As the flowers follow the sun, and silently hold up their petals to be tinted and enlarged by its shining, so must we, if we would know the joy of God, hold our souls, wills, hearts, and minds, still before Him, whose voice commands, whose love warns, whose truth makes fair our whole being. God speaks for the most part in such silence only. If the soul be full of tumult and jangling voices, His voice is little likely to be heard.
Alexander MacLarenSeek to cultivate a buoyant, joyous sense of the crowded kindnesses of God in your daily life.
Alexander MacLarenOnly he who can say, 'The Lord is the strength of my life' can go on to say, 'Of whom shall I be afraid?'
Alexander MacLarenThe true confidence which is faith in Christ, and the true diffidence which is utter distrust of myself--are identical.
Alexander MacLarenHe who has the Holy Spirit in His heart and the Scripture in his hands has all he needs.
Alexander MacLarenAs we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us that in prayer alone can we be forearmed against our lesser sorrows; that strength to bear flows into the heart that is opened in supplication; and that a sorrow which we are made able to endure is more truly conquered than a sorrow which we avoid
Alexander MacLarenThe sum of the whole matter is this: He who is one in will and heart with God is a Christian. He who loves God is one in will and heart with Him. He who trusts Christ loves God. That is Christianity in its ultimate purpose and result. That is Christianity in its means and working forces. That is Christianity in its starting point and foundation.
Alexander MacLaren