the Third Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
December 6—Morning—John 14:14
"If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."—John 14:14.
Is it so, blessed Jesus, that if I go to the Father in thy precious name; my petitions shall be certainly heard, and answered? Lo, then, I come. I feel my faith and confidence emboldened in this gracious assurance. And as thou knowest, Lord, this day, what is most suited for me, let thy wisdom choose, and let thy love bestow, that very grace and mercy, be it what it may. And let a throne of grace witness for me, that I seek it wholly on Christ’s account. I consider it as good as given, from the high love my God and Father bears towards his dear Son, as my Surety and Saviour. And although in the moment that I ask with this boldness of faith, I see and knoll—in myself, that I have nothing to recommend me to thy favour, as in the least meriting that favour, but much, very much, to make me an object in meriting thy displeasure; yet looking up in Jesus, depending upon his blood and righteousness, and wholly asking in his name, and for his righteousness sake only, I am encouraged to hope that I shall not ask in vain. Oh then, Lord, hear for Jesus’s sake, and let my petition and prayer be answered, that the Father may be glorified in his Son.
December 6—Evening—Daniel 4:13
"I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a Watcher, and an Holy One came down from heaven."—Daniel 4:13.
See my soul, that which terrified the impious monarch in his visions of the night, ought to be to thee a subject of holy joy! When Jesus proclaims " the day of vengeance which is in his heart;" he adds also, "the year of my redeemed is come!" A day is enough for destruction; a year, yea, an everlasting year, will not be too long to make his people happy. But what a striking character is this of "a Watcher, and an Holy One!" To whom but to Jesus can it possibly refer? Jesus, at the call of God his Father, stood up from everlasting, to watch over his church, to water it every moment; yea, to keep it night and day least any hurt it. And who shall describe in how many ways the Lord Jesus is for ever performing this blessed office, and hath been, and will be to all eternity? Is he not for ever in the midst of them, to do all that is needful for them: to protect, to comfort, to lead out, to bring home, until he brings in and houseth them in his temple for ever? Yea, he saith himself, "I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land, assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul," Jeremiah 32:41. But Oh! ye despisers of my God! tremble at the approach of this almighty Watcher, this Holy One coming down from heaven! For he comes, armed with zeal and with wrath, "To take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ." Oh! kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. "Blessed are they that put their trust in him!"
