Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: March 24th

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that you sin not.- Exodus 20:20.

Pride and self-confidence are deeply rooted in the human heart. False hopes are built on self-righteous pleas. By these the heart is blinded to the exceeding sinfulness of sin; hardened against the fear and dread of the Lord; and such live in rebellion against the truth as in Jesus. Like Paul, we are all naturally alive without the law; and, with the Israelites of old, are ready to say, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do."- Exodus 19:8. Alas! poor souls utter such words of ignorance and pride, when, like the disciples on the mount, "they know not what they say." But whom the Lord loves, he proves. The Lord is a jealous God; he will permit no flesh to glory in his presence; nor shall his dear children live without his fear, and a holy hatred of pride and sin; therefore they must go out of their tents of vain confidence.

When the Lord discovers himself in glory and majesty, as a holy, sin-avenging God; when the law, in its holy, just, and righteous demands is revealed in the conscience, it makes the stoutest heart to tremble: it fills the guilty, self-accused sinner with fear and horror, and then ’’sin revives, and he dies"-dies to all his former false hopes. Yea, and he would, if left to his own dreadful apprehensions, fly from God, and sink into black despair, and die without hope. But the dear Mediator is ever near, and prevents this: he speaks in love, "Fear not." This dispensation is not to destroy your soul, but to kill your vain hopes-to prove and try you-to shew you what is in you: that you may be dead to the law, be alive to God by a better hope, through the faith of me, your Jesus. So fear the Lord with a loving fear, as to die to sin. Thunders of wrath, terrible peals of curses are sometimes necessary to be heard in the conscience; they fulfil God’s will. The bleak north wind of the law kills the terrain of nature; while the warm, comforting south wind of the gospel cherishes and enlivens the seeds of grace.

Thus the Spirit humbles proud hearts, revives contrite spirits, endears Christ, who hath endured the curses we have deserved, and embitters sin to believing, penitent souls. "Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living."- Job 33:29-30.

The law discovers guilt and sin,

And shews how vile our hearts have been:

Only the gospel can express

Forgiving love, and cleansing grace.

My soul, no more attempt to draw

Thy life and comfort from the law:

Fly to the hope the gospel gives;

The man that trusts the promise lives.

Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes. Psalms 26:3.

This causes a peaceful conscience, a happy heart, and a holy life. What is meant by loving kindness? it is love expressed by action: the affection of the heart, manifested by acts of kindness. Thus the Lord speaks of his church in general, and of every individual member of it in particular, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” What then? This love manifests itself in time thus, “Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3.) “I will betroth thee unto me for ever in loving kindness.” (Hosea 2:19.) Being thus betrothed and drawn to the Lord, our souls have a sight and sense of his loving kindness. What is meant by its being “before our eyes?” Its engaging the attention of our mind, captivating the affection of our heart, seeing our interest in it, feeling the refreshments of it, and rejoicing on account of it; knowing there is no separation from it. Thus, everlasting love provides a Saviour; almighty grace draws poor sinners to him; and then, loving kindness becomes the glory of their hearts and the joy of their souls. We love it and meditate upon it: we not only see it, but feast upon it, and are astonished at it: we cry out with David, “Thy loving kindness is better than life itself.” (Psalms 63:3.) For all our comforts in him flow from it: it is marvellous in our eyes: it exceeds expression-is beyond conception. Besides these internal effects upon the mind, the loving kindness of the Lord hath external influence upon the life. David adds, “And I have walked in thy truth.” Without this, all might be the flights of fancy, and the sallies of a heated imagination. But now all is well with the poor sinner: his heart is not only happy, but his life is holy. To walk in the truth, is to walk contrary to the deceitful hopes, lying vanities, and carnal delights of the men of this world: it is to walk, not in self righteous confidence, no more than in lawless licentiousness; but in Christ, who is the Truth: in holy fellowship with him, humble dependence on him, growing love to him, and longing expectation of eternally enjoying them. O, Christians! are your sins ever before you? Let the loving kindness of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, ever be before your eyes. This is the glory of saints above: let this be your glory below. For, “Thus saith the Lord, let him who glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, who exerciseth loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:24.

My God! how matchless is thy love;

Its kindness is before mine eyes;

It draws my heart to joys above,

And all thy holy ways to prize.