Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: February 25th

February 25—Morning—1 Corinthians 1:30

"Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."—1 Corinthians 1:30.

What a sweet subject for my morning meditation is here! Who is it, my soul, is made of God to thee these precious things but Jesus? And mark how they are made so. I am a poor ignorant creature, grossly ignorant by reason of the fall. I knew not my lost estate, much less the way of recovery. Here Jesus became to me wisdom. By his illuminating the darkness of my mind, he led me to see my ruin and my misery. But this would never have brought me out of it; for though I saw my lost estate, yet still I had no consciousness by what means I could be recovered. Here again Jesus came to my aid, and taught me, that as I needed righteousness, he would be my righteousness, and undertake for me to God. But even after this was done, I felt my soul still the subject of sin; and how to subdue a single sin I knew not. Here Jesus came again, and gave me to see, that as he was wisdom to cure my ignorance, and righteousness to answer for my guilt, so he would be my sanctification also; purging, as well as pardoning and renewing, by his Spirit, my poor nature, when he had removed the guilt of it. Still I sighed for complete deliverance, and to make my happiness sure; and therefore Jesus came again, that by his full redemption from all the evils of the fall, I might be made free; and therefore he became the whole together—"wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." And to stamp and seal the whole with the impression of God my Father, all that Jesus did, he did by God’s gracious appointment; for he was made of God to me all these, that all my glorying might be in the Lord. See to it, my soul, then, that this be all thy glory.

February 25—Evening—Acts 27:44

"And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship; and so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land."—Acts 27:44.

This is the beautiful conclusion of a history, which, during the providence wherein Paul the apostle and his companions were in shipwreck, afforded large opportunity for the exercise of faith. The issue, it appears, was not doubtful from the first; for an angel of God had assured Paul, that God had given unto him the lives of all that sailed with him. And so it proved; yea, the very wreck of the ship furnished out means for the people’s safety. Now, my soul, here is a very precious instruction for thee. In the exercises of thy life, learn from hence to abide firmly by the promise, when every thing leading to its accomplishment seems to fail. God hath said, that eternal life, with all its preliminaries, is in his Son; and that "he that hath the Son, hath life, and shall not come into condemnation." Now let what will arise, after this declaration of God, like the storm and shipwreck of the apostle, these are intervening circumstances with which thou hast nothing to do. Do thou take hold of the promise; for the promise hath its claim upon God. This cannot fail, whatever else may fall. And though, like Paul in this voyage, neither sun nor stars in many days may appear, and no small tempest be upon thee; Jesus is still at the helm, and thou shalt assuredly escape to land. Yea, the very wreck of all things around thee, shall but the better minister to this great end. And thou shalt at length write down the same conclusion to thy history, which Joshua, the man of God, made of the whole history of Israel: - "Not one thing hath failed, of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto this very day."