark, He asks thy perfect trust, E’en that thou in surrender “lay Thy treasure in the dust,”

Yet He is planning all the while, Unerringly He guides The life of him, who holds His will More dear than all besides.

Trust were not trust if thou couldst see The ending of the way, Nor couldst thou learn His songs by night, Were life one radiant day.

Amid the shadows here He works The plan designed above, “A future and a hope” for thee In His exceeding love.

“A future”—abiding fruit, With loving kindness crowned; “A hope”—which shall thine own transcend, As Heaven the earth around.

Though veiled as yet, one day thine eyes Shall see His plan unfold, And clouds that darkened once the path Shall shine with Heaven’s gold.

Enriched to all eternity The steadfast soul shall stand, That, “unoffended,” trusted Him Who all life’s pathway planned.

I have an heritage of bliss, Which yet I may not see; The Hand that bled to make it mine, Is keeping it for me.

FREDA HANBURY ALLEN

Thus saith the Lord ; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness.

I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbered.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

We have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us; and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.—Humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.—I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.—My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord .

I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.—As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.—Now no chastening for the present, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.—Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

I know, O Lord , that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil.

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

How precious . . . are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Lord , how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward.

Not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom?

Having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

The unsearchable riches of Christ.

Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me.

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil.

There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

In Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace.

It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell: and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.

Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past: . . . that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.

It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.—Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil.—Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.—Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.— Lord , thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

Enoch walked with God.—Can two walk together, except they be agreed?—It is good for me to draw near to God.

The Lord is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

When they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, . . . and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.