Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: July 31st

July 31—Morning—Isaiah 21:11

"Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"—Isaiah 21:11.

While this solemn inquiry may be supposed to have peculiar reference, as addressed to the servants of the Lord, whom he hath set as watchmen upon the walls of Zion, may it not be made personally to every man’s bosom also, as it refers to himself? And the repeating of it twice should seem to imply the importance and earnestness with which it should be followed up. My soul, what is the night with thee? Art thou watching in it more than they that watch for the morning: yea, I say, more than they which watch for the morning? How art thou exercising this watchfulness? Is all safe respecting thine everlasting welfare? Art thou watching the approaches of the enemy? Art thou watchful in prayer; watchful for the gracious moment of the Spirit’s helping thee in prayer; watchful in guiding thee in the exercise of it; watchful of the Lord’s gracious answers to prayer; and, like the prophet on the watch tower, having given in thy petition to the heavenly court, into the hands of thy High Priest and Intercessor, art thou waiting to see what the Lord will say unto thee? Lord, make me eminently watchful in these things. Go on, my soul, in this heart-searching inquiry. Art thou waiting and watching thy Lord’s return? What of the night is it now? May not Jesus come at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning? Pause, my soul. Suppose his chariot wheels were at the door, wouldest thou arise with holy joy, crying out, It is the voice of my beloved, saying, "Behold I come quickly?" And wouldest thou answer, "Even so come, Lord Jesus?" Oh for grace to be of that happy number, of whom the Lord himself saith, "Blessed are those servants whom, at his coming, he shall find so doing."

July 31—Evening—Psalms 97:11

"Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."—Psalms 97:11.

My soul! mark how blessedly the Holy Ghost speaks of the stores in Jesus laid up for his people. Light, in which is included all blessings in Christ Jesus, is sown, not reaped. This is not the harvest, but the seed-time of a believer. It is a life of faith, a life of trust, a life of dependence. Hence the apostle saith: "Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not;" Galatians 6:9. Now this light is sown for the righteous; for the true believer in the righteousness of Jesus; and there shall be gladness in thee, and for truly regenerated in heart. My soul! it were exceedingly to be desired, that thou wouldest seek grace from the Holy Ghost to have a right apprehension of the promises. It is to the want of this, very frequently, that thy comforts are broken, and that thou walkest in darkness. Thy Lord Jesus doth indeed give thee many sweet love-tokens by the way, and handeth to thee many a blessed morsel of his bread in secret, to comfort thee on thy pilgrimage; but it never was his design, neither would it suit thy present state, nor his glory, to make the wilderness any other than a wilderness. The Lord forbid that ought should arise, to prompt thee to set up thy rest, like the Reubenites, on this side the land of promise. No. Light is sown: mark that: and the harvest is sure: here rest in full assurance of hope. Thy Jesus is thine: thy interest in him is not now to be called in question: let him then guide the way. And though clouds and darkness may rest upon it, yet he is bringing thee by a right way to a city of habitation. This is the minority of thine existence; and by and by thou wilt come of age. Thou and thy companions are all going home to thy Father’s house, to thy Jesus, and his kingdom: and what will it signify, when thou gettest there, what accommodation thou hast had by the way? Nay, the poorer it hath been, the sweeter will be the refreshments that follow. And if thou art but little acquainted with the luxuries on which the carnal rejoice, the good things of the earth brought forth by the sun, and the precious things put forth by the moon; yet having "the good will of him that dwelt in the bush," thou hast a Benjamin’s portion, and art most blessed indeed. Say then, as the Psalmist: "From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose bellies are filled with thy hid treasure! But light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likened."