April 26

“Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side–and light to the other side.” — Exod 14:20

God appears different to his friends and to his enemies. To his own people he is light, comfort, joy, protection, and gladness; but to those who reject him–he is darkness, dreadful terror, and stern judgment. The thought of God’s presence, fills the Christian with confidence and peace, with the warmth of love; but the same thought makes the unreconciled sinner tremble! “I thought upon God, and was troubled.”

The providence of God, too, has this same double aspect. The Christian sees God’s love everywhere. He sees his Father’s hand ordering all things with loving wisdom. When he cannot understand, he can trust and wait in confidence. But to the unreconciled man, the same providence is a dark mystery, full of dread and alarm. He has no sense of safety anywhere he may go. There is no assurance of protection, no consciousness of God’s love, anywhere in the universe for him.

Death to the ungodly is a heavy cloud, charged with lightnings and thunders; but to the Christian it is a glorious blaze of divine love pouring brightness and peace all about his bed.

It will be the same on the day of judgment. To his own people, Christ on his throne will be all glorious, and his appearance will give unspeakable joy; but to the ungodly, his presence will be an appearance of the most appalling terror!