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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
December 22—Morning—Ephesians 1:9
"Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself."—Ephesians 1:9.
My soul, pause over these volumes of divine truth for they are not as so many simple words, but contain vast volumes indeed, and such as a whole eternity will not afford space to read over and finish. The first is a large one indeed—even the mystery of God’s will namely, the mystery of redemption, originating in the divine mind, before all worlds. And this is not the smallest part of it, that it should be made known in any degree or measure to thee, my soul, a poor creature of a day, and that day, a day of nothing but sin. The second volume in this vast subject is another precious part of the same glorious truth; namely, that this mercy of God in Christ is the sole result of God’s good pleasure. No foresight, no merit, no pretensions of thine, my soul; no, nor the merits of arch-angels, becoming in the least the cause. For though a gracious God hath taken occasion to make a glorious display of the depths of his grace, from the depths of man’s ruin; yet it was not our state, but his good pleasure, which laid the foundation of our recovery by Jesus Christ. And the third volume in this stupendous subject is, that he that planned, executed and finished it. As none but infinite wisdom could purpose, so none but infinite power could accomplish. Pause, my soul, and contemplate the vast mercy! It comes from God in Christ, as the first cause; and reverts back again to God in Christ, as the final end. Hallelujah.
December 22—Evening—2 Timothy 1:1
"The promise of life which is in Christ Jesus."—2 Timothy 1:1.
Here is a short portion, but it is a full one. Life, and the promise of life, are great things, and both in Christ Jesus. Observe it, my soul; "life in Christ Jesus," and "the promise of life in Christ Jesus." What wouldest thou have more? Nay, what canst thou have more? Life, with all its eventful consequences; grace here, and glory to all eternity, in Christ, as thine head, everlastingly secured by God the Father’s promise in Christ. So that as God the Father is the almighty promiser, and Christ comprehensively so in himself, and all his fulness the promise; so the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of promise, in all his manifold influences, confirms and seals the same to the heart of all true believers, in a life of grace, leading to a life of glory. Say, my soul, what a portion hast thou then to live upon, and to rejoice in for ever!
