Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: November 7th

The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.- Isaiah 53:6.

Here we behold the transaction of the glorious trinity in the covenant of grace. Here is the display of grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Jehovah, the Father, lays or causes to meet all the sins of his people upon the surety of the covenant, the Son of his love. Jesus undertakes to bear them. The Holy Ghost publishes this joyful truth unto the children of men; he works faith in their hearts, and bears witness with their spirits of salvation hereby. Thus the three glorious persons in the Godhead agree in one, even in this one truth, salvation by Jesus. Happy is the man who believes it. Faith looks to the purposes of grace, and rests upon the accomplishment of covenant-love.

When one undertakes to be surety for another, then the debt is reckoned to him, and he accepts it. Thus our dear Saviour, our blessed surety stood up for us, engaged in our behalf. Our debts, all our iniquities were imputed to him, and laid upon him, charged upon his person; "he bore them in his own body on the tree." He fully satisfied, perfectly atoned divine justice for them. "By the one sacrifice of himself he hath taken them all away, made an end of sin;" so that justice itself proclaims its own faithfulness to forgive sin- 1 John 1:9.

Grace reigns, mercy triumphs, sinners are pardoned, believers rejoice. O believer, thou art blessed of thy God who is just, therefore doth not, cannot impute sin unto thee. True, thou hast committed sins innumerable; but it is as true, they were all laid upon Jesus. True, thou dost commit sin, it is equally true Christ hath borne them. Thou wilt commit sin, it is perfectly true thy Saviour hath atoned for them all. Thou hast nothing to plead, but guilty in thyself, but perfectly righteous in Christ. Every charge the enemy brings from the righteous law against thee is just: own it; but ever plead in thine own conscience and before the throne; Jesus hath satisfied for all; there is NOW no condemnation to me. O believer, this is a most precious truth of God. Not thy faith, not thy repentings, not any thing thou canst do; but Jehovah laid iniquity upon Christ, this is his sole prerogative. Let devils rage against it; let men oppose it; yet will this truth be found true in its nature, most happy in its consequences to the children of God. Hence flow their peace, their holiness, their heaven. Hear their song below: "The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge; that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again."- 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. Hear their triumph above: "Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, who hath washed us from our sins in his own blood."- Revelation 1:5.

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. Psalms 63:8.

David was no advocate for the merit of good works. He ascribes no glory to nature’s power and free-will. Free-grace Paul says, “I laboured more abundantly than they all.” But he immediately corrects himself. “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me,” (1 Corinthians 15:10.) So if David’s soul followed hard after God, he gives grace the honour of it: “Thy right hand upholdeth me.” This is the way both to improve and to enjoy lively frames of soul, to see and acknowledge the Lord’s hand to be the cause of them. O it is delightful when the soul follows hard after God. For, (1st.) It implies such a discovery of the love and grace of the Lord, that the mind is fixed upon him, the heart drawn out after him, and the affections cleave unto him. The language is, “What is there upon earth that I can desire beside thee?” O, says the soul, “I am in his eyes as one that found favour,” (Song of Solomon 8:10.) Then, (2d.) Every thing appears mean and contemptible in comparison of the Lord. The world, with all its riches, honours, and pleasures, has lost its charms. Sin is abhorred. Satan is defied. The flesh is denied. The smiles and frowns of carnal men set at nought. Nothing but the enjoyment of the Lord’s love and presence is prized. Therefore, (3d.) There is a diligent attendance on the means of grace. A conscientious discharge of duty, a delight in the exercise of every grace, believing in the Lord, looking to him, hoping in him, calling on him, loving, fearing, serving, and adoring him. O, says the soul, I will go under the word, who knows but I may gain a greater knowledge of the love, peace, and salvation of my Lord Christ? I will go to his table, that he may meet and bless, and kiss my soul. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine,” (Song of Solomon 1:2.) This is living indeed. Living like oneself, as beloved of the Lord, following hard after him, reaching forward to him, “pressing towards the mark, for the prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14.) O let us look more “to the right hand of the Lord. It hath the preeminence. The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.” O think on Stephen’s vision. “He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God,” (Acts 7:55.) We have the very same vision by faith; and the very same object to look unto every hour of life, and every step of our journey. This brings support to our minds, and joy to our hearts. “We endure, seeing him who is invisible,” Hebrews 11:27.

Inspire my soul with holy zeal,

Great God, my love inflame;

Religion without zeal and love,

Is but an empty name.