Daily Devotionals

Bowen's Daily Meditations

Devotional: May 18th

" He will subdue our iniquities." - Micah 7:19.

Having had a taste of the power of these our enemies, we look disconsolately around, much desiring, but little hoping, that a deliverer may appear. We discover some, perhaps, who excel in virtue. But we see at once that they can never medicine us to that sweet peace which they themselves possess. They may instruct; but we need something more than instruction; there is that within us which laughs at instruction, human or divine. If some angels would only come and tarry with us for a season; but alas! they would stand for a moment aghast, and then spread their swiftest wings for the regions where God reigns. They may sustain the believer, so that he dash not his foot against a stone, but they have no power adequate for the creation of a believer out of an unbeliever. Creation! - this is the word - to be taken to pieces, as it were; reduced to nothingness, and then made to live, a new creature.

This is no mere speculation. The Creator consents to ere He takes us to the cross, and lifting up his hand to heaven, swears that if we consent to die there, we shall surely live there, and our new life shall be the participated life of Him who knew no sin. We shall rise in the image of God. If we have boldness to be crucified with Christ, happy are we.

He subdues our iniquities, then, by making us despair of ever subduing them ourselves. - By pointing out to us some trophies of his power, some incorrigible Peters, some wrathful Pauls, who have been emancipated by his act. - By convincing us of his willingness to take our foes in hand. - By giving us a conception of his marvelous love shown to sinners, in the surrender of his only-begotten. - By giving us, through faith, a heavenly experience of that love. We feast upon it, and our enemies are not. They are gone without a battle.

Why should there ever be anything more? The enemies flee far and fast: one, however, remains crouching in the dark, unseen - mutability; and in due time the others return, hoping that their friend may have an opportunity of re-admitting them. Then there are sad conflicts; and we wonder if, after all, our iniquities are to abide unsubdued. We learn eventually that before their absolute subjugation, it is in many respects necessary that we should have an accurate acquaintance with them, an utter detestation of them, a most watchful habit of faith with respect to them. We learn, in fact, that the perpetuity of salvation is connected with the perpetuity of faith. It is merely because of the imperfection and slumber of faith that they ever venture to re-appear. They know very well that we have no more of God than we have of faith.

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