Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: June 17th

For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.- 1 Samuel 12:22.

The prophet Samuel, like the apostle Paul, "shunned not to declare all the counsel of God."- Acts 20:27. They feared no licentious consequences from preaching the faith-establishing, soul-comforting truth of God’s unchangeable love to his people. Yet Samuel encourages the people to cleave close unto the Lord, and not turn aside from following him; assuring them, if they walked contrary to the Lord, though he would never change in his love, or cast off his people, "whom he did foreknow," yet he would change in his conduct and dealings towards them. "God will surely visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, his loving-kindness he will not utterly take away, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail."- Psalms 89:32-33. Like a tender and affectionate parent to a disobedient child, his love is ever the same when he corrects, as when he dandles on the knee. It is of the Lord’s good pleasure only, that he chooses and makes a people for his glory. He calls them to himself by sovereign grace. The honor of his name, and the perfection of his attributes, are engaged for their safety and salvation.

The faith of a Christian, how firm its foundation! It builds on the rock of ages, the eternal truth of an unchanging God of love. His "hope is an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfast, which is entered within the veil, whither the forerunner for us is entered, even Jesus."- Hebrews 6:19-20.

How then should our love be inflamed, and burn with incessant ardor to our ever-loving Lord and Saviour? Hath it pleased the Lord to put me among his children? to make me one of his people? It was free, unmerited love. Hath the blessed Spirit enriched my heart, with faith in precious Jesus? hath he in his word, over and over assured us, that "he will never leave nor forsake, but whom he loves he loves to the end?" Why is all this? Even because it pleased the Lord: "so it seemed good in his sight." And have I sinned? Heartwounding thought! sinned against his love? am I backslidden in affection? grown cold and indifferent to the kindest and best of beings? shameful ingratitude! Is the love of God in Christ Jesus, the source of all present grace, the security of future glory? Verily it should sink poor sinners to the lowest humility; affect with the deepest self-abasement and sorrow for sin; yet excite godly hope and rejoicing in Christ Jesus; and influence to the most cheerful diligence of serving a God of love, "without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments."- 1 John 5:3.

For the Lord will not cast off for ever. Lamentations 3:31.

“ Then there is no danger of perishing. Let us live as we list: walk after the imagination of our hearts: and fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” Is this the natural language of such a faith? This the genuine influence of such a hope? This the conduct resulting from the knowledge of God’s everlasting love? Yes, say some, if we could believe such doctrine, we should so act. Such sadly betray their ignorance of the sanctifying influence of divine truth, upon the heart and life. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise, says our Saviour to the expiring thief. (Luke 23:43.) Could he hence find it in his heart to say, then will I blaspheme thee again as I did just now? O no. The grace of God, which brings salvation to our souls, teaches otherwise. The goodness of God, which keeps us from hell, and preserves us safe to glory, leadeth us to repentance. And faith in the covenant love, and gracious promises of the Lord, encourages us to hope for pardon from him, because he will not cast off for ever. This was the glorious confession of the faithful, when under the severe chastising rod of God. Then is the season, to call to mind the Lord’s everlasting love and covenant faithfulness. He loves as a Father, therefore he corrects us as children. He hates our sins, at the same time that he loves our persons. If he makes us smart, it is to make us confess and pray. If he puts us into the furnace of afflictions, it is that we may glorify the Lord in the fires. (; Isaiah 24:15.) This cannot be done by unbelief, saying, the love of my covenant God and Father, is changed into the hatred of a vindictive wrathful enemy-he has cast me off from being his son, and will eternally punish me in hell. Such doctrine never brought a soul back to God with genuine humility, and godly sorrow. No. It is faith in God’s unchangeable love, and covenant faithfulness in Christ Jesus, that glorifies him, brings the poor sinner to him, humbles the heart before him, and causes the soul to cry out with tears of deepest gratitude, wretch that I am, by any base conduct to offend that loving Lord, who hates putting away, and will not cast off for ever! Lord Jesus grant that the belief of this truth may bind me closer than ever to thyself. We can assure our hearts of this precious truth. (1st.) “Because we are the children of God by faith in Christ.” (Galatians 3:26.) (2d.) “If children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (; Romans 8:17.) And (3d.) “We are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.” 1 Peter 1:5.

Who have such glorious cause to sing,

And triumph all their days,

As children of the heav’nly king,

Sav’d by his sovereign grace?

Not loved now, cast off anon,

This is not precious faith:

God ever loves us in his Son,

We joy in what he saith.