the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
August 2—Morning—John 15:1
"My Father is the husbandman."—John 15:1.
Blessed truth, and blessed assurance, to the true followers of Jesus. Yes, Almighty Father! I would pray for thy continual teaching, to behold thee as the husbandman of thy vineyard, the church, in which thou hast raised up the Plant of Renown, the Man whose name is the Branch, the true Vine, in whom, and upon whom, and through whom, all thy redeemed, taken from the olive-tree that is wild by nature, are grafted, and bring forth fruit unto God. Yes, Almighty Father! I would desire grace to behold thee, and while I behold, to love, to praise, to adore thee, that from everlasting thou hast graciously been the husbandman of thy church. It was in thee, and from thee, as the contriver and appointer of all that concerned redemption, we trace the fountain and source of all that grace, mercy, peace, and favour here, with all the unknown treasures of glory hereafter, which thou hast placed in his most blessed hands, who is the Lord our righteousness. In every renewed view of Jesus, as the true Vine, which thou hast planted; and in every renewed communication from his fulness, nourishment, and life-imparting influences; may it be my happy portion, Oh Lord, to eye thee, as the husbandman, while I feel and know my union in Jesus as the Vine. And do thou, most gracious God and Father, condescend to act the part of the kind husbandman still. Let thine eyes be upon me for good, as the husbandman visits his vineyard. Water, Lord, with the heavenly dew of thy word and Spirit, the dry and languishing plantation. Oh that the Lord may give showers of blessing, and that he may be to me as the latter, and as the former rain, upon the barrenness of my heart. Preserve me, Lord, from the wild boar of the wood, even Satan, that he may never tread me down. Weed out, Lord, the briers and thorns, even the corruptions of my own heart, which would twine themselves with the tender branches. And lop off, Oh Lord, all the superfluous shoots, even the world’s enticements, which might prevent fruitfulness in Jesus. In all things, blessed God and Father, be thou the kind, the tender, the wise husbandman, in doing for me what thou seest to be needful, however painful to flesh and blood the pruning dispensations and wintry providences may be found. Do thou purge, as Jesus hath said, every branch that beareth fruit, that it may bring forth more fruit; and by thy gracious Spirit so cause me to abide in Christ, and that Christ may abide in me, that thou, my God and Father, mayest be glorified in my bearing much fruit, to the praise of thy grace, wherein thou hast made me accepted in the beloved.
August 2—Evening—Genesis 28:12
"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it."—Genesis 28:12.
Visions of the night, such as the patriarchs were blessed with, serve to teach us how the Lord, in those early ages, watched over his people. And, my soul, I would have thee always take the sweet conclusion from the review of them, that if Jesus was thus mindful of his chosen then, depend upon it he is not less attentive now. There can be no difficulty, it should seem, interpreting this vision of the patriarch Jacob’s ladder, after what Jesus told Nathaniel of the ascent and descent of the angels upon the Son of man, John 1:51. Under such an authority, we need not hesitate to consider Christ as the only communication, the only medium of intercourse between heaven and earth; John 14:6. And if the patriarch saw, in a vision, a ladder, with its foot on the earth, and its top reaching to heaven, thus uniting both; were not these representations of Jesus, as Emmanuel, his human nature and his divine: thus uniting such vast extremes, and forming in both, one glorious Mediator, to bring sinners to God, and bring down grace upon the earth? And as Jehovah stood above it, in the patriarch’s view, what was this but to shew the authority of Christ, as the Christ of God? Precious addition to the vision indeed, for this is the warrant of faith in believing "the record that God hath given of his Son. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Blessed Emmanuel] I hail thy glorious person! I bow down to the earth in humble adoration, love, and praise! I view thee, O Lord, as the only mediation for my precious soul; and desire to renounce every other! Witness for me, ye angels of light, who minister to the heirs of salvation, that, on my bended knees, in transports of rejoicing, I bless God for having opened such a new and living way for poor sinners; and very humbly and earnestly do I beg of him, that my God will unceasingly make sweet communications of grace by Jesus, and call forth the suitable returns, in love, and praise and obedience, through Jesus, in my soul, until faith is swallowed up in absolute enjoyment, and that blessed hour, which Jesus promised, be fulfilled, when I shall see heaven open, and" the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
