the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
October 2—Morning—Song of Solomon 3:1
"By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth"—Song of Solomon 3:1.
Pause, my soul, over this account which the church gives of herself, and see whether such be thine exercises. It is night indeed in the soul whenever Christ is absent, or his presence not enjoyed. And though, blessed be God, the believer’s interest in Christ varies riot, yet his joy in the sense of safety is not always the same. Though it be the bed of affliction, or the bed of sickness, it is not the bed of carnal security, when the soul seeks Jesus. We cannot be said to be in a cold, lifeless, and indifferent state, while Jesus is sought for. It may be night indeed, it may be a dark season; yet, nevertheless, when we can say, "With my soul have I sought thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early:" surely, this earnestness implies grace, and love, and desire, in lively exercise. However dull, stupid, and unprofitable, at times, ordinances and means of grace may seem; still grace, like the live coal under the embers, is not gone out nor extinguished. Him whom my soul loveth frequently breaks out, and plainly shews that Jesus still lives and reigns within. Oh precious Lord, thou art still the lovely one, the chief one, and the fairest among ten thousand. Be thou all in. all, the hope of glory.
October 2—Evening—Luke 7:42
"And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both."—Luke 7:42.
My soul, nothing can be more grateful, and commendatory to the state of thine insolvency; than the recollection of what thy God and Saviour hath taught in this beautiful parable; that the debtor of five hundred pence, and the debtor of fifty, being both equally incapable of discharging the respective claims upon there, are equally considered as objects of mercy, and are therefore both alike forgiven. And this, indeed, is the distinguishing property of grace. It is totally distinct from merit; yea, in direct opposition to it. Hadst thou the least pretensions to divine favour, or couldest thou have put forth the least helping hand towards thine own salvation; grace then would have been no more grace. The frank forgiveness of all debt, carries with it the plainest testimony of man’s total helplessness, and the sovereign freedom of divine love. And hence, when the sinner, of every description and character, is brought into this glorious privilege of redemption, the whole result is "to the praise of the glory of his grace, who hath made us accepted in the Beloved." What a beautiful and interesting view is this of the gospel of Jesus! It is full, and free, and suited to every case, and answering to the state and circumstances of every poor sinner. For as all have sinned and come short of God’s glory; so all, being unable to make the smallest restitution, are equally objects suited to divine mercy: and, whatever other causes operate, certain it is, that the greatness or smallness of the debt, in a state of total insolvency, becomes no bar to pardon. So runs the charter of grace, and the proclamation from the court of heaven. Let all that are poor, and insolvent, and helpless, and conscious of their lost state, come alike to the footstool of the mercy-seat. The Son of God will have his court surrounded with such; and every one to whom his free salvation is welcome, that poor creature, be his circumstances what they may, shall be welcome to take it; whether him that oweth ten thousand talents, or whether him that oweth fifty: having nothing, either of them, to pay, the Lord frankly forgives both! Oh! the unsearchable riches of grace! Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!
