Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: March 30th

Now, unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen. - Judges 1:24-25.

WE here see with what this presentation will be accompanied. He will “present them with exceeding joy.” That is, with exceeding joy to himself; for he will then “see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied;” and also exceeding joy as to themselves; for if now, when they see him not, yet, believing, they are able to “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” what will it be when they stand before him,-when they shall “see him as he is”?

Why, they will resemble the Queen of Sheba: it was a good report which she heard of Solomon’s fame; it lessened her attachment to home, and induced her to take a long and expensive journey. Her own expectation seemed grand before; but when she was presented at the court of the Jewish monarch she “had no more spirit in her,” and when she came to herself she exclaimed, “The half was not told me.” So will the reality exceed all the Christian’s previous expectations.

This is not the representation of man’s excited imagination, but it is the result of divine inspiration; and here is no inconsiderable evidence of the divinity of our Lord and Saviour; for we read expressly that we are “redeemed unto God by his blood,” and that, finally, “God will be all, and in all.” And this can only be explained by the admission of his own testimony:-“I and my Father are one: he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” We see where the presentation shall be made:-“before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” This implies some distance or absence at present,-a want of some present recognition and acknowledgment. And so, while they are at “home in the body,” they are “absent from the Lord.”

Indeed, there is now a connection and a communion between them; but the distinction is rather this:-he is now with them, hereafter they will be with him. They are now in a kind of confinement; they are called his “prisoners.” He comes to them, and views them through the bars, and smiles and speaks; and sometimes also he comes in and converses freely with them, and leaves many a token of kindness behind, and tells them, moreover, that shortly he will “come and receive them to himself, that where he is they shall be also.” And so, by-and-by, his chariot is heard approaching, the doors are opened, the fetters fall off, and he conveys them to his court and his palace above, to be presented there, not for an hour or for a day, but to go no more out,-to “be forever with the Lord.” “He, therefore,” says David, “shall receive me into glory.” He will say himself then, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

We see, also, in what state they will be presented:-with “exceeding joy,” before his presence; he will present them “blameless.”

The LORD turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. - Job 42:10.

THUS we see that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. There is not only the efficiency of personal prayer, but the efficiency of relative prayer. The prayer which led to Job’s deliverance was not a prayer for himself but for others. When our Saviour taught his disciples to pray, he did not teach them to say my Father, but “Our Father, who art in heaven.” And thus he intimates to all his followers that they are not to come to the throne of grace for themselves alone. We should remember this, that as in the days of his flesh the dear Redeemer never rejected any that came to him on their own behalf, so he never rejected any who came pleading with him on behalf of others.

Let this, therefore, encourage parents to pray for their children, masters and mistresses to pray for their servants, relatives to pray for their friends. We should never forget what a resource we have in such prayers. We are passing through a world of misery, and are continually meeting with wretchedness we cannot relieve. We can sympathise and weep with the sufferers, but this is not all. We can retire and address the God of all grace, and engage him on their behalf, “who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think.” And the success of our prayer does not depend upon talent or eloquence; for “He despiseth not the prayer of the destitute, but will hear their cry.” And whether we are in the closet, in the field, or in the shop-any where and at anytime-we may avail ourselves of this blessed resource of praying on behalf of others.