Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: July 9th

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and, beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? - Matthew 14:30-31.

THE Apostle Paul speaks of the great things which faith has done;-that it can enable us to enter a lion’s den, or to face a fiery furnace. Here we find it could lead a man to slip down the side of a ship and stand upon the bare water and walk there. But how long does this continue? Why, “when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid.” What a sudden change! And such changes are common in the experience of believers. What transitions are there in a day, or sometimes in an hour, from light to darkness, from liberty to bondage, from hope to fear, and from joy to sadness! We seldom continue long in one state. But what was it that produced this change? Oh, it was looking at the storm, and not looking to Jesus: had he looked at him, he would not have thus trembled. Moses endured, how? “By seeing him who is invisible.” “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.” And how did he act? He did not consider the difficulties that stood in the way of the accomplishment of the divine promise, but rested on the assurance itself. “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giviug glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform.”

Observe, while Peter thus trembled he cried out, “Lord, save me.” This is a proper prayer to be used by us in every emergency, and even in those afflictions which we bring upon ourselves. To whom in any of our distresses can we repair for succour, but to him who is “the consolation of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble”? Oh, let us beware of other expedients. Beware of infidelity, beware of worldly dissipation, but have recourse to him who is the great burden-Bearer, and who is always nigh, and always saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” It is well to observe to what our thoughts and desires first turn when we come into difficulties and distresses. Afflictions are designed to bring us to him in a way of prayer. But it is said of Asa, “He sought to the physicians, and not to the Lord.”

Observe, no sooner does Peter ask for help than he obtains it:-“and immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” And did he ever refuse any that sought him? Is he not more ready to hear than we are to pray? Is there a Christian to be found who has not had the promise verified,-“Before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear”? But, while he gives Peter his hand and helps him, he administers unto him reproof:-“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Did I not tell you to come? Was not I by your side? This doubting of Peter’s does not refer to his eternal salvation, but to his sinking into the water; yet it will apply to the concerns of the soul and eternity. “When we doubt, let us reflect on the truth of God, as well as upon his kindness, and remember that we rob ourselves of great consolation in religion, and stability in the divine life, by giving way to doubts; for the Scripture says, “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.”

I have broken the bands of your yoke. - Leviticus 26:13.

THIS is exemplified with regard to the Jews when he delivered them from the bondage of Egypt; he then took off the yoke from their necks, and this is what God in his goodness does still for his people. What yoke? The yoke of Judaism.

What a yoke were their carnal ordinances, their numberless observances, and their painful rites. The ritual of the Jew, when he came to the end of the year, had taken away one-third of his whole time. Three times a year, however remotely situated from the capital, had they to repair to Jerusalem, notwithstanding the badness of the roads or the weather, to appear before God. We know nothing of distinction of meats, further than a regard to our health, or our taste imposes; but how many were their directions and restrictions with regard to their food! and if they touched a dead body or a grave, they were shut up for days. What a number of feasts and festivals had they! What precepts had they for building, for travelling, for ploughing, for sowing; regulations for the material and make of their garments, and they could not even cut their hair without being subject to a divine ordinance! A Jew could hardly move without violating something belonging to his religion. Its rules were so numerous, so trying, and go oppressive, that well might Peter say it was “a yoke;” “a yoke,” says he, “which we nor our fathers were able to bear.” No wonder that our compassionate Saviour should wish to free the Jews from it, and therefore said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

What yoke? The yoke of Popery! Popery is called the “son of perdition,” because it is doomed to perish, and because it has occasioned the temporal and Spiritual destruction of millions. It is called the “man of sin,” as if it were wickedness personified; and who can be versed in the annals of Popery without seeing how it has abounded with every kind of abomination. Oh, how mysterious was the providence of God to suffer such a system as this to rise and to prevail so long, tyrannizing over and enslaving the nations of the earth! But at length came the Reformation, which broke the bands of this yoke from the neck of our forefathers, so that we are allowed to purchase, and possess, and read the Bible in our own language; so that we are at liberty to lay our hands upon the celestial volume, and to say with David, “I have taken thy testimonies as an heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.”

What yoke? The yoke of persecution. The Reformation did not destroy all this. They who had shaken off the tyranny of Rome have been too eager to impose burdens on the consciences of others. How many suffered and perished by it in England and in Scotland; and many fled from it to the wilds of America. We ought to look back and to remember the former times, and to be thankful for “the revolution” which broke from us the bands of this yoke.

What yoke? The yoke of bigotry. There will always be some difference of opinion with regard to many inferior subjects in religion; and the difference is often of little importance if it be not injurious to our Spirits, if it hinder not our religious co-operation, if it does not invade our religious fellowship and intercourse.

What yoke? The yoke of legality. “Many there are who,” the Apostle says, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, are going about to establish their own righteousness, not submitting themselves to the righteousness of God.” From this yoke Christ has delivered his people; “for not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he saved us.” The Gospel hath made us free indeed from this yoke. “We are not under the law, but under grace.” Let us, therefore, “stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be no more entangled with the yoke of bondage.”

What yoke? The yoke of ignorance. “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Let us pray, therefore, that our knowledge of the gospel may be reduced to experience and practice, and that we may never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.

What yoke? The yoke of sin. This is what the Apostle calls the bondage of corruption. “And the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death.” Let us fall in with the design of the Son of God in thus delivering us, and “serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.”