the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
September 16—Morning—Zechariah 10:12
"I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord."—Zechariah 10:12.
My soul, mark these words, how precious they are; and mark the Speaker and Promiser, and consider how sure they are. Is not this God the Father speaking of the church, and most graciously assuring the church that he will strengthen the church in Jesus, the church’s glorious Head? Is not this said with an eye to Christ, who is represented in another part of this blessed prophecy as calling upon the church to attend to him, who is come to build the temple of the Lord, and to bear all the glory, and who expressly saith that the church shall know that he, the Lord of Hosts, is sent by the Lord of Hosts unto his people? Who but the Lord of Hosts could build the temple of the Lord of Hosts; or who but him bear all the glory? Zechariah 6:12. So then, my soul, observe that Christ is the strength, as well as the righteousness of his redeemed. And do observe further, that when at any time thou art strengthened in Jesus, it is the Father’s gracious hand and office which is manifested in this merciful act. If thou art drawn at any time to Jesus, it is the Father’s sweet constraining love that thus works upon the soul. John 6:44. If thou enjoyest at any time some new and delightful revelation of Jesus, which lifts thee up with a joy unspeakable, remember, my soul, from whom the blessing comes; and learn to ascribe the mercy, the distinguishing mercy, as the apostle did, to the Father’s grace, when it pleased him to separate thee from thy mother’s womb, and called thee by his grace to reveal his Son in thee, Galatians 1:15-16. Yes, Almighty Father, it is thy special mercy, both to give thy Son, and with him all things, to the highly favoured objects of thine everlasting love. It was he who, from all eternity, didst contrive, order, will, appoint, and prepare the great salvation of the gospel, and choose Christ as the head, and the church as the body of this stupendous work of redemption. It is thou which hast carried on and executed all the great designs; and it is thou who dost strengthen and complete the whole in the final salvation of all the members of it, in grace here, and glory hereafter. Blessed, holy compassionate Lord God! for Jesus’s sake fulfil this promise daily in my soul; bear me up, carry me through, and strengthen me in the Lord my God, that I may indeed walk up and down in his name, until thou bring me in to see his face in thine eternal home, and dwell under the light of his countenance for ever.
September 16—Evening—Genesis 24:63
"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide."—Genesis 24:63.
My soul, every season is suited for meditation, if the Lord the Holy Ghost suit the mind for the employment. But unless he prepare the heart, no preparation will be found in any season. What multitudes are there, to whose unthinking minds neither the morning breath nor the evening call, in the Lord’s mercies in providence and in grace, have any hearing? They arise, as they lay down, unconscious and unconcerned as to whom they are indebted for keeping their persons and their dwelling-places in safety. They put on the garment to cover and adorn the body, but are ignorant that their souls are without clothing! They wash and refresh the body, but the pollution of the soul they see not! They are anxious to preserve the casket, but the jewel it contains, falls under their feet, as an object of no value! My soul, do thou look at the patriarch Isaac, and take him for thy pattern. He went out" to meditate in the field at the even-tide!" He turned his back upon the house and family, and sought, in the solitude of the field, to have his mind disengaged from men, that he might be wholly engaged in devout communion with God. And is not the present evening suited to thee for this purpose. It is a calm and serene season, and every thing invites thee to the employment. Thy wants and necessities; the solemn inquiry how thou art advancing in grace, and in the knowledge of thy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; the consciousness that another day of thy pilgrimage is ended, and thou art by so much the nearer thine eternal home; every momentous interest belonging to a dying creature in a dying world, presses the matter upon thee, to ponder the path of thy feet, which, in every step, is leading thee to eternity. Go then, if not to the field of nature, yet to the field of grace, and if thou hast no closet to retire to, yet retire to thine own heart, and there meditate on all those interesting subjects which belong to an immortal soul. Jesus waits to meet thee, to be gracious to thee, and he will shew thee his secret. Oh, thou dear Lord of thy people! cause me to delight in those sweet and sacred interviews! Let every evening toll the bell of recollection to call home my poor wandering heart; and when the tumult of a busy, unsatisfying, and troublesome world is over, Oh! for grace to do as my Lord did;" send the multitude away, and get up apart into the holy mountain" of faith and love in the Lord Jesus, "to meditate and pray!"
