the Fourth Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
December 16—Morning—Proverbs 11:15
"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure,"—Proverbs 11:15.
Blessed Jesus, well is it for me that thou didst not hate to become a Surety; for hadst thou so done, and refused the vast undertaking, I must have perished for ever. And hadst thou consented to have become a Surety only for friends, and those only that loved thee, still here again I should have been lost: but when thou condescendedst to become Surety for me, Oh Lord, it was not simply for a stranger, but for a rebel, a hater and despiser of thee, and of try great salvation. Oh the love of God that passeth knowledge! And how, blessed Jesus, didst thou indeed smart, and wert crushed and broken, when for my dreadful debt of sin, which surpassed all the angels of light to pay, it pleased the Father to bruise thee, and to put thee to grief. Oh matchless love of a most compassionate Saviour! Me. thinks I still see thee taking my place under the angry eye of God’s broken law. Methinks I see thee striking my worthless name out of the bond of the covenant of the law of works, and putting thine own in. Methinks I still hear thee, like another Judah, who in this was evidently try type, saying to God and the Father, "I will be Surety for him: at my hands thou shalt require him." Oh Lamb of God! I bless thee as my Surety. I acknowledge thee as my glorious Sponsor. I was a stranger, indeed, and thou hast owned me, and brought me home. I was in debt and insolvent, and thou hast cancelled the whole in the blood of try cross. "I was naked, and thou hast clothed me; sick, and in prison, and thou hast visited, healed me, and brought me out." I was lost, and thou hast redeemed and saved me. "Oh what shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me? Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name."
December 16—Evening—Genesis 9:27
"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem."—Genesis 9:27.
None but God himself could do either. Who but God could enlarge the one, or persuade and overrule the other? Of Japheth came the Gentiles, Genesis 10:5; and Shem is the father of Israel. But Jesus, and Jesus only, can bring both Jew and Gentile into one fold, under one Shepherd. And when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be completed, then shall all Israel be saved. Then will the Deliverer arise out of Zion, to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. My soul, art thou, night by night, and morning by morning, besieging a throne of grace, that the Lord would hasten the latter day of glory? Surely, if _thou feelest due concern for the Redeemer’s glory, this must form a part in try daily petition. Who indeed can be indifferent to the interests of Christ’s kingdom? "In the multitude of the people," saith Solomon, "is the king’s honour;" Proverbs 14:28; and in the multitude of redeemed souls, is the glory of Christ Jesus. Lord! I would pray, fulfil this blessed promise. Enlarge Japheth, and cause him to dwell in the tents Of Shem. Let the heathen be given to our God and Saviour for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession. "Oh! that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Zion! Oh! that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity! then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad!"
