Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: July 11th

A lively hope. - 1 Peter 1:3.

LET us regard the Christian’s hope in reference to its influence. Hope is not a dormant principle, but a most stirring and active one. It is the mainspring of life. The plougher ploughs in hope, the sower sows in hope, the student studies in hope; nor can we imagine that the Christian’s hope will put forth no energies, or that it will produce no effects. It is called not only a living, but a “lively hope.” We may remark here three things. First, This hope has a saving influence. “We are saved by hope.” This is literally true. Man fell by losing his confidence in God, and is only to be restored by the recovery of it. We never can effect any thing in the salvation of a sinner till we inspire him with “everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace.” The whole design of the Scriptures is to produce this; according to the apostle,-“Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” And, says Peter, “God raised him up and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Observe, this hope is a working, active principle. Despair freezes us and benumbs our exertion, blocks up the way to heaven, locks the gate of paradise, and flings the key into the bottomless pit.

Secondly, It has a sanctifying influence. Hence says the Apostle John, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” The Holy Spirit always impresses the mind with the all-pervading presence of Jehovah, and moulds it after what it pursues and desires. This hope will induce the possessor to renounce what is incompatible with the divine will, and to persevere in the use of means until it succeeds and gains its end. “Therefore,” says the apostle to the Corinthians, “having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.”

Thirdly, It has a preserving influence. Hence it is called a helmet, “and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” As the helmet guards the head in the day of battle, so this hope guards the Christian. It guards him from worldly allurements, and vanities, and dissipations. Having tasted of the spring of living waters, the muddy puddle tempts them in vain; and having tasted of the grapes of Eschol, they no longer long after the leeks and the garlic of Egypt. Cattle are much more liable to break the bounds when kept on a narrow and barren common, than when feeding in green pastures and beside the living waters. The Christian can make his own comment upon this: he often says,-

“Why should my foolish passions rove?

Where can such sweetness be

As I hare tasted in thy love,

As I have found in thee?”

So also it preserves a Christian from error. It establishes his heart with grace; it confirms his confidence, so that he is “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” “Strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.”

Fourthly, It has a quickening influence. “Quicken thou me,” says David, “according to thy word.” “Thy word hath quickened me.” As this hope prevails in them, their strength is increased. “They mount up with wings as eagles, they run and are not weary, they walk and are not faint.” This hope, therefore, is to them as wind to the sails and as oil to the wheels. The advantages of this hope with regard to Christians are very great. They never walk so well in “the fear of the Lord” as when they walk in “the comforts of the Holy Ghost.” Again, it has a supporting influence: so says the apostle:-“which hope we have both sure and steadfast.” What the anchor is to the vessel, such is hope to the Christian amidst the trials and calamities of life. This hope in exercise enables the believer in Jesus not only to possess his soul in peace, but also to rejoice in tribulation.

So says the church:- “Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, and there be no fruit in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and. there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face continually. - 1 Chronicles 16:11.

NOTHING shows the fallen depraved state of man more than his alienation from God, and his endeavour to live without him in the world, uninfluenced by his presence and perfections, careless of his grace, and regardless of his glory. But while this shows the guilt of man, it equally proves his misery. “They that forsake thee,” says Jeremiah, “shall perish.”

We cannot do without him; with him is the fountain of life. He is the supreme good, the good of the soul, the good of eternity; it is therefore good to draw near to him. We need pardon, and “who can forgive sin but God only?” We need renovation, and he has said, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean.” “From all your idols will I cleanse you.” We need strength. “In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” “We are Spiritually sick and dying, he bringeth to us health and cure.” He is all and in all.

When we are convinced of this we begin to seek him; and here we are enjoined and encouraged to seek him; to seek his favour, his presence, his image, his strength, his service, and to seek communion with him. To seek him in the Son of his love, in whom he is reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; to seek him in the Scriptures, at his throne, in his house, in the preaching of the word, at his table, and to seek him among his people.

Now this seeking is to be constant and repeated; for though there is a time when we first seek God, there is no time when we may cease doing it, and therefore this injunction to “seek his face evermore.” We shall always need fresh supplies from the God of all grace, and we should pray, “Evermore give us this bread;” we should long after a fuller possession and enjoyment of God.

“Whoever says I want no more,

Confesses he has none.”

The grand evidence of a real work of grace in the soul, is “holding fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.” That which is Divine will always be durable, and that which comes from God will always lead to God.

The prophet, speaking of sorrow, says, “They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them;” and Job, speaking of a hypocrite praying, says, “Will he always call upon God?” There are many who seek God like persons in a storm at sea, but their devotion subsides along with the winds and the waves. The devotion of a real Christian is aided by external excitements, but it does not rely upon them. The devotion of a natural man is like a land-spring, depending upon the falling of the rain; but the devotion of a Christian is like a stream fed by a perpetual spring. The zeal of a natural man resembles blazing straw; the zeal of a regenerate man is like the fire on the Jewish altar, which was kindled by the breath of heaven and never went out.

We should admire the goodness and condescension of God in issuing such an injunction as this; that he should make our welfare our duty, and bind a concern for our own happiness upon us by a sense of authority and Divine authority. He does not command us to seek him because he needs us-no, but because we stand in need of him, and because he knows that without him we are undone for ever.