When the sons of Jacob first went to Egypt they were placed in a good part of the land. It was the best there was for pasturage for their flocks and herds. There they had no distress; there was no cry for deliverance, for was not Joseph occupying the highest place in the power of Pharaoh to give? Left to enjoy such prosperity they would never have taken a step towards Canaan, their own country, but would have settled down to dwell in Egypt. For what incentive was there to leave Egypt and take that long arduous journey to a strange land of which they knew almost nothing?

But Joseph died, also the kings who knew him. They were of the same stock, friendly to Joseph's race, but hated by the Egyptians. It was not the mere interplay of events which brought about the oppression, but back of it was the same Jehovah who made the covenant with Abram recorded in Gen. 15, and who said to him:"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in , a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge:and afterward shall they come out with great substance."

From having great prosperity they had descended to slavery, oppressed even more than most slaves, because Egypt both hated and feared them. Then it was that they began to be weaned from the charm and allurements of Egypt. The record reads:"The children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God by reason of their bondage" (Exod. 2:23). The deliverance was complete; they were brought out of bondage and out of Egypt; and their distress:the cry:the deliverance brought out of bondage and out of Egypt; and their distress, their cry, and their deliverance in this instance became a pattern and example of manifold future deliverances.

When the believer is greatly prospered in the things of this life, has abundance, with little or no distress, he is very apt to lose that living communion and fellowship with God which makes him like a plant growing in the bright sun. Christians are often greatly hindered by much worldly prosperity and success in the things of this life. The world has nothing else, nothing better. Their all is here. When they die they leave all they have here in the world. The child of God is not so; he has something immeasurably better, but there is still the temptation to love the world and the things of the world. This always causes eternal loss; and to save His people from settling down in the world, God sends distress, so that their hearts may not be tangled up with the pleasant things of the world.

Psalm 107 is a song for just such experiences, and is profitable for frequent reading. It has four pictures of distress; of a time of crying to God; then deliverance. In each case the distress, the cry, the deliverance is recounted, then follows the exhortation, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Hence it is that a time of general distress like the present, is a time for crying to God for deliverance from-not only the distress which comes from the world, but from its allurements. It is not an evil to have all our props removed so that we stand in entire dependence upon God for even everyday necessities. It is a good thing to be placed where we have to cry to God, where we are really in ;;distress, so that we have to cry to Him for what we need. Then we are learning the great lesson taught all through Scripture of the distress into which God often brings His children, their cry to Him and then their blessed deliverance. The three go together, and if we realize it, we shall be praising Him for the distress which leads us to cry to Him for the deliverance which is sure to come.

Best of all, perhaps, is the praise for deliverance experienced. We have learned new lessons of His care, His love, His goodness, worth vastly more than they cost. For whatever brings us to know more of God is indeed a blessing. That is really our greatest acquisition here in this world-the getting to know our God better. The more we learn of His goodness, the more our praises in-What comfort and good cheer are in that psalm! Every thing. He does two things; He sends the distress and the deliverance. We do two things also; we cry and we praise. These sum up the believer's life here.

Israel's experience in Egypt answers to this. Jehovah sent the distress; they cried. He gave the deliverance; they praised Him. That is the program of Psalm 107. What comfort and good cheer are in the psalm! Every believer is living continually a life described in some part of it. Sometimes it is for our sins we are afflicted, and are compelled to cry to God because of the afflictions which He sends. But that is not a necessary part of the believer's life. Those who sail the sea of life see His wonders in the deep. The blessed, glorious part of this is that God both raises and calms the storms.

This is the greatest comfort. No storm comes but Christ is there. No cry is made that He does not hear. That is the glorious truth that shines out all through the Psalms and the Epistles. If trouble comes, He comes with it. You are to watch for Him in it. How very great the comfort of this! It cannot be any heavier than He makes it. It cannot last any longer than He wills and permits. Hence all trouble, trial, distress, brings us right into the presence of Infinite Love.

We learn to submit; we learn to trust. As we go on, these become "second nature" to us. We not only learn to rejoice and praise after the storm but in it.

"For every tribulation,
For every sore distress,
In Christ I've full salvation,
Sure help and quiet rest."

This is what the lives of God's people are in this world. Prayer and praise on our part, inspired by the faith that dwells in us; experiences of His love, His delivering power; the growing in the knowledge of God, learning more of His power and wisdom. How very far such a life is from so much that passes for Christian living.

"This one thing I do," said Paul. "Study to show thyself approved unto God," he wrote to Timothy. He could not write "approved unto men." Faith is never guided by the world's approval. Are we seeking God's approval or man's? Is Christ or the world in our minds and hearts? God knows our hearts and their dangers, and it may well be that the distresses we experience are His way of keeping us from that which would bring eternal harm to us. If we separate our distresses from His care and love, we shall lose much. All parts of our lives are to be looked at in connection with Christ, especially our trials and deliverances.

Prayer and praise will make up a large part of our time spent with Him, if we are walking in His path here. They will be in our minds as we go about our daily employment. Whatever the outward life and ways may be, we can be walking with God. Busy or out of work, the heart turns to its refuge and rest in all the experiences of each day. The days may be full of blessings with no distressing trials. Then we can praise Him for this. "In everything give thanks." We thank and praise Him for deliverances wrought; we do the same for blessings received. Such lives glorify Him. J. W. Newton