Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: September 13th

I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.- Hosea 2:14.

Carnal ease begets spiritual sloth. Outward prosperity often brings leanness of soul. Worldly joys, vain pleasures, and sensual gratifications, are contrary to the spiritual delights, holy comforts, and godly conversation of the soul. Of this observation we have awful evidence. Woeful experience proves it. It is seldom seen that the church of Christ in general, or individual members thrive and prosper in soul, when all without is easy, prosperous, and joyful to the flesh. Like "Jeshurun, we wax fat and kick, forsake God, and lightly esteem the rock of our salvation."- Deuteronomy 32:15.

But the head of his church, ever jealous for his own glory, ever watchful in love over his own members, will not suffer them to perish with a surfeit from worldly kindness. They shall rather bleed by the loving stroke of his hand, than fall a sacrifice to the world and the flesh. Earthly plants droop and wither by too great heat from the sun: so spiritual plants hang their heads and decline under the warm sunshine of prosperity. "But," saith the Lord, who delights in the spiritual prosperity of his people, "I will allure them to myself; I will persuade of the evil of forsaking me, the fountain of living waters, and hewing out to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water." The world, with all its gaudy show and glittering vanities, I will persuade them from. I will allure to myself the fountain of real happiness, the source of solid comfort, the centre of all felicity. The Saviour, who was led into the wilderness to be tempted for the soul, will lead the soul into the wilderness to wean it from its carnal delights. In a solitary, desolate wilderness, there is nothing grows to please the flesh, but all is irksome and disagreeable to nature. Here no path to direct from danger and invite to safety is found. Here wild beasts of prey roam. Here the welcome footsteps of the traveller cannot be traced. Here nought but dreary dread and constant fears haunt the mind. Just so is a wilderness-state of soul; O, what fears and sorrows pursue it! How perplexed about the way, from danger to safety! How gloomy, sad, and dejected is the heart! O, in such a state how ready the soul to hear! O, how doth God there teach the soul the profitable lesson of consideration! Former follies are reflected on with shame, past conduct is mourned over, worldly objects rejected with contempt, the soul brought again to thirst after God; Jesus and salvation becomes its cry again. O, that it were with me as in months past! This is right. The Saviour loves to hear his members thus bemoaning themselves. Then is their ear open, and their heart attentive to his voice; and he will speak, not what she deserves, wrath; but comfortably unto her heart; "Fear not, I am thy God, and thy great salvation."

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. Hebrews 12:12.

Are you saying, my troubles are many, my burden is great, and hope deferred makes my heart sick? True, a faint heart makes weak hands and feeble knees. Then afflictions become intolerable, duty tiresome, prayer irksome, the ordinances like dry breasts, the lamp of spiritual life is expiring, the poor sinner grows dejected and dispirited, is ready to give up hope, and give way to despondency. The Comforter inspires a work for such, “lift up your hands,” etc. Do you say, the advice is good, but the practice hard? St. Paul supposes it: for he introduces it with wherefore. O, I dearly love these Scripture adverbs! Much courage and comfort are gained by attending to them. Wherefore or for which reason, lift up your weak hands, or the weak hands of others. Consider, why, or wherefore we should do this. (1st.) We have Jesus to look unto for patience. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He bore our sins. He hath for ever taken away the curse due to them. He has made our peace with God. God is in him reconciled to us. He who endured the cross for our sins, and despised the shame of being treated as a malefactor, in love to our persons, is now before the throne of God praying for us. O this look is reviving; (2d.) Consider Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, lest ye be weary and faint. He was made perfect through sufferings, that he might bring many sons unto glory. He is bringing you, through much tribulation, into his kingdom. Consider the love and sorrows of Jesus for you. Look on yourself as a suffering member, of a once suffering head. So shall your weak mind be strengthened, and your weary mind refreshed. (3d.) Forget not, but consider the exhortation, my son. Precious appellation! God is your Father.

He loves you with the same everlasting and unchangeable love. He chastises you as his child. Why? Because he is wroth against you? No, but to make you more like himself in holiness. O then lift up your hands to your Brother Jesus, your Father God, in confident faith, in humble prayer. Though all within is clouded dejection, yet all above is sunshine, joy, peace, and consolation. Consider your hope. “It is an anchor of the soul.” On what is it fixed? It entereth into that within the vail, whither the fore-runner is for us entered, even Jesus. Hebrews 6:19-20.

When knees are weak, & hands hang down,

And we can’t run or pray,

Still Jesus is before the throne

For us, tho’ weak, each day.

Then let our sighing hearts, to Christ

In faith and hope ascend:

And all our doubts and fears resist,

Christ is our faithful friend.