the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
February 26—Morning—Psalms 17:15
"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness."—Psalms 17:15.
Is it refreshing to thee now, my soul, the least glimpse of Jesus’s face; the smallest manifestation of the glories of his Person and of his work; and the very sound of his voice, in his word or ordinances? Think, then, what will be thy felicity in that morning of the eternal world, when, dropping thy vail of flesh, he whom thou seest now by faith only, will then appear as open to thee as to the church above in glory! Pause, my soul, over the vast thought! What will be thy first sight Of Jesus? What will be thy feelings, when, without any intervening medium, thou shalt see him face to face, and know even as thou art known? Precious Lamb of God! grant me grace to feel the blessedness of this first interview. Appearing, as I trust I shall, in thine own garments, and the robes of thy righteousness, and which thou hast not only provided for me, but put on, what will be the burstings forth of my heart, in the full view of the glories of thy Person, and the perfection Of thy righteousness! Surely, Lord, when I thus behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be so fully satisfied, that the rest after which my poor soul, through a whole life of grace, since thou weft pleased to quicken me, hath been pursuing, will pursue no more. My immortal faculties will seek no more - will need no more. In thee, the whole is attained. In thee, I shall eternally rest. Thou art the everlasting centre of all happiness, glory, and joy. I shall be so fully satisfied when I awake to this view, that here, in thee, I shall be at home. And what is more, it will be an everlasting duration, not only in happiness, but in likeness. And as the coldest iron, put into the fire, partakes of the properties of the fire, until it becomes altogether heated and fiery like it, so in thee, and with thee, thou blessed Jesus, cold as my soul now is, I shall be warmed with thy love; and from thee, and thy likeness imparted, become lovely from thy loveliness, and glorious from thy glory. Precious, precious Jesus! Is the hour near? Are thy chariot wheels approaching? Dost thou say, "Behold, I come quickly." Oh! for grace to answer, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
February 26—Evening—Solomon 6:10
"Who is she that 1ooketh forth as the morning; fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?"—Song of Solomon 6:10.
By whomsoever this question is asked, there can be no question of whom it is said; for the church of Jesus, made comely by the comeliness which her Lord hath put upon her, is all this, and more, in every eye that can admire true loveliness; and will be a perfection of beauty, in the upper and brighter world for ever. The first openings of grace upon the soul, after a dark night of the fall, may be compared to the beauty of the morning. But though fair as the moon, it is but a borrowed light, as the moon, and subject to changes in its inceasings, and in its wanings also. As long as the sun’s influences are upon this planet, its shinings will be fair. But when objects intervene from the earth, and the sun shines not, there will be an eclipse of all its borrowed lustre. Just so the church; and Oh! how often on my soul. While Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, shines upon me, all is fair and lovely; but if he withdraws, the night immediately follows. But Oh! my soul, when grace is perfected in glory; when, as John in a vision saw, that wonder of wonders in heaven, "a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet," (Revelation 12:1.) then shall the whole church of God shine forth "as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father." Precious Jesus! give me to see my clear interest in thee, from my union with thee! And do thou, dear Lord, so make me strong in thy strength, that during the whole period of my present warfare, I may be "terrible as an army with banners," to all that would oppose my way to thee, and in thee. Yea, Lord! let sin, and Satan, and the world, be ever so united against me; yet do thou put on me the whole armour of my God, that I may "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, and be made more than conqueror through him that loveth me."
