Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: April 18th

I hate vain thoughts. - Psalms 119:113.

VAIN thoughts are foolish thoughts, wandering thoughts, unbelieving thoughts, worldly thoughts, self-righteous thoughts, sinful thoughts. For observe that vain thoughts here do not mean empty ones, but evil ones; as when our Saviour says, “that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” By “idle words” he does not mean merely frivolous, silly, and trifling words, but words of moral blame, and which will serve to condemn us in the last day. By these “vain thoughts”

David means his own vain thoughts,-not the vain thoughts of others. He could not be conscious of the thoughts of others, but he could know his own. He was forbidden to judge the thoughts of others, but he was bound to examine his own. He was not employed in exploring the vineyards of others while he neglected his own; and it would be much better for us if we lived, morally, more at home, and less abroad with others. It is a fine and striking remark of one whose “private thoughts” have been long before the religious public. “For many years back,” says he, “I have had nothing to do with the faults and failings of others, for I have had too many of my own to engage my time and attention.” Now, with regard to these vain thoughts we are led to notice two things:

First, That he had vain thoughts: and who has not? There are indeed some persons who have not had a vain thought for many years; but they are to be found in heaven, where we read of “the spirits of just men made perfect,” where that which is perfect is come, and where that which is imperfect is done away. But who upon earth are free from these? who can say, “I have made my heart clean; I am free from sin”? Why, “there is not a just man upon earth that does good, and sinneth not.” Why, “in many things we offend all.” We are to pray for our daily pardon as well as for our daily bread. If we take a Christian,-not a novice, but one who has been for years in the school of experience; hear him: “Oh,” says he, “I have good objects enough to command and engross my attention, especially my God and Saviour, who is all my salvation and all my desire, my glory and my joy; the ‘chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely.’

‘Why should I cleave to things below,

And let my God, my Saviour, go?’

I love the Lord’s day, and call ‘the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of the Lord, honourable.’ And I know that I am commanded not to walk in my own ways nor to think my own thoughts. But, alas! how will these intruders invade my golden hours! I enter my closet, and I wish to exclude the world; but, before I can shut to the door, in rushes a rabble along with them and often fills the best part of the room. I love the habitation of God’s house, and repair to the place where his honour dwelleth; but there often I find it to be what he called the temple in the days of his flesh,-‘a house of merchandise,’ or ‘a den of thieves.’ I then repaired to his table. If any thing could fix my roving heart, surely it must be my dying God before me, when Jesus Christ is evidently set forth crucified among us; and yet even there I cannot wait upon the Lord without distraction; even then I am more concerned with the ‘outward and visible sign’ than with the ‘inward and spiritual grace.’”

Secondly, Here is something else: he not only had vain thoughts, but he hated them:-“I hate vain thoughts.” This is the difference between the naturally and spiritually minded. Evil thoughts are common to both; but let us mark the distinction. The natural man loves these thoughts; he therefore encourages them: the spiritually minded man hates them. But how can a man evince that, though he has vain thoughts, he hates them? Why, he will be sure to be humbled before God; and then he will be sure to pray against them; and if these prayers be sincere and importunate, why, then he will strive against them.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. - 1 Corinthians 3:6.

SO we see that Spiritual influences, as well as natural, operate in connection with human means and exertions. The husbandman knows that he cannot produce an ear of corn; but he equally knows that he can manure, and plough, and sow; and he knows that it would be egregious folly were he to look for a crop without these. For though he well knows that God could produce a crop without human culture, he knows he never does. While he knows that all these efforts would be nothing at all without the snow and the rain from heaven, he equally knows that the rain and the snow from heaven would be nothing without these. The one in the economy of God is as necessary as the other. Instrumentality never excludes agency, never detracts from it, yea, displays it the more.

Ministers cannot of themselves convert their hearers, yet they can study hard and give themselves to meditation, and seek to find out not only words of truth, but acceptable words, and then retire and pray, “O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.” Although parents cannot convert their children, yet they can train them up in the admonition of the Lord. And we should all be working “out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who worketh in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure.” “For all these things,” says God, after promising them, “will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.”

Here, indeed, now is some difference between these natural and Spiritual influences, but then it is in our favour. We are not sure that our prayers will always move the clouds, but we know Him who has said, “Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened.” We know, also, who has said, “If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him? “The fertility produced by natural influences in the fields and in the gardens is always limited, but there are no bounds to control the Spiritual progress. God “giveth more grace.” He is the “God of all grace.” We are exhorted to “go on unto perfection;” and we may “increase with all the increase of God,” and be “filled with all the fulness of God.”