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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
Devotional: July 28th

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July 28—Morning—Deuteronomy 32:11-12

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead them."—Deuteronomy 32:11-12.

Here learn a lesson, to form some faint idea how the Lord is unceasingly engaged in taking care of his people. If thy God condescends to represent it by such a similitude, is it not both thy privilege and thy duty to mark the several particulars of such grace and tenderness? The eagle not only possesseth in common with other creatures, the greatest affection for her young, but manifests a vast superiority over every other of the winged tribe in her management of her brood. She provides for them and protects them, as other birds of the air do; but in educating them, and the method by which she shelters them from danger, here is displayed such superior wisdom and power, as far exceeds whatever we meet with in other creatures. "She stirreth up her nest:" by which we may understand, she suffers not her young eagles to lay sleeping, but calls them forth to life and exercise. She" fluttereth over them," as if to show them how they are to use their wings, and fly. And when she taketh them from the nest, this is not done like other birds, who carry their young in their talons, and in their haste or flight may drop them—or when pursued, or fired at by an enemy, may have them killed and herself not hurt; but the eagle beareth her young on her wings, so that no arrow from beneath can touch the young, until it hath first pierced through the heart of the old bird. What a sweet thought do these views afford; and what a blessed instruction do they bring! My soul, do they not teach thee, since the similitude is the Lord’s own, that he that hath stirred up the nest of thine old nature, in which thou wast born, because he would not suffer thee to sleep there for ever in the unawakened state of sin, and hath brought thee out, and brought thee abroad, and taught thee how to fly up, in devout aspirations after him, is the Lord? Is it not he that fed thee and sustained thee from thy youth, even until now; taught thee, and hovered over thee, and caused thee to" mount up as upon the wings of eagles; to run and not be weary; to walk, and not faint?" Yes, yes, blessed Jesus, it is thou that hast indeed borne me, as thou hast said, upon eagles’ wings, and brought me to thyself: so that I see, by this delightful comparison, that thou wilt not suffer any of thy little ones to perish; for "he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of thine eye;"—nay, while on thy wings, he that destroyeth them, must first destroy thee. Oh Lord, give me grace rightly to enjoy and use such marvellous blessings. And since, to the wisdom and strength of the eagle, thou hast now added the tenderness and solicitude of the hen, do thou, Lord, gather me under thy wings, and nourish me with thy love and favour, that I may be thine for ever, and live here by faith, as hereafter I hope to live with thee in glory.

July 28—Evening—Acts 9:34

"And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole."—Acts 9:34.

My soul! look at this man, Eneas: consider his circumstances of bodily sickness, and the long period of eight years, in which he had been bed-ridden. And when thou hast duly pondered the subject, behold the sovereignty of that all-powerful, all-prevailing name of Jesus Christ, though pronounced only by a servant, and see the blessed effects of it. And wilt thou, after such an instance, go lean under any spiritual sickness? Shall it be said that Jesus Christ cannot make thee whole? Surely, thou wouldest tremble at harbouring such a thought, even for a moment! And if thou darest not think such hard things of Christ’s ability, why shouldest thou not equally shudder at supposing thy Lord’s want of inclination? Hast thou not found him gracious in times past? And was that grace the result of thy desert? Was it not the pure effect of his own free love? And ought not past experience to beget future hope? Is not every believer’s life, a life of trust and dependence? Go to him, my soul, under every new ailment, as thou wert led to him at first. "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today, and for ever." Let faith have her full exercise. "Jesus Christ maketh thee whole." Here rest thy whole confidence. Never go to him in any attempts of thine own; but by a direct act of faith upon his glorious person, power, grace, and compassion; in his strength, and not thy feeling, rest wholly upon him, and plead thy necessities and his glory: and, depend upon it, this plan, which is of the Lord’s own appointing, win bring comfort under all the leanness with which thou art exercised. Remember his own most gracious words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full," John 16:23-24.

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