Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: August 6th

For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. - Hebrews 2:18.

WE have seen the Lord as the Sufferer and the Succourer of his suffering people; and we have now to view him becoming the Succourer through his being the Sufferer. And we see in another passage how he obtained this, as we read, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience through the things which he suffered;” “And, being made perfect through suffering, he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.” The ability, therefore, is relative, and may be exemplified four ways. The first regards his atonement. Without this, the sacrifices of old would be unmeaning and absurd; but observe the relief that the Christian sufferer derives from this in his sufferings. How important it is for us to know that there is nothing penal in them, however numerous and great they may be! The cross is the tree which, thrown into the bitter waters of Marah, renders them sweet while we pass through the wilderness.

Secondly, By his example. “He suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should tread in his steps.” And by viewing him as a sufferer we may learn every thing in regard to our sufferings. Then the glory of God and the salvation of sinners is advanced by it. He could say, “With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” The feeling is quite consistent with submission. He bore a cross and carried it for us, and carried a much heavier one than we are required to bear, so that we may say, with Watts,-

“Now let our pains be all forgot,

Nor longer dare repine;

Our sufferings are not worth a thought,

When, Lord, compared with thine.”

Thirdly, By sympathy. He is thus able to enter into our case, and knows what is required in our condition. Experience is necessary to the exercise of sympathy. When we hear of the distress of another, we may feel some common pain, but we cannot sympathize unless we had felt the same; it is then that distress runs into the sensibility of another and we “weep with those that weep.” He who has felt the hand of God upon him will not be able to view with indifference, nor with an insensible heart, the sufferings of his fellow-creatures. So it is in consequence of our Saviour’s humiliation and sufferings he knows how experimentally to sympathize:-

“He knows what sore temptations mean,

For he has felt the same.”

Do we think of dying? We must think of dying, and we must die alone as to our fellow-creatures; Christians will find their fellow members and their ministers may attend them and endeavour to comfort them, but they cannot speak from experience; they do not know what it is to die; but He then will be with them that does know! Are they afraid of the grave? He entered it: there lay “the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley,” and left a long perfume.

“The graves of all his saints he blest,

And soften’d every bed:

Where should the dying members rest,

But with their dying Head?”

Fourthly, By his efficiency. Pity is not power. We can sympathize when we have not the means of curing and relieving. But it is otherwise with the blessed Saviour. His ear is not heavy that he cannot hear, neither is his arm shortened that he cannot save them. He has all power at his command, and all things at his disposal. “The Father loveth the Son,” and made him a present of the universe, so that providence and grace, and the whole dispensation of the Spirit in his miraculous and ordinary operations, are in his hand.

Nothing, therefore, is too hard for him; whatever our dangers are, he has a sufficiency to secure us.

They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” - 1 Timothy 6:9-10.

PAUL here refers to two classes of person. First, to evil men, who yet may have made a profession of religion. Of these Solomon speaks when he says, “The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” “Their table shall become a snare and a trap.” The Apostle compares these to persons shipwrecked; they sink to rise no more; they are drowned in destruction and perdition.

Then, secondly, he refers to good men, and compares them to passengers or travellers going along the road, but instead of pursuing their course only, they happen to see some inviting fruit at the roadside, entangled all round with thorns and briars, and they must get it, and they tear their garments and their flesh to reach it, and tear them again in getting back from it. “These pierce themselves through with many sorrows.” The fact is, that even good men, with regard to earthly riches, want peculiar grace, or they will not be proof against their evil influences.

Christians seldom, if ever, improve by their rising in the world; but many have been greatly injured by it. Many have been less constant and regular in their attendance on the means of grace, though they have had more leisure. Many have given less afterwards-not less comparatively, but less absolutely. We believe the Scriptures, where God testifies of the danger of temporal prosperity. If these things were safe and good for Christians, they would have them; for “God taketh pleasure in his people.” But he sees they would operate as manure to their depravity-he sees they would provide for the lusts of the flesh, and so tend to cherish and keep alive those evils which it is our duty and our privilege to have starved to death, as far as possible-such as pride, and vanity, and self-importance, attachment to earth, and an unwillingness to leave it and go to the Father.

Let us seek durable riches and righteousness. These are not only attainable, but safe. These are not only blameless, but profitable-profitable unto “all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” These, instead of polluting the mind, will purify it; they will draw us from the earth, instead of allowing us to settle here. Instead of elevating us, they will clothe us with humility; instead of leading us away from God, they will connect us with him; they will prepare us for every condition in which we can be found. Therefore let us fix no bound to our desires; God does not. He says, “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.” “Ask and receive, that your joy may be full.”