the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob: but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.- Isaiah 43:22.
"God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew."- Romans 11:2. Zealous professors may become shameful apostates. God’s own children may awfully backslide from him, and sadly decline in their love to him and service of him. Such a conduct is most base to the best of beings, most ungrateful to the most loving Lord and Saviour, most wounding to sensible, gracious hearts: but such wandering sheep shall hear the faithful shepherd’s voice, and shall return with weeping and supplications. Slighted mercies, forfeited privileges, neglected means of grace, indifference to the cause of Jesus, and growing weary of the Saviour’s ways and service, bear sad witness against the soul.
A little self-examination will discover that such a one hath found other lovers; with them he is delighted, and after them he hath gone. If the life of sense prevails against the life of faith, the lusts of the flesh are preferred to spiritual delights; carnal, worldly company is more relished than the communion of the saints; fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness is more attended to, than fellowship with Jesus: if the private duties of the closet, the public ordinances of God’s house are forsaken: if to all this there is an indifference and unconcern of soul, can the solemn charge of our Lord be heard, "Thou hast been weary of me," without pleading guilty? Be astonished, O heavens, at this! Weary IN serving the Lord may be the Christian’s experience through infirmity; but to be weary of the Lord himself, the Lord of every perfection, the God of all mercies, the Father of all consolation, the only Saviour of our souls, our only hope in time, our all in eternity; to be weary of, to grow shy to such a being, O what shall one say! truly, love is patient and prayer powerful; but for the love of the Father, and the intercession of Jesus, such a soul might, ere this, have reaped his deserts in torments, and been weary of his punishment in hell. But O, after such base conduct, hear the declaration of LOVE-"I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Isaiah 43:25. Therefore there is hope, grace reigns, grace abounds, mercy is free, proclamation is made. "Return, (such a temper must be changed, or death cannot be hopeful, nor eternity desirable), return to the Lord THY God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity." Hosea 14:1.
Where should my foolish passions rove!
Where can such sweetness be
As I have tasted in thy love,
As I have found in thee!
Wretch that I am, to wander thus
In chase of false delights!
Let me be fasten’d to thy cross,
Rather than lose thy sight.
Make haste my days to reach the goal
And bring my heart to rest
On the dear centre of my soul,
My God, my Saviour’s breast.
David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. 1 Samuel 27:1.
Who will say, that, from the nature and reason of things, David had not cause to think so? The king’s wrath was incensed against him. “The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: yea, as the roaring of a lion.” (Proverbs 16:14-19:12.) Saul wanted neither policy nor power to execute his cruel designs upon David: but only, he must have permission from David’s Lord, before he could hurt a single hair of his head. Poor David’s heart seems to forget this, when, in a fit of fear and frame of unbelief, he says, “I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul.” Now, only think, “The Lord had appointed and anointed David to be king; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward.” (1 Samuel 16:12-13.)
Yet, we here find him doubting the truth of what had passed, giving way to unbelief, and suspecting that the Lord’s purpose might be prevented, by Saul’s malice in destroying him: as though Saul’s arm was stronger to destroy, than the Lord’s to save; or Saul’s hatred against him greater than the Lord’s love for him. What an enemy is unbelief to God’s glory and the comfort of his beloved children! the holiest of God’s saints are not totally freed from its distressing influence. See it in David; see it in thyself and be ashamed. For, art thou a David, a beloved of the Lord? art thou also anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, to be a king unto God? (Revelation 1:6.) Yet didst thou never say in thine heart, “I shall one day perish by the hand of mine enemies?” I shall never arrive at the kingdom of God?
Yea, art thou thinking or saying so now? Then, be ashamed of thyself, for thus dishonoring thy Lord’s love, calling in question his grace, suspecting his power, and slighting his Spirit: as though the power of sin, Satan, and the world were greater than thy Lord’s, and could frustrate his gracious purposes towards thee. O! think, it is the blood of the Son of God which hath redeemed thee from all thy sins: it was the Spirit of God that quickened thy soul, when dead in sins; it was his grace that brought thee to Jesus for salvation: and all this, because the Father loved thee with an everlasting love. Now, set all this against all the powers of sin and darkness, and say which is greatest? Who shall prevail? Look not to thy own strength. Depend not on thy own graces. Be not over elated by thy fine frames: be not dejected under dark ones. Trust in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:4.)
How many fears our souls distress,
Thro’ cursed unbelief?
Save us, O Lord, our righteousness,
From this malignant thief.
O, Lord! Give faith, and faith’s increase,
To trust thee ev’ry hour,
That we may feel our hearts at ease,
Thro’ thine almighty pow’r.
