Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: August 27th

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him.- Isaiah 57:18.

What a glorious declaration of free grace is this! Here is an absolute promise of mercy, not excited by the worthiness of the creature, but proceeding solely from the loving heart of a covenant God. Well might David say, "In thy word do I trust: I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil."- Psalms 119:162. The life of the soul is supported by the word of the Lord. This is the object of faith, the encourager of hope, and the exciter of love. Jesus is the essential word by whom Jehovah speaks. The scriptures are revealed truths by the Spirit, of God’s purposes, promises, and grace. Behold, be astonished and humbled, O soul, at thy apostacy, backslidings, and rebellion! Behold, admire, adore, and love the infinitely gracious procedures of the Father of all mercies.

Here is the criminal arraigned at the bar; iniquity charged upon him; God’s displeasure at it repeatedly declared; his chastising hand smote him for it. This reclaims not. The Lord hides his loving face-withdraws the light of his countenance. What is the effect? A froward behaviour-still walking in his own ways, contrary to the Lord. Might one not expect the next words should thunder curses and damnation? Be astonished, O heavens! What readest thou, O man? Is it, I have seen his ways, and will damn him? O, no, But, though I hate his ways, yet I love his soul. My super-abounding grace shall reign and triumph over all the aboundings of sin. I will heal his soul; I will pardon him. Thou poor doubting soul, with thy legal frames, go and learn what that meaneth, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."- Exodus 33:19. "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." The blood of my people shall not be sacrificed to my vengeance, saith the Lord. Here is the glory of grace. This the triumph of faith. Mercy proclaimed, shews the munificence of God; but the dejected heart may still be in suspense. Is it for me? Yes, if thou believest on the Son of God. As Jesus is thy salvation, his Spirit assures thee of thine interest in his love. Where the truth is received by faith, the comfort shall be enjoyed. When God pardons in his heart, he leads the pardoned sinner to the knowledge and enjoyment of it, and restores lost comforts to the backsliding soul. A sense of pardon is the essence of gospel-grace and comfort; the result of Jesus’ atonement, the gift of the gracious Spirit, and the privilege of believing souls. It is presumption to expect what God has not promised. It is injurious unbelief not to plead when the Lord bids us "ask and receive."- John 16:24.

O may thy pard’ning grace be nigh,

Lest we should faint, despair and die!

Thus shall our better thoughts approve

The methods of thy chast’ning love.

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. John 13:37.

Peter seems now in a happy frame indeed. All is warmth of love and sunshine of joy. Ecstacies carry us out of ourselves. We forget what we are, where we are, what we are exposed to, and what may soon befall us. Like Peter on the mount, we are apt to speak without due consideration. We know not what we say. The fire of passion exceeds the bounds of solid judgment. “Why cannot I follow thee now? Let the way be strewed with ever so many difficulties-let ever so many dangers oppose, nothing is able to dismay or dishearten me. I have just now such fervent love to thee, that I could face death in the most frightful form, and lay down my life with the greatest pleasure for thy sake.” Doubtless, Peter now thought himself perfect and free from all sin. What thinkest, O soul? Is Peter’s language becoming him or not? Is it not a noble and generous declaration? Art thou ready to say, I wish I could boldly say so too? Ah, soul! whatever thou mayest think of these high flown expressions, our Lord soon took poor Peter down. Do not be discouraged at hearing professors speak great swelling words. I was once where a person said, “This world is nothing to me. It is quite under my feet. I have so much love, that I care no more about the world, than if I were not in it.” Lord, thought I, what a wretch am I? Not fit to be thy disciple. But, alas! in a little time, the world attracted that same person (I fear) from Jesus, under its power.

Beware of self-confidence. Live low; lie low; think low; speak low of thyself, let thy frames be what they may. Now hear our Lord’s reply to Peter. “Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?” I do not question thy sincerity, but I do thy strength. I pity thy vain confidence: I am concerned for thy selfsufficiency. Poor vain man; thou hast turned thine eye from my love, to thine own. Thou trustest in the glow of thine affections-thy confidence is in thy fine frames and warm feelings, instead of my love to thee, and my power to uphold thee. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, (instead of laying down thy life for me) the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.” What shall we say to this? Verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. (Psalms 39:5.) Consider this: and ever remember the unchangeable love of Christ to such poor, vain, changeable creatures. Well may he say, “I am the LORD, I change not, therefore ye are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6.

Now warm with love our souls are bold,

For Christ we count all things but loss:

Anon, alas! our hearts grow cold.

We shrink and flee from every cross.

Love follows us thro’ all our ways,

Melts down and breaks our stubborn hearts;

The love of Jesus ne’er decays,

But saves us from all hellish arts.