Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: September 18th

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked. - 1 John 2:6.

LET us remember that we must “bear the image of the heavenly,” as we “have borne the image of the earthly;” that the “same mind” must “be in us that was in him;” that we are Christians no further than we are “joined to the Lord” and “of one Spirit;” for “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” And are we then imitators of the good One?

Are we those who cannot “condescend to men of low estate,” who answer roughly, who despise the poor? Are these imitators of the good One,-of Him who said, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls,”- “of Him who was “in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men”?

Are those who are resentful, who, though it be “the glory of a man to pass by a transgression,” cannot forgive a trifling, perhaps an unintentional, offence in a fellow-creature or a fellow-Christian? Are these imitators of the good One, who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” even while they were murdering him?

Are those who are slothful, who live but to eat, and to drink, and to slumber, and to saunter? Are these imitators of the good One,- of Him who said, “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh wherein no man can work”?

Are those who are covetous, who join field to field and house to house, who only mind earthly things,-are these imitators of the good One,-of Him who said, “Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth,” “give alms of such things as ye have,” “and behold, all these things shall be added unto you”?

And are the niggardly, who have this world’s goods, and their brethren have need, and shut up their bowels of compassion against them, are these imitators of the good One,-of Him who, “when he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich,” “who loved us and gave himself for us”?

Are those who are prayerless, imitators of the good One,-of Him who rose up early before it was day and went into a certain place and there prayed,-who “went up into a mountain and continued all night in prayer to God,”-are these imitators of the good One?

Are those who mourn and repine under every trial by which they are exercised? Are these imitators of the good One,-of Him who, “though a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” yet in the midst of the church sang praises unto God, and said, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”

Oh, happy is he who is able to say, with dear Bunyan’s Pilgrim, “I always loved to hear of my Lord; and whenever I saw the print of his shoe I wished to put my foot there.” Happy they who can sing, with Dr. Watts,-

“Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal.

Such deference to thy Father’s will,

Such love, and meekness so divine,

I would transcribe and make them mine.”

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: … who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies. - Psalms 103:1-4.

GRATITUDE is our subject this morning, and a very interesting subject it is. It is worthy of our observation, that when the Apostle is speaking of the heathen, he says that “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.” Gratitude to God is to be expressed in the thoughts of the mind, the language of the lips, in the actions of the life, which testify a concern to make suitable returns, while it is not in our power to make compensatory ones; these are David’s words. By nothing was he more distinguished than a disposition of thanksgiving and praise. His gratitude here has three attributes.

First, It is personal; “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Our religion must be social as well as personal; but while it must not end at home, it must begin at home; and relative religion without personal will always be found wanting in excitement, in energy, in extent, in continuance, and very commonly in success.

Secondly, It is fervent: “And all that is within me bless his holy name.” All my thoughts, my feelings, my understanding, my will, my memory, my conscience, my affections, and my passions.

Thirdly, It is rational and well founded: “And forget not all his benefits.” Nothing can properly affect or influence us when it is out of our recollection. Out of sight, out of mind: and out of mind, out of motive. Whence arose the ingratitude of the Jews of old? Bad memories. “Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten the God that formed thee.” “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” It should, therefore, be our concern, not only to recall our mercies, but to reckon them.

Lastly, It is specific. David here specifies five things, but this morning we shall only dwell on one of these-the kindness of God in providence. How blessed have we been in the seasons? How is the year crowned with his goodness. How has the earth been filled with “his riches.” We depend upon the brutes more than they depend upon us; and nothing pertaining to their welfare can be indifferent even to our selfishness. And has not his tender mercies been over all his works, so that he has provided for the wants of every living thing? He has made the grass to grow for cattle, as well as herbs for the service of man. The cattle have never sinned; they have never forfeited the care and kindness of their Creator.

But where is man? the sinner, the rebel, the traitor. How has he been regarded? What has been done for him? We saw the sower going forth; a season always of peculiar solicitude-and then, after the months of winter, we went forth and saw God blessing the springing of the earth. We saw first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. We heard the little hills rejoicing on every side; we saw the valleys standing thick with corn; we walked through the waving fields, and while we paused in the midst of the cross path, lifted up our eyes and hearts, and said, “Thou hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.” And the heart preached from these words of thanksgiving. What clear shining after the rain, and what suitable weather afforded for gathering in the precious produce of the fields.

And after this shall we expose ourselves to the reproach of Jeremiah: “Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth rain, both the former and the latter in his season. He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”