the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
December 27—Morning—Isaiah 54:10
"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee."—Isaiah 54:10.
What a rest is here for a poor redeemed sinner to stand firm upon, in time, and to all eternity! Well may lie cry out concerning Jesus, and his great salvation in him, "He is a rock, and his work is perfect." Yes, yes, thou Lord God of my salvation: thou art my dwelling-place in all generations. My soul, look all around thee, look within thee, look every where about thee. Search, behold, examine diligently, what else will or can afford thee any security. And think what a dying world it is in which thou art dwelling, or rather travelling through. What friend, what brother, what child, what relation, can give thee help of soul, or even of body, when thou most shalt need it? Think what a day, a week, an hour, may bring forth! Amidst all these changes, is Jesus thine? Doth he tell thee, "that though mountains depart, and hills be removed, his salvation and the Father’s covenant of peace is the same?" Shout, shout, my soul, and begin the song, which in a dying hour will only swell louder, "Salvation to God and the Lamb!"
December 27—Evening—Hebrews 4:10
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."—Hebrews 4:10.
My soul, see to it, that among other blessed evidences of thine union and rest in Christ, thou hast this also "We which have believed," the apostle saith, "do enter into rest." Our dependence on, and knowledge of Jesus, are such, that we really and truly enjoy the blessings of redemption. And as God the Father, when he had finished creation, rested from all his works which he had made; and as Jesus, when he had finished redemption, entered into his glory; so true believers, when they have once found Christ, and redemption in his blood, no longer weary themselves in the works of sin, or the works of self-righteousness, by way of justification before God; but cease from every thing in self, and rest with complacency and delight in the rich, free, and full salvation that is by Christ. My soul, what sayest thou to this blessed testimony of thine interest in Jesus? Is Jesus to thee the resting-place from sin, from sorrow, from guilt, and the wrath to come? As God the Father rests in him, well pleased for his righteousness sake, dost thou rest in him? Oh! the felicity of such a rest! Jesus is indeed the rest, wherewith the Lord causeth the weary to rest: and this is the refreshing! "Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee!"
