Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: July 2nd

Who hath disposed the whole world. - Job 34:13.

THE Lord is also the Disposer of the whole world of grace. He hath said, making the comparison himself, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness; and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind.” Here “he works all things after the counsel of his own will.” Hence, says the apostle, “he hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

Observe here, he speaks not only of grace, but of the purpose of grace. There was nothing left unappointed or unarranged. He tells us that “God hath appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ;” and he calls this God’s own purpose, peculiarly his own, preeminently his own, which is to bring glory to him in the highest. The scheme stretches from eternity to eternity, and in every part of it we see God “abounding towards us in all wisdom and prudence.” The season in which the Messiah was to appear was arranged by infinite wisdom, which is called the “fulness of time.” He arranged every thing pertaining to the gospel dispensation. We see, in reading the Acts of the Apostles, how these apostles were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to go in one direction, and their feet turned into another. While God sometimes giveth not any account of his matters, he has reasons for what he does satisfactory to himself.

The Christian must walk by faith, and say in many instances, with our divine Lord, “Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.” What seems good to us may be evil; what seems good to him must accord with reality, for his judgment is always according to truth. Thus he arranges every thing in the Christian church. The apostle, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, says, “Now, there are diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administration, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same Lord which worketh all in all.” “But all these worketh that one and the same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” “He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

The same may be exemplified with regard to every individual who is the subject of divine grace; for, as the apostle says, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” So that there has not any thing been left to accident; but all has been arranged by infinite wisdom. The time of their conversion, the place too,-perhaps on a journey of business, or perhaps on a visit of friendship; and the manner too,-sometimes by the impressions of terror, and sometimes by a promise of love; and the means also,-perhaps a tract, or a book, or a sermon, or a wise reproof or admonition:-all has transpired according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ before the world began.

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. - Psalms 119:50.

OBSERVE the season here referred to-days of affliction. Who is free from affliction? “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward,” and Christians experience trials in common with others. Moses chose to “suffer affliction with the people of God.” One is saying, “My purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart;” another is bereaved of his connections, and is saying, “Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.” The eye of another rests upon the shadow of death, and under the influence of a noxious disease is saying, “I shall behold men no more with the inhabitants of the earth.”

Observe, then, a source of comfort, “This is my comfort,” “Thy word hath quickened me.” In the season of affliction what is so precious to the suffering Christian as the word of God? “Unless,” says David, an old and a great sufferer, “unless thy law had been my delight, I should have perished in my affliction.” The Scripture is never so precious as it is in the hour of trouble, and many have been there, and many are still there. This blessed book says, as its Author did, “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace.” Its “exceeding great and precious promises” minister to our consolation and support. They bid us to be of good courage, and not yield to fear, assuring us that “as our day so shall our strength be.” The “word” assures us that nothing occurs by chance, that all are the acts of heavenly arrangement-the arrangement of our Father and our Friend-that all will be well, for that all is well now, and that all our woes and all our mercies tend to promote our real, Spiritual, and eternal welfare-“that all things work together for good to them that love God.” “O,” said Bolingbroke, under his affliction, “my philosophy forsakes me in my affliction.” But did Sir Philip Sidney’s philosophy forsake him, when, after a battle, he, having to undergo a dreadful operation, said to the surgeon, “Sir, you are come to a poor timid creature in himself, but to one who by the grace of God is raised above his own weakness, and therefore do not dishonour your art in sparing the patient.” Nor did the philosophy of the church forsake her when she said, “Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

There are persons that the Scriptures must comfort, or nothing can do; and yet, such is the cruelty of infidels, that they would rob these sufferers of their only comfort. The afflicted man goes to the house of God, and there finds God in his afflictions to be a refuge; and these wretches would pull down that refuge and leave him without an asylum, and his poor head bare to the pitiless storm. The widow begins to hope when she reads, “Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them; and let thy widows trust in me.” The wretched infidel comes and dashes away this only cup of consolation from her parched lips. We should never give countenance to them, but rather consider them as robbers and murderers of the worst kind.

“Should all the forms which men devise

Assault my faith with treacherous art,

I’d call them vanity and lies,

And bind the gospel to my heart.”