Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: March 1st

March 1—Morning—Isaiah 4:6

"And his name shall be called Wonderful."—Isaiah 9:6.

In the opening of the last month, the fragrancy of Jesus’s name, as Emanuel, gave a sweet savour to my soul. May He, whose name is as ointment poured forth, give a new refreshment to my spiritual senses this morning, in this name also as Wonderful; for surely every thing in him, and concerning him, of whom the prophet speaks, is eminently so. But who shall speak of thy wonders, dearest Lord! the wonders of thy Godhead, the wonders of thy manhood, the wonders of both natures united and centered in one Person? - Who shall talk of the wonders of thy work, the wonders of thine offices, characters, relations; thy miraculous birth, thy wonderful death, resurrection, ascension? - Who shall follow thee, thou risen and exalted Saviour, at the right hand of power, and tell of the exercise of thine everlasting priesthood? Who shall speak of the wonders of thy righteousness, the wonders of thy sin-atoning blood? What angel shall be found competent to proclaim the wonders of the Father’s love, in giving thee for poor sinners? What archangel to write down the wonders of thy love, in undertaking and accomplishing redemption? And who but God the Spirit can manifest both in the height, and depth, and breadth, and length, of a love that passeth knowledge? Is there, my soul, a wonder yet, that, as it concerns thee, and thine interest in him, whose name is wonderful, is still more marvellous to thy view? Yes, Oh thou wonderful Lord, for sure all wonders seem lost in the contemplation compared to that, that Jesus should look on me in my lost, ruined, and undone estate; for his mercy endureth for ever. Well might Jesus say, "Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me, are for signs and wonders!" Isaiah 8:18. Well might the Lord, concerning Jesus and his people, declare them to be as men wondered at. Zechariah 3:8. And blessed Lord, the more love thou hast shewn to thy people, the more are they the world’s wonder and their own. Precious Lord, continue to surprise my soul with the tokens of thy love. All the tendencies of thy grace, all the manifestations of thy favour, thy visits, thy love-tokens, thy pardons, thy renewings, thy morning-call, thy mid-day feedings, thy noon, thy evening, thy midnight grace - all, all are among thy wonderful ways of salvation; and all testify to my soul, that thy name, as well as thy work, is, and must be, wonderful.

March 1—Evening—Hebrews 10:14

"For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."—Hebrews 10:14.

I hope, my soul, thou hast still upon thee the sweet savour of his name, whom in the morning portion thou didst contemplate as wonderful. And if so, here is another view of Jesus, presented to thine evening meditation, to keep alive the blessed fragrancy, and under the Spirit’s influence, to preserve both, not only through the night, but to the morning; and every night, and every morning that follows, until the night of death be passed, and that everlasting morning break in upon thee, in which thy sun shall no more go down, but Jesus himself be thine everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Look, my soul, this evening, at thy Jesus, as this sweet scripture sets him forth, and behold him, in his high priestly office, at once the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and the altar, on which he hath offered up that one offering, by which he "hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." And mark both the preciousness of thy Jesus, and the preciousness of his work. It is but one offering, and that one but once offered. For, from its eternal value and efficacy, an everlasting perfection is given to all them that are sanctified, and set apart for himself. "For Christ (as the apostle in his delightful manner expresseth it) being raised from the dead, dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God," Romans 6:9-10. And what abundant precious things are contained in this view of the one offering of the Lord Jesus, which the Holy Ghost is continually holding forth to the church! It is blessed to behold them, blessed to believe them, and doubly blessed to be living in the constant enjoyment of them. So vast and comprehensive is this one offering of Jesus, that it hath not merely procured the hopes of pardon, but the certainty of it; not only brought poor sinners into a capability of being saved, but absolutely saved them; and not only saved them, but qualified them for happiness: yea," hath perfected, and that for ever, them that are sanctified." And who are they? Surely all are sanctified who were set apart from everlasting, in the council of peace, between the persons of the Godhead, and given unto the Son, in an everlasting covenant, that cannot be broken: for to this purport are those blessed words of Jesus himself, in his prayer to his Father, John 17:2. "That I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me." And, my soul, take one observation more, from this sweet scripture; this perfection, given to his people, by his one offering, is for ever; "he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." So that the blessing runs through all eternity. The efficacy of Jesus’s blood and righteousness is eternally the same. In point of merit, it blows as fresh and pure, and sovereign, in its pleadings now, as ever. Hallelujah! Fold up, my soul, this blessed verse, in thy bosom, and carry it about with thee in thine heart. Let it be among the first and last of thy thoughts, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Jesus will own it, and prove it to the full, when thou bringest it before his throne.