Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: September 17th

Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. - Matthew 6:34.

PEOPLE are often very anxious about things which they never realize; but death, personal or relative, their own death, or the deaths of others, have shown them the vanity of these apprehensions. Some have dreaded a public calamity; but they were taken away from the evil to come, like Noah’s father, a year before the flood. They have been distressed, because they had little or no provision made for old age; but they died before the evil day came. They were concerned because they had not laid up enough for their children; and their dear children only required of them the expenses of their burial. Ah, “take no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.” All our inquiries concerning the days to come are vain; yea, and these inquiries are improper, for the Saviour says, “It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” No, they are wisely and kindly concealed from us. Three conclusions are derivable from this. The first is, That we should commit ourselves to God by prayer, that we may be prepared for all our future days, whatever may be their complexion.

Secondly, That we should beware of presumption, and say, “The Lord shall choose mine inheritance for me.” “Go to, now, ye that say, today or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.”

Thirdly, We should equally guard against despondency; for, though we know not what our future days may be, we know that nothing they contain in them will happen by chance. One thing we know:-that “all the ways of the Lord” towards us will be “mercy and truth.” One thing we know:-that “all things work together for good to them that love God.” And, therefore, this should ease us of a burden too heavy for us to bear; and we should “be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works. - Revelation 2:5.

THIS admonition includes three things. It enforces, first, Recollection: “Remember whence thou art fallen.” All religion begins in serious thought: “I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” There is nothing more useful than self-recollection. There is no means better adapted for reviving the soul than a review of former experience. It is therefore the very thing the Apostle makes use of to the fallen Galatians: “Where is the blessedness of which you spake?” as if he had said, “Have you gained anything by the exchange?” and in this case, sanctified recollection was the means employed to restore this church to her first love.

Secondly, It enjoins repentance. We are to view it as a state full of self-condemnation, self-abhorrence, and grief. This is enjoined not only on sinners, but also on saints, and they will be the subjects of it as long as they remain in the world, as long as the performance of duty has a deficiency in it; and how much of this does the believer discover if he looks back only a week, a day, or on a single exercise of religious worship. Some may think Christians thus circumstanced must live a very deplorable life; but he is never more blessed than when he can feel: indifference arises from our insensibility. The Christian’s repenting day’s he call his best days; he finds that to be the most blessed state, when he is under the cross pouring forth blessed tears of sorrow and joy, while he beholds him who was pierced by him and for him.

Thirdly, It enjoins upon us renewed obedience; “do the first works;” begin again, be as simple, as earnest, as patient, as circumspect, as at first. There had been a manifest declension in those performances which had previously distinguished this church. This is obvious by the reproof, Thou hast left thy first love, being followed immediately by this admonition, “Do the first works:” they abounded before in works, in labour, in patience, in faithfulness, in zeal; and they had long persevered in all these, and were actuated by a regard to his dear name. This was “their first love,” and these their “first works.” Now there was a deplorable declension; and the Saviour here enjoins a return to their former love and service. And as the Saviour demands this, so we must acknowledge he deserves it.

Provision is made not only for a Christian’s perseverance in the ways of God, but for his increase; and this is commanded, “Give all diligence to add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.”