Daily Devotionals

Bowen's Daily Meditations

Devotional: August 26th

" They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." - Psalms 126:5.

The tears of those that sow, flow from various causes. Here is one who has greatly hungered and thirsted after the communications of God’s love; who mourns over his own heart of unbelief; over his inaptitude for the things of God; who has been fascinated by the conception of a divine life to be led on the earth, a life of conscious union with God attended by peace flowing like a river, and revealing itself by ardent love, cheerful labor, and large success. But the very conception of the thing only makes his actual experience more inglorious and more insupportable. Tears are his meat night and day. In this state, how can it be expected that he should go forth and exhort men to believe on Jesus; or engage in the distribution of tracts setting forth the preciousness of Christ? Nevertheless, he does it. With a heart breaking for the longing it hath, he tells his fellow-man that religion is the one thing needful; and brushing away a tear, he assures them that the only true happiness to be found on earth is to be found in Christ. And in this there is no insincerity. For his deepest conviction is this: that there is no joy worthy of the name save that which Christ gives to his people. He does not speak from present experience, but from faith.

Here is another who trusted on the Lord that He would bear testimony to the word of His grace; but many a long year fulfills the ministry of this word without any such testimony being borne. Another is keenly sensitive to the taunts and reproaches of men, and the harvest of these is the only harvest that he seems to gather. Consider Jeremiah among the Jews, Brainerd among the Indians, and a thousand others. Let it not be supposed, however, that the words of life come with most power from an afflicted heart. It is often well that the heart should have had experience of affliction. But the servant of Christ should not be content till the kingdom of heaven, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, be fully come in his heart. God meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; and the command to rejoice in the Lord is a command that must be obeyed. Blessed is he that mourneth: why? because he shall be comforted. This mourning must pass away, and then the blessedness will appear in the consolation.

-