Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: December 26th

MORNING

Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:9. Friend, how comest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? Matthew 22:12.

The marriage of the Lamb Is gloriously described. (Rev. 19). What jubilation and exultation are heard there! (Revelation 19:6-7). As the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunderings, it is sounded forth, "Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready, adorned for the marriage. " And how is she adorned? Arrayed in fine linen, clean and white - His costly linen, His righteousness the bride appears at His marriage supper! How blessed is he that is called unto this supper, who comes in the shining linen of His righteousness, in the festive garb! But the parasite (Mat. 22) who had no wedding garment on, and who for that reason was ejected, is, without doubt, the patron lord of those who would receive Christ’s righteousness without putting it on and do not in reality appear in its shining beauty. When it is said, "And to her (the bride) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints," then we should bear in mind two things: first, that this garment must be given, bestowed and presented to us; that it can not be produced by any man through his own power; and secondly, that the saints accept it, appropriate it, put it on, and walk in it. Consequently, the virtues of Christ, or His righteousness, are also called "the righteousness of the saints," inasmuch as they have put on and appropriated Christ, His mind and Spirit, and inasmuch as their earnest endeavors, all their thoughts and aspirations, are to be adorned with this fine "linen" unto the day of the Lamb, the day of the Bridegroom, that they may be accepted by Him.

Their joyful anthems raise,

Till heaven re-echoes with the tone

Of that great hymn of praise,

And all its blessed throng

Unite their myriad voices

In one eternal song.

EVENING

I am come a light Into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Titus 2:11.

Christ’s birth was like the sun rising upon a world buried in night and darkness. Yea, He is the Dayspring from on high that has visited us who ’’sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Luke 1:78-79). "In Him was Life; and Life was the Light of men. " Therefore the apostles declared with all frankness, "Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John 1:2). This life, this light, was "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14), full of mercy and love to man. What a night, then, was the night of Christ’s birth! Then the brightest sun was shining. It is not without its significance that Christ was born in the night. You should learn from this that with Him was the light born, that the light came into the night of this world; and that everything is darkness and black night in all men if Christ, the Light of the World, arise not in them. He who does not possess the Light of Life is and remains full of darkness throughout all eternity. A dead light can not help those who are dead. All have been in need of a living and life-giving light, and we must needs have the same. This light is not extinguished when all the lights of earth and sky are ’extinct. But it is revealed that it may shine for you; that you may be enlightened by it; and that you may walk in its radiance. For if you walk in darkness, and if you love the deeds of darkness, you are among the children of night and death, who love darkness rather than light.

O, how shall I receive Thee,

How greet Thee, Lord, aright?

All nations long to see Thee,

My hope, my heart’s delight!

O kindle, Lord, most holy,

Thy lamp within my breast.

To do in spirit lowly

All that may please Thee best.