Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: March 22nd

Thy Maker is thine husband.- Isaiah 54:5.

All marriages are, or ought to be, founded in mutual love between the contracting parties. This is the chief ingredient to produce happiness in the conjugal state. Where this is wanting, true comfort is not enjoyed. When a person of noble birth and great fortune marries a woman poor in circumstances, and involved in debt, we justly conclude he chose her out of pure love and affection to her person: and surely such an one is under the most endearing obligations to love and chastity. She can never call to mind her former indigent state and her present affluent circumstances, but it must tend to inflame her with the most ardent affection to her husband.

This is somewhat the case between Christ and his church. Pure love in the heart of the heavenly bridegroom caused him to betroth his church unto himself, in loving kindness. Though she was in the most abject state and despicable condition, yet he secretly loved her person from eternity, and openly espouses every member in time of conversion, one by one. So saith St. Paul, "I have espoused you to one husband, Christ."- 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Canst thou, O believer, call to mind thy natural state of poverty and distress; over head and ears in debt; writs issued from the law, which justice might have executed; liable every moment to be cast into prison, where thou must have lain everlastingly with nothing but rags, filthy rags, to hide thy shame and cover thy nakedness? Canst thou think of this without humility? And dost thou now see the kindness and love of thine husband? Has he paid all thy debts, cancelled every bond, put in a plea against every accusation, and perfectly fulfilled the holy law, and satisfied divine justice? Art thou "blessed with all spiritual blessings" in thine husband- enriched with heavenly treasures? Hath he "clothed thee with the garments of salvation," and adorned thee with "the robe of his righteousness?" and doth God thy Father say of thee, "Thou art all fair, my love; I see no spot in thee?"- Song of Solomon 4:7.

O what purity of affection! what ardency of love! what chastity of behaviour is due to such a lover, to such an husband! Christ took thee at first "for better, for worse;" his love to thee is ever the same, affectionate and constant: full of complacency and delight: sympathizing with thy troubles; ever nourishing and cherishing thee here. Shortly the Lamb will in the most open and public manner appear as the bridegroom of his church, and celebrate the marriage in a blissful eternity. O then it shall be said, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."- Revelation 19:7.

The Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23.

Error is natural to fallen man. He sets his face against truth, and turns his back upon it with contempt. The more error abounds with pride and self-sufficiency, so much the more it is suited to our corrupt nature. Hence, we are naturally Pelagians: we cannot think Adam’s sin has hurt us. Or else, Semi-pelagians: though we confess our souls are wounded by Adam’s sin, yet we cannot think we are totally dead to God thereby; but, as it were, only half dead: so that we still possess some power and ability, to seek God and to please him, if we will but exert ourselves. This is the popular doctrine of our day: it is suited to man’s pride, and keeps up his self-importance. Hence, this dry, shriveled comment is put upon our Lord’s words: “That, if we will but stir up ourselves to seek God, possess our minds with an habitual sense of religion, and worship him in spirit and truth, he then will seek us, and delight in us.” This is reading the Scriptures backward-putting the cart to draw the horse, and supposing the effect to be productive of its cause. But in opposition to this, consider, seeking implies, (1st.) That we are lost. So “the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost,” (Matthew 18:11.) “He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:21.) Who ever heard of a lost sheep seeking after its shepherd? The Father seeks us, before we seek him. Our seeking him, is the effect of his finding us. Hence, every member of Christ’s church, “shall be called, sought out.” (Isaiah 62:12.) O, this endears the love of our Father to our souls! (2d.) It implies his knowledge of us. What he says of Jeremiah is true of all his people: “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.” (Jeremiah 1:5.) He knew us from eternity, in the covenant; chose us in Christ; and sanctified or separated us for himself, in time, to worship him in spirit and in truth. O! may this lay us under everlasting obligations to love, adore, and praise our heavenly Father! (3d.) Seeking us, implies love to us, and property in us. Who seeks for that which they set no value upon? who searches after a person they do not love? who will take pains to look for that which is not their own property? The woman who had lost the piece of money, sought it diligently, and rejoiced greatly when she had found it; for it was her own. Smile who will at the simile, it is just. There is as much disposition in a lost piece of money to seek its owner, as there is in a lost sinner to seek his God. Hast thou found God? Dost thou know him as thy Father? Dost thou worship him in spirit and in truth? O! resolve it all into his fatherly love in first seeking thee. For thus saith the Lord, “I am found of them who sought me not.” (Isaiah 65:1.)