Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: January 29th

January 29—Morning—Exodus 21:5-6

"If the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door posts; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever."—Exodus 21:5-6.

How sweet is scripture explained by scripture! Jesus saith, when sacrifice and offering under the law were both unprofitable, "Mine ears hast thou opened;" or, as it might have been rendered, "Mine ears hast thou digged." Psalms 40:6. And elsewhere, "The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious." Isa. l, 5. The apostle to the Hebrews decidedly explains this in reference to Christ, Hebrews 10:5. And what was all this but to shew the voluntary service of Jesus to the office and work of the Redeemer. Was not Jesus, in all that high work, the servant of Jehovah? Though he was in the form of God, and with him it was no robbery to be equal with God, yet he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. And for whom did he this? Was it not, in effect, saying, like the jewish servant, which was typical of him, "I love my master, my father, in the work of redemption?" John 14:31. "I love my wife, my church, my spouse." Song of Solomon 4:10. "I love my children: behold I, and the children thou hast given me." Isaiah 8:18. "I will not go out free." Oh, precious Lord Jesus! well might the apostle say, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it!" Surely it was thy love, dearest Lord, to thy church, that moved thee to serve Jehovah, "as Israel served for a wife, and for a wife kept sheep." Hosea 12:12. Oh for grace to love thee, and to serve thee for ever!

January 29—Evening—John 16:13

"He shall not speak of himself."—John 16:13.

I have found, in time past, a very great blessedness in this short but sweet account, which Jesus gives of the gracious office of the Holy Ghost; and therefore I would make it the subject of my present evening meditation. I find what the Lord Jesus said concerning the blessed Spirit, in this most delightful part of his divine ministry, to be true. For look wherever I may, through the bible, it is of Jesus only the Holy Ghost is continually speaking, and not of himself. And hence, by the way, I learn how to form a most decided testimony of the faithful preachers of the word. For, if God the Holy Ghost, in his glorifying the Lord Jesus, is never found to be speaking but of Jesus; surely all his faithful servants, who act by his authority, and are commissioned and ordained by him to the work, will never preach themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. And how blessed is it to be taught of Jesus, by the Holy Ghost! It is astonishing, when we take into one mass of particulars the agency of the Holy Ghost in his glorifying the Lord Jesus, to observe the patience, the compassion, the tenderness, and love, which that blessed Spirit manifests to the church of Jesus, in holding up to their view, and in bringing home to their heart, the person, work, character and relations of Jesus! How sweetly and effectually doth he speak of him, plead for him, and win over the affections to him, by his saving light, his illuminating grace, and persuasive arguments in the heart! It is the Holy Ghost that takes of Christ, and the things of Christ, and makes both appear lovely and desirable in our eyes. It is his blessed work to bring about the gracious union, when, as the bridegroom of his church, God the Spirit represents him in his beauty, and persuades the soul of the sinner to receive him and accept him as her Maker and her husband, to whom she is betrothed for ever! And from whom, but the Holy Ghost, do those sweet influences arise from day to day, and from one degree of grace to another, by which the life of the believer in Christ is kept up, maintained, and carried on in the soul, from the first beginning of the spiritual life, until grace is consummated in eternal glory. Oh! Lord the Spirit! I beseech thee, glorify my adorable Redeemer in my poor cold and lifeless heart, and sweetly lead over the whole of my affections to all-precious Jesus, that I may live upon his glorious person, and feel my interest in his great salvation increasingly precious. And Oh, thou holy Lord! keep alive, I beseech thee, thine own saving and powerful influences in my heart, that I may never, never by sin, quench thy divine flame, nor "grieve the Holy Spirit, whereby I am sealed unto the day of redemption."