the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
October 5—Morning—Mark 16:7
"He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him."—Mark 16:7.
Mark this, my soul, in all thy goings forth; look out for thy gracious, glorious Forerunner, and see whether the same going before thee of thy Lord hath not been from everlasting. Was it not Jesus that was set up as the Head of his people from everlasting? Did he not then go before them, when he went forth for the salvation of his people? In the council of peace did he not go before them; not only before we knew our need, but before we had a being? In all his covenant engagements, as the Surety of his people, he went before them. And in all his offices, characters, and relations, he was preventing us with the blessings of his goodness. And in the personal salvation of every individual of his redeemed, was not Jesus beforehand in quickening, illuminating, redeeming mercy? "If we love him, is it not because he first loved us?" And what is it now? Do not his mercies go before our prayers? and before we call, doth not Jesus answer? And will it not be so during the whole day of grace, even to the eternal day of glory? Precious Jesus, surely thou art going before me into Galilee. Oh for grace to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. And do thou, Lord, walk with me, and talk with me, as thou didst to the disciples in the way, and make thyself known unto me in continual manifestations, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.
October 5—Evening—Song of Solomon 1:6
"They made me keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept."—Song of Solomon 1:6.
My soul, now the day is over, sit down, and look back on the employments of it. What a day hath it been? What portion of it hath been engaged in the service of thy Lord, and the improvement of thy soul? How wholly occupied in the busy and imperious demands of the world, the care of the body, and in procuring the bread that perisheth! Surely the complaint of the church is thine also. Keeper of the vineyards of others, thine own goeth to waste! And of what avail, in the path of grace, if though occupied by a thousand things in the aid of others, thou art making no progress in the heavenly road by thine own soul? Are not the peace of thy life, and the glorious expectation of a better, to be advanced in the knowledge and enjoyment of Jesus? If I lose sight of thee, thou dear Immanuel; if the lively actings of faith upon thee be remitted, will the recollection of attention to others give assurance or comfort? If I lose all that sweet personal communion and fellowship with thee, which is the very life of the soul, and receive none of thy private visits, what signifies the best and most successful public usefulness in thy church, and among thy people? I do indeed rejoice to say or do any thing which may minister to others in the knowledge of my Lord; but God forbid, that, like the post to the traveller, I be found merely to direct, but never move a step myself. Rather, blessed Jesus, be it my portion to be like the star to the wise men, which not only lighted to Christ, but went with them, and before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. Oh! then, with the church, under the same complaint, let me cry out, as she did "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest; where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?"
