the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Bowen's Daily Meditations
" The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty." - Zephaniah 3:17.
Most pitiable was the condition of the Israelites in Egypt. Pharaoh seemed to delight in eliciting the most incredible proofs of their subjection to his rod. There is ordinarily a limit beyond which masters dare not go in trifling with the lives and feelings of even the most abject slaves; but there seemed to be no limit to Pharaoh’s power to oppress. The sacred sentiment of paternity he trampled on; and seemed to feel that the Israelites were the very impersonation of helplessness. But soon it appeared that the Lord was in the midst of this despised people, mighty to save; and with such exhibitions of might and majesty as never had accompanied the movements of any other people, they went forth from the presence of their oppressors.
The Church of Christ is an habitation of God through the Spirit. Lo, I am with you always, said Jesus. We know how mighty he was in the midst of his disciples. After a lapse of many years he appeared to John, and told him to reveal him to the churches as walking in the midst of the golden candle sticks. He is in the midst of us, mighty to save. Nothing of his might has been lost to the Church. It was expedient for us that he should go from earth in body, and be present with us in spirit. We lost nothing by this arrangement. We may therefore calculate on a manifestation of glory and of power not by any means inferior to those that render lustrous the pages of sacred history. Let us only be careful to put far away all insignia of our own power and glory; and what may we not expect!
But alas! what do we expect? Do we expect some sublime revelations of might in the way of subduing our selfishness, worldliness, passion, pride? Are we looking for divine might to disclose itself in connection with our efforts for the good of men? Are we rivaling Elijah in faith, Moses in meekness and zeal. Job in patience, Paul in earnestness, John in spirituality? Are we seeking to be holy as God is holy? Why not, if the Lord be in the midst of us, mighty to save.
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