Genesis 17:1-2 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me… ecognized: — An ordinary painter would have been satisfied with executing a picture of grapes which deceived even the birds; but the eminent artist who did so, was dissatisfied with his own performances. Pliny informs us that Zeuxis once painted a boy holding a dish full of grapes so well, that the birds were deceived and flew to the grapes to peck at them. Zeuxis, notwithstanding, was dissatisfied with the picture: "for," said he, "had I painted the boy as well as he ought to have been painted, the birds would have been afraid to touch the fruit." Thus does the Christian dwell more on his shortcomings than on his attainments, and the reason is, that "he who has much grace apprehends much more than others that great height to which his love ought to ascend, and he sees better than others how little away he has risen towards that height; and, therefore, estimating his actual love by the whole height of his duty, it appears to him astonishingly little." I once observed the following motto attached to a coat-of-arms on a gentleman's carriage, "Tout bien, ou rien," and it struck me as being peculiarly expressive of what ought to be the Christian's feeling. (F. F. Trench.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. |
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