Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: February 24th

We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. - 2 Corinthians 5:4.

NOW, from hence there are three things that may be remarked. The first is, that the primitive Christians were men of just the same passions as we are. We sometimes think they were a peculiar people, a superior kind of beings; at least, that they were strangers to all those feelings of ours which are fearful and wretched. No; they also were encompassed with infirmities. There was nature as well as grace in them; and, though God had made them holy, yet they felt the effects of guilt.

Secondly, we may observe that the fear of death does not show any want of religion. Dr. Conyers, one of the best of men, often used to say, “I am afraid to die, though I am not afraid of death.” There is much in this to intimidate some. As Dr. Watts says,-

“The pains, the groans, and dying strife,

Fright our approaching souls away;

Still we shrink back again to life,

Fond of our prison and our clay.”

Why, this is easily accounted for: “no man,” says the apostle, “ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it.” Nature can never be pleased with its own dissolution. We see the aversion there is to it even in birds and beasts, as well as in us, though they have no dread with regard to a future state. The fear of death is as natural to us as hunger, or thirst, or sleep; and we are no more accountable for it; the chief thing is, only to have it properly guided and regulated. Why, Adam, in his state of innocency, felt this fear of death; and, therefore, the menace was addressed to him:-“In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Unless he had feared death this would have been no threatening at all. And our Lord and Saviour, who had a sinless humanity, who knew no sin as well as did no sin, our Saviour himself thus feared; and, therefore, the apostle says, “He prayed unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared;” for he said, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Now, we can easily conceive that a man may be attached to a thing, may desire a thing, and not like the way by which it is gained. There is a man, we will suppose, who has a diseased limb, and the removal of it is essential to his recovery. What does the man want? Not amputation, you may be sure, but recovery. And can we question his desire for the one because he shrinks from the other? No; he longs for the cure, and only dreads the operation. A man may have a family, a lovely and attractive family, in America; he may long to be with them, but when he comes down and sees the Atlantic he may shudder. I do not question his wishing to be with them because he dreads the sea. Dr. Watts has also admirably expressed this in one of his hymns:-

“Oh, could we make these doubts remove,

These gloomy doubts that rise,

And see the Canaan that we love,

“With unbeclouded eyes!”

(Ah! “the Canaan that we love.” We may love Canaan, we may long to be there, while we shudder at Jordan’s stream that rolls between?)

Thirdly, We should endeavour to rise above these feelings; for we must remember that death, after all, is the only way by which we can enter into life. It is the only-and, we may be assured, the right-way to the city of habitation. What is impossible to nature may be possible to grace; we may, therefore, be raised above the depressing fear of death. And in order to this, we should endeavour to view death as much as possible under every sort of representation given of it in the Scripture. Death to the believer is falling asleep in Jesus-going home-departing to be with him, which is far better. Our minds should dwell, not upon what is forbidding, but upon what is beyond:-

“Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood

Stand, dressed in living green.”

Let us keep our eyes on that blessed state,-Immanuel’s land,- and think less of the shadow of death which is to usher us into it. If it be a dark valley, it is a short one, and there is One who has engaged to go with us through it, whose rod and whose staff shall comfort us.

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills he removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace he removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. - Isaiah 54:10.

THE covenant of works, made with Adam, and the national covenant of the Jews, were soon destroyed; but the covenant of grace and peace is immutable and immoveable.

It is sure to all who are interested in its blessings. It is as sure as the truth, as the faithfulness, and as the promise of God can make it; for he has sworn as well as promised, and because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. “Surely in blessing I will bless thee.” Formerly covenants were made by sacrifice. Instances of this are to be met in profane as well as in sacred history; and it is here we read of the “blood of the everlasting covenant, by which the Lord Jesus was brought again from the dead.” A person may fail in his engagement, however solemnly made, either by forgetfulness, or change of mind, or inability to execute it; but this can not apply here.

Blessed be God, he cannot forget-“his understanding is infinite.” He cannot change, for he is “without variableness, or the shadow of turning.” He can never feel weakness, for he is the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, and in whom is everlasting strength. Therefore, all the “promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God by him.” A believer may therefore stand firm on the rock of everlasting ages. “Yea, the mountains and the hills shall depart; heaven and earth may and will pass away, but my word,” saith he, “shall not pass away; neither shall my covenant be removed, saith the Lord.” Let us trust, and not be afraid.

A good man lately, when he was dying, seemed to be much in anguish and agony of spirit. It was a struggle with unbelief, but faith prevailed; after a while he opened his eyes again, and raising his hands, he said, “His promise is yea and amen, and never was forfeited yet;” and immediately expired.

“Oh, for a strong and lasting faith,

To credit what the Almighty saith;

To embrace the message of his Son,

And call the joys of heaven our own.”