Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: October 7th

October 7—Morning—Titus 2:13

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ."—Titus 2:13.

Pause, my soul, over these sweet and solemn words. Is Jesus my hope? Surely then it is a blessed hope; for all blessings are in him. Art thou looking for his appearing? Pause, for the thought is solemn. How shall I know? Suppose this moment the trumpet of the archangel was to sound, "Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment;" my soul, art thou ready? Pause once more. Do I long for Jesus’s appearing now, in the conversion of every poor sinner? Do I rejoice to hear, at any time; that a soul is born to God? If so, is not this looking for his appearing? Again—Do I long for Jesus appearing in the after-manifestations of his grace to the souls of the people?—for this is to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and to prove a family interest. Again-Is Jesus precious to me, and do I long for the renewal of his visits, as the earth longeth for the rising sun? When I read his word, sing his praise, call upon his name, mingle in the congregation, go to his table; is his appearing upon all these occasions precious now, and are his love-tokens sweeter to my soul than honey, and the honey-comb? If, my soul, thou canst bear a cheerful testimony to these things, and, canst truly call them blessed now; surely the hope of Jesus’s second coming is blessed also, and thou canst well subscribe to the apostle’s words; for his appearing being now gracious, will then be glorious, in the appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

October 7—Evening—Habakkuk 2:3

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry."—Habakkuk 2:3.

My soul, there is always a set time to favour Zion. It may not be so early as we could wish; it may not come at the time we look for it; yea, it may be deferred until our impatience hath given over the very expectation of it; nevertheless, "it will surely come; it will not tarry." We are like children, who wish to gather the fruit before it is ripe; but there is no haste with God. He stops until the mercy, intended to be given us, is fully prepared, and our souls as fully ready to receive it. And what endears the mercy (be it what it may) yet more, is, that from everlasting it hath been appointed. "The vision is for an appointed time." So that, however tedious it may seem in coming, it will neither go a moment beyond the appointment, nor come a moment before: and when it arrives, it will explain wherefore it came not sooner, by shewing how suited and seasonable it is now in its coming. My soul, let this sweet scripture be ever uppermost in thy recollection, to help thee on in seasons of exercise. God’s appointments are sure; never shall his people be disappointed in them, nor of them; come they will, and at the very hour. Israel was to be a certain time in Egypt; when that time was accomplished, we are told, "The self-same night the Lord brought them out, with their armies." Exactly the same in Babylon, and exactly the same deliverance. So, my soul, in all thine exercises, the hour is marked: "The vision is for an appointed time." Though it tarry much beyond thy expectation, it cannot tarry beyond the Lord’s appointment. Oh! for grace, upon every occasion, to follow the advice of David: "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord," Psalms 27:14.