the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Music For the Soul
FAITH THE PATH TO GLORY
He shall come , , . to be marvelled at in all them that believed. - 2 Thessalonians 1:10
That is to say, they who on earth were His, consecrated and devoted to Him, and in some humble measure partaking even here of His reflected beauty and imparted righteousness, - these are they in whom He shall be glorified. They who "believed": poor, trembling, struggling, fainting souls, that here on earth, in the midst of many doubts and temptations, clasped His hand; and howsoever tremulously, yet truly put their trust in Him, these are they in whom He shall " be wondered at." The simple act of faith knits us to the Lord. If we trust Him, He comes into our hearts here, and begins to purify us and to make us like Himself; and, if that be so, and we keep hold of Him, we shall finally share in His glory.
What a hope, what an encouragement, what a stimulus and exhortation to humble and timorous souls there is in that great word, "In all them that believed"! Howsoever imperfect, still they shall be kept by the power of God unto that final salvation. And when He comes in His glory, not one shall be wanting that put their trust in Him. It will take them all, each in his several way reflecting it, to set forth adequately the glory. As many diamonds round a central light, which from each facet give off a several ray and a definite colour, so all that circle round Christ, and partaking of His glory, will each receive it, transmit it, and so manifest it in a different fashion. And it needs the innumerable company of the redeemed, each a several perfectness, to set forth all the fulness of the Christ that dwells in us.
So, beginning with simple faith in Him, partially receiving the beauty of His transforming Spirit, seeking here on earth by assimilation to the Master in some humble measure to adorn the doctrine and to glorify the Christ, we may hope that each blackness shall be all changed into brightness, our limitations done away with, our weakness lifted into rejoicing strength; and that we shall be like Him, seeing Him as He is, and, glorified in Him, shall glorify Him before the universe.
You and I will be there. Choose whether He shall be revealed and the light of His face be to you like a sword whose flashing edge means destruction, or whether the light of His face shall fall upon your heart, because you love Him and trust Him, like the sunshine on the Alpine snow, lifting it to a more lustrous whiteness, and tinging it with an ethereal hue of more than earthly beauty, which no other power but an indwelling Christ can give. He shall come with "everlasting destruction from the face "; and " He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be wondered at in all them that believed." Choose which of the two shall be your portion in that day.
'Music For The Soul' daily readings for a year from the writings of the Rev. Alexander Maclaren, D.D., selected and arranged by the Rev. Geo. Coates, published by A.C. Armstrong and Son, 51 East Tenth Street, (1897). The original text is in the Public Domain and this electronic version is free for anyone without cost or obligation. This a year long daily devotional was written by the Rev. Alexander Maclaren over 100 years ago. This Scottish pastor had a heart to follow Jesus and a love for souls.
