Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: April 4th

In a little wrath I hid myself from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.- Isaiah 54:8.

Love is ever open and communicative: it conceals nothing from the object beloved, which may profit or comfort the mind. "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" saith the God of love, concerning his friend- Genesis 18:17. Of those that follow the Lamb he saith, "Ye are my friends." Servants are not made acquainted with their masters’ secrets, but friends are. Therefore saith Jesus, the great interpreter of covenant love, "All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you."- John 15:15. Children shall not be chastised, but they shall be told of the Father’s kindness and mercy in it. Love is ever in his heart, though wrath may appear in his conduct.

The joy of creation is revived by the bright shining of the sun. When that is withdrawn, clouds, mists, and darkness gather. So when the sun of righteousness hides himself from the soul, it seems a dark season of wrath. The mists of corruption arise; the thick fog of unbelief spreads itself; the gloom of dejection hangs heavy on the mind; and the prince of darkness is very busy at such a season: like Job’s friends, he is a physician of no value, but a miserable comforter to the soul. Now all sense, nature, and feeling, write bitter things against the poor sinner. The Father chastises, the Saviour hides himself, the law accuses, conscience condemns, sin terrifies, Satan threatens, but-Father, thy mercy never dies. Thy love changes not. Therefore faith endures and turns to the law of love. What saith that? "In a little wrath I hid myself." Little in comparison of thy deserts, O soul!-little compared with the greatness of the love of thy God. Faith listens to the testimony of Jesus. The Lord thy Redeemer speaks: ’My deserting thee is of the shortest duration; a moment; the twinkling of an eye:’ as no space of time compared to eternity. Then love vents itself and declares, "With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee."

The word of the Lord shall stand. His covenant is sure; his love unchangeable; his promises immutable: hence the soul is excited to confidence, to assurance, full assurance; yea the fullest assurance of a God of truth, though all present appearances seem against it. Then hope dawns in the soul, and love to Jesus is quickened. Holy shame and godly sorrow, for past follies, fill the heart, while the comforter inwardly testifies of Jesus. His love, how infinite! his salvation, how perfect! his person, how precious! his promises, how reviving! his presence, how joyful! and every thing which interrupts it, how exceeding hateful and abominable! For such is Jesus’ love; "Weeping may endure for a night (of desertion), but joy cometh in the morning (of his returning presence)."- Psalms 30:5.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. Hebrews 11:27.

Here we see faith opposed by fear, and the victory of faith over the dread of wrath. Consider his work and his danger; his faith and his safety. (1st.) Moses was engaged in a great work. He was to go to Pharaoh, and say from the Lord, “Israel is my son, even my first-born son: let him go, that he may serve me.” (Exodus 4:23.) Now, might not the king very naturally look upon Moses as a very dangerous, pestilent, hotheaded enthusiast, who, under a pretense of religion, wanted to raise a rebellion in his kingdom? He had to fear, that the king might put him to death in his wrath. “For the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion.” (Proverbs 19:12.) Most terribly fierce! But, (2d.) consider his faith. This set him above fear: he bids defiance to wrath. Forsake Egypt, he must; flee from the king, he was determined: for he had the command of his God for it. Faith is the parent of all holy obedience. But was his faith nothing more than a strong impulse of his mind- something within him, which suggested to him that he must forsake Egypt? No: this he might have had, and obeyed it too, to his own destruction; but he had the Lord’s word for the ground of his faith. Mind this: “Thus saith the Lord, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring my people out of Egypt.” There is the warrant for his faith. (3d.) Consider his safety. Pharaoh could not hurt the hair of his head. Why not? because the Lord added, “Certainly I will be with thee.” (Exodus 3:12.) There is the certainty of his safety. Thus, he believed God, and feared not the wrath of the king.

Here see the nature and actings of true and lively faith. (1st.) It hath the word of the Lord for its object. There may be strong impressions of mind, warm suggestions of fancy, where there is not “Thus saith the Lord.” Soul! these will not carry thee out of the Egypt of nature to the promised land: they will soon forsake thee. Then, thou wilt not only feel the wrath of a king, but the shaking of a leaf. (2d.) Faith in the Lord’s word, delivers the soul from the fear of the Lord’s enemies. According to the strength of our faith, we are set above fears of wrath. We cannot have stronger cause for faith, than the Lord’s word; nor a better object for our faith, than the Son of God. O! then, when fear of wrath prevails, look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, with “Lord, increase my faith!” Luke 17:5.

‘Where is your faith?’ our Saviour cries;

‘Believe and honour me:’

Our foolish, reas’ning heart replies,

‘Christ’s joys are not for me.’

Thou Author of our faith, increase

The gift which thou hast giv’n:

So shall we find thy precious peace

The antepast of heaven.