March 12 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Then David said to Gad, 'I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.' " (1 Chronicles 21:13).

Devotional

The trembling king of Israel did well to so exclaim when the prophet placed before him the choice of the evils that should mark his sin. Every vantage from which we view his decision justifies both its wisdom and its holiness.

It was wise: he knew that the LORD was his God. As such, he had long been accustomed to deal with him in the most solemn and confiding transactions. Thus, both from knowledge and from experience, he felt he could now safely trust in him.

It was holy: he saw that God was most righteous in punishing his sin. He saw that by meekly submitting to that punishment which came more directly from the Lord, he was sympathizing with the equity of God's rule; he was upholding the character of the "Judge of all the earth" as "most upright" (Gen. 18:25).

In that light, he would rather fall into the hands of the LORD, even when they were lifted up to scourge. Who has not made this prayer his own, and breathed it at the footstool of mercy?

The "mercy of the wicked is cruel" (Prov. 12:10), but the severest corrections of our Father are love. It is infinitely better to the believer to be beaten by God than to be blessed by man. The creature's affection often brings with it a snare. And the honor that comes from man tends to nourish the corrupt principle of depraved self.

But in the experience of a child of God, whatever it may be that comes more directly from the Lord, it brings with it its concealed but its certain and often indescribable blessing. Oh, how safe you are in your Lord's hands! Even if he frowns, yet you may love. Even if he scourges, yet you may cling. Even if he slays, yet you may trust (Job 13:15). "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant" (Ezek. 20:37). With such an outcome, welcome the discipline that leads to it. "Let me fall into the hand of the LORD; for his mercy is very great."

My Jesus, as you will!
O may your will be mine;
into your hand of love
I would my all resign.
Through sorrow, or through joy,
conduct me as your own;
and help me still to say,
"My Lord, your will be done."

My Jesus, as you will!
If needy here and poor,
give me your people's bread,
their portion rich and sure.
The manna of your Word
let my soul feed upon;
and if all else should fail,
my Lord, your will be done.

My Jesus, as you will!
Though seen through many a tear,
let not my star of hope
grow dim or disappear.
Since you on earth have wept,
and sorrowed oft' alone,
if I must weep with you,
my Lord, your will be done.

My Jesus, as you will!
All shall be well for me;
each changing future scene
I gladly trust with thee.
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
and sing, in life or death,
"My Lord, your will be done."

(Benjamin Schmoick, ca. 1704;
Tr. by Jane Borthwick, 1854;
mod., LEW, 2009)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.