Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: September 19th

Jesus said unto him, Wherefore didst thou doubt?- Matthew 14:31.

The best of men are but men at the best. The most eminent saints of God have experienced doubting, fearful frames, as well as believing, joyful ones. We have many instances of this in the bold and courageous Peter. Now, at the command of his master, we behold him walking safely on the surface of the great deep. Here he honored his master’s word, was very safe and comfortable while he believed his power. To see Peter walking upon the liquid ocean, is not more beyond the power of reason to comprehend and account for, than to see a poor sinner comfortably living and walking by faith on the Son of God, in spite of all the raging waves of unbelief, lust, and corruptions.

But as it was with Peter, so is it often with the believer. The workings of Peter’s natural senses, the suggestions of his carnal reason, opposed the actings of his faith; he heard the roaring winds, he saw the boisterous waves, he considered the bulk and weight of his body, and then, up reason, down faith. Reason assures him fluid water cannot support him. Hence he doubts, he fears, he sinks. So the poor sinner, who hath heard the inviting voice of Jesus, and obeyed the word of his grace, to believe on HIM, walks sweetly and comfortably for a season; but anon, corruptions like the surging billows, lift up their threatening heads; temptations, like the stormy wind blow violently upon him; the thunderings of a fiery law are heard; he thinks incensed justice pursues him, and that the face of majesty looks stern upon him.

Hence he reasons upon what he is, what he has done, and what he may expect; and all in nature, sense, and feeling is against him. O then, he doubts in his mind and sinks in his spirits! But when he reflects, Jesus is above all, he is mighty to save; then, seeing all hope in him, and none beside him, he cries, "Lord save, or I perish." This is right. Our Saviour loves to hear his poor disciples cry to him. He is near them, and, as Peter was, they are always within the reach of his arm. He loves their persons, approves their crying, but reproves their doubting. Wherefore didst THOU doubt? Though thy sins have reached to heaven, yet my blood is before the throne. Who shall lay any thing to thy charge? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn thee? I have died, what shall destroy thee, seeing I am able to save to the very uttermost?-Verily, O Jesus, to the poor and needy in their distress, thou art a refuge from the storm.- Isaiah 25:4.

What tho’ the host of death and hell,

All arm’d against me stood,

Why should their terrors shake my soul?

My refuge is my God.

A friend and helper so divine,

Does my weak courage raise;

He makes the glorious vict’ry mine,

And his shall be the praise.

With clouds he covereth the light, and commandeth it not to shine, by the cloud that cometh betwixt. Job 36:32.

The sun, from its first formation by its almighty Creator, shines at all times alike. There never was, is, or ever can be, any addition to, or diminution from, its light and heat. But we perceive a sensible difference. Even the intervention of a cloud coming between us and the sun, hides and obscures the glorious rays of light from us. There are fixed laws in creation. All nature acts under the direction of those laws, prescribed by our all-wise Lord. As in nature, so in grace. As by the natural sun, so it is by the Sun of Righteousness: it shines with an equal degree of resplendent glory, of light, love, and grace at all times. But, we are not always alike sensible of it. Why not? As clouds and vapours arise from the earth, and interrupt the light of the natural sun, by coming between that and us; just so, the clouds of sin, the vapours of corruption, the thick fog of unbelief, which arise from our earthly carnal nature, come between us and the glorious Sun of Righteousness-so its light is obscured, its heat interposed, and its comforts prevented. Then our hearts are distressed, and our spirits dejected. The Lord hides his face, and we are troubled. Isaiah gives a very striking account of this: “The stars of heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.” (Isaiah 13:10.) Hast thou not known somewhat of such a day of darkness and distress? My soul has mourned on account of it. But, methinks, I have found it sweet in experience, when Satan, or an unkind enemy, hath tried and strove to raise a dust, and bring a cloud over my mind-but all in vain. It is true, they have disturbed and perplexed; but they could bring nothing between the soul and Jesus, our glorious Sun of Righteousness. They have agitated the air, they have tried their efforts upon nature, but could raise no cloud of sin, no vapour of corruption. Jesus shone without a cloud. No intervening obscurity darkened the views of him. Then, love reflected its strong and powerful rays: then, it was sweet. Well, a few more cloudy and sun-shiny days, and we shall be at home. But we have always this precious promise to support us. “Unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” Malachi 4:2.

Without thy light and love,

Dear Lord, what is this life?

Thy precious beams dart from above,

Or all is pain and strife.

Let no preventing cloud

Obscure thy glorious face:

Leave not my soul in darkness bow’d ,

Thou Sun of righteousness.