Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: June 7th

Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.- John 11:3.

To have Jesus continually live in our thoughts, should be our daily study. To keep a sweet intercourse open, between Christ and the soul, should be our constant exercise. To be watchful against every bold intruder, that would interrupt our communion with the Saviour, is our greatest wisdom. Thus, through the Spirit’s aid, a holy freedom and humble familiarity is maintained with Christ, and our hearts. Why should we not be aiming thus to anticipate heaven? For, Jesus never intermits in his love to us, care over us, and presence with us.

Through such a happy conduct, we shall enjoy an abiding sense of this. Then, when sin assaults, Satan attacks, temptations beset, afflictions surround, sickness overtakes, sorrow bows down, death threatens, or whatever may be our state, how comforting when the twin sisters of faith and hope, like the two sisters of Lazarus, carry our case to the master, with "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick?" Short, but very expressive. Not like the nobleman’s importunate prayer, "Sir, come down, ere my son die;" but a simple message. They knew the love and power of Jesus. They doubted not his speed. It is enough to lay our case before the Lord. It is best entirely to submit to his will, and patiently wait his time. "He that believeth shall not make haste."- Isaiah 28:16.

Is there a poor sinner on earth, who believes in Jesus, that can doubt of his love? Hath he not given the strongest assurances of it? Infinitely stronger, than if he had sent an angel, to testify of his love to us. For he came himself; he more than told us how he loved us; his sorrows, his sufferings, his agonies and death, most loudly proclaim it; for our sins he bled, for our sins he suffered; yea for that most base sin, that sin of all sins, the greatest of sins, unbelief. This, even this, Jesus bore himself, in his own body on the tree. Even this he died to atone for, as well as all others. Art thou often sick, and fearest this master-sin will prove the death of thy soul, as it does now the life of thy comforts? Is this the grief of thine heart, and the cause of thy woe? Jesus is the alone physician, he only can cure it. "For he is not only the author, but finisher of our faith."- Hebrews 12:2. Though, like the sisters of Lazarus, we cannot plead our strong love to Jesus, yet in the belief of his word, we may ever plead his strong love to us. "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." Heal thy servant. "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." Ask, is Christ’s blessed command. It shall be given, is his precious promise.- Luke 11:9.

How many are thy thoughts of love?

Thy mercies, Lord, how great!

We have not hours, nor words enough,

Their numbers to repeat.

When I’m afflicted, poor and low,

And light and peace depart,

My Jesus sees my heavy woe,

And bears me on his heart.

But that on the good ground, are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15.

Disciple, tread warily on this good ground. Speak cautiously about it. Lest thy soul be lifted up, and thou shouldest say, I made myself to differ. My nature is better to receive the seed, and my heart more honest and good to retain it, than others. Know thyself by nature upon a level with wayside, stony ground, and thorny hearers. See what is predicted of these blessed hearers. Examine if we are of the happy number: if so, let us fall down in humility, and cry, what hath God wrought! Let us give all the glory to the God of all grace. (1st.) “That on good ground.” It is made good by the labour of the husbandman: tilled, cultivated, and made fit to receive the seed, by the grace of the Spirit, in an honest and good heart. No man has such a heart naturally. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. See the cursed weeds it brings forth. “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,” etc. (Mark 7:21.) Such an old, wicked heart as this, can neither receive, nor retain the seed of the kingdom, so as to bring forth fruit unto perfection. New wine of gospel grace and love, must be put into new bottles. Therefore saith the lord, “A new heart will I give you.” (Ezekiel 36:26.) Precious promise! This is that good and honest heart. Hath the Lord given it thee? If so, (2d.) You will hear the word and keep it. It takes root downward. Thou hast, and dost retain an abiding sense of thy own vileness, poverty, and wretchedness. Thou wilt be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, knowing that in him thou art rich, righteous, and happy. As the word made thee thus wise and happy, thou wilt keep it: ponder it in thine heart: meditate upon it day and night. It will be dear and precious to thy soul. This is an evidence of a good and honest heart: it delights in the good news of the word of grace-the faithful promises of a covenant God in Christ Jesus. (3d.) Such bring forth fruit with patience. Because they keep the word in their hearts, they go on patient in well doing, and patient in suffering the will of God. Says David, “Thy word have I hid in my heart.” To what end? “that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalms 119:11.) Says St. Paul, “The word of the truth of the gospel, bringeth forth fruit in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.” (Colossians 1:5-6.) That soul in whose heart the word of grace takes the deepest root, brings forth most fruit to God. O soul, wouldst thou be more holy and more happy? Keep the word of God. Study it. That directs thee to Christ, in whom all thy happiness centres, and from whom all thy holiness springs.