Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: November 16th

November 16—Morning—Isaiah 30:19

"Thou shalt weep no more; he will be very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee."—Isaiah 30:19.

Listen to this, my soul. Ponder over every precious word in it. Are not all tears dried from thine eyes, when beholding that complete salvation in which thou art interested in Christ Jesus? Believers are commanded to sorrow no more, as others without hope. And doth Jesus indeed wait to be gracious, nay, very gracious? Is it possible to consider that He, who hath all power in heaven and in earth, waits upon a poor worm of the dust, and this in order to be gracious? Come then, my soul, unto the mercy-seat. Do thou wait for him, who thus waits for thee. And as soon as thy Lord hath heard, and answered one prayer, do thou follow it up with another. Remember that he waits to be gracious; and Jesus is glorified, in giving out of his fulness to supply the wants of his people. And what petitions, my soul, hast thou now before the throne? What mercies art thou waiting for? Lord, help me to know my need, and thy fulness to supply. Help me to be for ever bartering my poverty for thy riches, and my sins for thy righteousness; that while thou art coming forth to me in mercy, my soul may be going forth to meet thee in prayer; and while Jesus is loading me with benefits, my poor heart may for ever be proclaiming his praise.

November 16—Evening—Isaiah 66:9

"Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God."—Isaiah 66:9.

Observe, my soul, not only how readily the Lord undertakes to bless his people, and mates good his promises, but the gracious manner in which he confirms his word unto his servants, "wherein he causeth them to hope." All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are sweet, and sure, and amen; but methinks there is a double blessedness in those, which, from their seeming to come to us with difficulty, the Lord recommends yet more by bringing in the sovereignty of his power to their accomplishment. It is as if the Lord said by every one, "Because it be marvellous in your eyes, should it be also marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of Hosts," Zechariah 8:6. My soul, if thou wilt read once more, this blessed evening, the gracious verse of the prophet in this view, the beauty and glory of it will more abundantly appear. Did God ever, in nature or in grace, fill the womb with expectation, and in the end cause a disappointment? Look through the whole compass of creation, and observe the appointed weeks through all his works. And will he restrain in the new creation? Is he not pledged in covenant engagements to people Zion with men as a flock? Is not the travail of the Redeemer’s soul to be as incalculable as the dew-drops of the morning? And shall Jehovah cease to be Jehovah here? Shall he bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? Shall he restrain or shut the womb? saith thy God. My soul, while thou art looking at the divine faithfulness, and the divine power, as the everlasting security for the fulfilment of all the promises of God in Christ to Zion at large, take home the same strength of argument (for it is the same) to thine; own security in particular. Hath the Lord thy God brought forth to thy new birth in Jesus, all the blessed hopes of salvation in his blood and righteousness; and will he not go on to the accomplishment of every thing needful in grace here, and glory hereafter to all eternity? Is any thing too hard for God? Shall thy cold and unbelieving heart make the word of God, and the oath of his promise of none effect? Dost thou not see that all thy security is in God’s faithfulness, and not dependent upon man’s improvement? Oh, the blessedness of ceasing from man, and resting upon God. Give me, blessed Jesus, give me grace to look off from myself, and to be wholly looking to thee; to live off from myself, and to live wholly upon thy fulness!