Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: April 26th

He shall reign forever and ever. - Revelation 11:15.

THE exaltation of the Saviour is a matter of joy and triumph to all his friends. Their wishes extend beyond themselves. All Christians “look not on their own things only, but also on the things of others,” and especially the “things of Jesus Christ.” They are, therefore, “sorrowful for the solemn assembly,” and the reproach of it is their burden. On the other hand, they rejoice when they see that his word has free course and is glorified; when many are added to his church of such as shall be saved. Their prayer is, that his kingdom may come, that his will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, that his cause may spread universally. For this they pray, and they have prayed for it ever since they have prayed in reality at all. And they add their exertions to their prayers. For this they employ their talents; for this they employ their resources; for this they endeavour to prevail on others to become workers together in this blessed cause along with them. And what are they doing? Are they building castles in the air? Are they “labouring in the fire, and wearying themselves for very vanity”?

They are labouring at a perfect certainty, and they are the only agents in our world who are so. Statesmen, warriors, merchants, all these may become ashamed of their hope; but as to the work in which Christians are engaged, this will succeed, for this “King must reign and prosper.” There are three cases in which the Saviour’s administration justifies, and therefore should excite and increase, our zeal. The first is in cases of opposition, and opposition we may always reckon upon if we are engaged in the work of the Lord. But we should never be discouraged by it. It is very unbecoming in Christians ever to “tremble for the ark of God:” and yet how often is this the case! There are some now aghast at the prevalence of Popery, and some too who expect crosses to be erected at the roadside, and that the Smithfield fires are to be revived. Why, it is doomed; and, if the Scriptures had not foretold this, we might fully expect it from the operation of various agencies now in action.

Then we hear people frequently exclaim, “The church is in danger.”‘ What church? There is one church that is not in danger,-that church of which the Redeemer says, “Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Suppose a number of persons leagued together to pull down the sun: what should we think of it? Should we be afraid of the plot? Should we fear on behalf of the sun? The sun would rise and laugh at their puny efforts, and go on in the greatness of his strength. Dioclesian erected a pillar, on which he inscribed,-“In (such a year) the Christian heresy was extirpated.” Was it? Julian the Apostate struck a medal, on one side of which he inscribed, “The Christians flee before the Romans;” and on the other side, “Julian, the destroyer of the Christian name.” This he did only a few months before, on his Persian expedition, he bit the dust, and exclaimed, “Thou hast conquered me, O Galilean!” “So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; while they that love thee, let them be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.”

The second is, when we want instruments. And instruments we always shall want, because he does not choose to work without them,-that is, immediately. He gives the increase; he works all in all; but Paul must plant and Apollos must water. Well, whatever instruments his cause demands, he can either find them or furnish them.

The last is, when the means seem inadequate to the end. And this indeed will always be the case with the instruments employed; they are all verily inadequate to the end. The most eminent minister or missionary upon earth is ready to exclaim, “Who is sufficient for these things?” and we answer, No one alone; but any one is if he hears the sound of his Master’s footsteps behind him, and is accompanied by Him who has “all power in heaven and in earth.” Hence the admonition and charge to his disciples: “All power,” says he, “is given unto me: go ye therefore.” “Go ye;” who? Ye few fishermen, without power to compel, or riches to bribe, or learning to perplex, or eloquence to persuade. “Go ye therefore;” and what to do? “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Preach doctrines incredible to reason, and they shall be believed; enforce duties subversive of every evil passion, and they shall be obeyed; mention motives which require certainty to feel them, and they shall be felt.

Go on with this, in spite of the edicts of emperors, and the persecution of magistrates, and the subtlety of philosophers, and the covetousness and craftiness of priests, and the profligacies of the common people; “and, lo, I am with you alway” for this purpose, “even unto the end of the world.” And was he not with them? Did they not succeed? Is he not the same yesterday, today, and forever? Is not the residue of the Spirit with him?

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; that he may bring forth food out of the earth. - Psalms 104:14.

THE literal description, which is contained in this fine ode to the spring by the royal Psalmist, is again being fulfilled. The clouds have poured down their treasure, and the grateful soil is teeming with the promises of loveliness and fertility. In this case two things should follow. First, That we should gratefully adore that God, who never leaves himself without witnesses, in that he is continually doing us good and sending us rain and fruitful seasons, and “filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Why are we thus indulged? Have we duly improved his former loving kindnesses? “Not unto us, O Lord!” for “it is of the Lord’s mercy we are not consumed.” O that the “goodness of God may lead us to repentance.”

Secondly, Let us endeavour to derive religious instruction from it. There are but very few persons who are really lovers of natural scenery. The multitude are carried away by something artificial, and are more struck with the works of man than by the works of God. And we have met with others, who have a real taste for nature, but then they never regarded it as the handmaiden of grace, never made it the representation and the remembrance of better things. Yet there is a striking analogy between the works of God in nature and in grace. The blessings of the Scripture are infinitely superior to the blessings of the field, yet the one furnishes illustrations of the other, and was designed to furnish them; and by a holy chemistry we may extract heaven from earth; by a holy mechanism we may make the creature a ladder by which to ascend to the Creator; by Spiritual-mindedness and meditation we may render every place a house of God, every avenue the gate of heaven, every object a preacher.

The rising sun may tell us of the “Sun of Righteousness rising with healing under his wings.” The refreshing dew may remind us of the doctrine of divine grace. “And,” says Isaiah, “as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be; that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”