the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
May 11—Morning—2 Samuel 16:11-12
"Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction; and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day."—2 Samuel 16:11-12.
My soul, see here a believer in his best frame. To be sure, it is not always thus with a child of God; but it were to be devoutly desired always thus to be. But while we admire the faith, let us yet more admire and adore him, and his grace and mercy who gives it. Oh what a blessed state it is to eye the hand of the Lord in every thing. When Shimei thus cursed David, he passeth by the instrument, and recognizeth the hand of the Lord in the appointment. "Let him alone, for the Lord hath bidden him." Sin is at the bottom. The Lord doth not correct for nought. How unjust soever on the part of man, it is both just and right on the part of God. And observe, moreover, the comfort he takes to himself out of it. If my God bid my enemy distress me, is it not that my Almighty Friend may more sweetly comfort me? There is not only a may be, but a certainty there shall be, in God’s requiting evil with good to his people My soul, never overlook this in any, and in all of thine exercises. Behold his hand in it, be it what it may, and then thou wilt never faint under any burden. Jesus not only looks on, but he it is that permits, that appoint. Oh he is tender even in rebukes. By those means he makes his children more like himself; and moreover, it is his gracious plan to extract pleasure from pain, and by impoverishing the soul in self, and in creature love, to turn curses into blessings, and convert loss into gain. Doth the enemy curse you? Doth he come out against you? Oh then depend upon it, Jesus is going to confer some special blessing upon you. Thou art to be advanced to great honour, to be made more conformable to his blessed image. Jesus is hereby giving you not only to believe in him, but to suffer for his sake. Precious Lord! grant me then this grace which thy servant David was enabled to exercise; and when the Shimeis of the day come forth to curse, let them curse, so thou do but bless. And Oh for sweet influences from thee, dearest Lord! "that I may know thee and the power of thy resurrection, and the fellowship of thy sufferings, being made conformable unto thy death."
May 11—Evening—Acts 13:39
"And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."—Acts 13:39.
What can be more blessed to a poor conscious sinner, such, my soul, as thou art from day to day, than the ministry of his servant the apostle, in these gracious words. Sit down, this evening, and, under his divine teaching, ponder them duly over. A poor guilty sinner needs a rich and holy Saviour. That he cannot justify himself in the sight of God, is most evident, for the least gust left upon the conscience would condemn him for ever. He cannot be justified by the deeds of the law; for by the law is the knowledge of sin, and in the law we learn that we have all sinned, and come short of God’s glory. He cannot he justified by the offerings and sacrifices made under the law of Moses; for how can the blood of bulls and of goats take away sin? By what then, or by whom, my soul canst thou be justified? Hear what this sweet scripture saith: "By him, that is, by the Lord Jesus Christ, all that believe are justified from all things." Oh! how blessed is the view! how complexly satisfying to the conscience, is the redemption by Christ Jesus, "whom God hath set forth as a propitiation, through faith in his blood?" And do not fail to observe the extensiveness of the blessing: it is all that believe, yea, every individual believer; for the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin; and the righteousness of Chest, in a way of justification, is to all and upon all that believe, for there is no difference. And do not fail also to observe the equality of the mercy in justification; it is to all the same. So that though believers differ in the strength of their faith, and in the different degrees of that faith, yet respecting their interest in Christ, and their union with Christ, the weakest, as well as the strongest, is equally justified, and equally secure. And for this plain reason: because the object of faith, which is Jews, is one and the same, and justification is in and by Christ, and doth not arise from the degree of apprehension the believer hath of it. Sweet thought to a poor timid believer! Hence the everlasting safety, both for acceptance in grace here, and the enjoyment of glory hereafter, is to an the same. And however the Lord, in his infinite wisdom, may think fit to appoint different paths for believers departures out of life; though some, like the apostles, shall be called to seal the testimony of their faith in Christ in blood, and wade through this red sea (if it may so be called) to join the multitude on the opposite shore, who are shouting the song of Moses and of the Lamb, whilst others sweetly fall asleep in Jesus on their beds, quiet and composed, amidst surrounding friends; yet, in the act of justification, all are alike. Jesus, taketh the lambs of his fold in his arms, and they shall lie in his bosom, while he leads the strong. In short, all that are in union with Christ, do live in Christ, and shall die in Christ, whether they be little children, young men, or fathers; for "by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." See, my soul, that thou hast this faith which is of the operation of the Spirit of God, and then lie down this night, and every night, with the composure of one that is in a state of justification with God, "having peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
