Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: December 12th

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.- Psalms 110:3.

When sovereign grace reacheth the heart, it casts out that son of the bond-woman, natural free-will. This had long usurped the throne, and subjected the poor sinner to nothing but pride and evil. Yet all the while the sinner vainly boasted of his liberty; though he was a servile slave to the worst of drudgery. Free indeed to do evil; but to do good without power. Such is the natural will of every sinner, that it is as averse to turn to Jesus as the will of the devil is. But because of the free-will offering of Jesus his members are made willing, by the Spirit, to come to him as their only hope. To HIM they bring free-will offerings, with holy worship. Thus Jehovah the Father speaks to the Son of his love, and gives a glorious display of the effects of everlasting election and covenant love, under the energy of the divine Spirit. See, believer, behold and adore the equal love of the glorious trinity. Is thy WILL towards Jesus? is the language of thy heart none but Jesus, all other saviours I disclaim? Verily, where this WILL is given by the Spirit in a day of power, the affections are attracted to Jesus in the beauties of holiness. Dost thou not choose the sceptre of his love to rule over thee as well as the atonement of his blood to obtain thy pardon? These are inseparable. Let no soul deceive himself. Every believer is washed in the blood of Jesus, and made a priest unto God. As the high-priest under the law "put on the breastplate of judgment; the urim and thummim,"- Exodus 28:30, so every anointed one is endued with LIGHT and PERFECTION-The light of the knowledge of Jesus, and the perfection of grace which dwells in him, is communicated to his members. Hence in the exercise of faith, their souls obey willingly, serve cheerfully, and delight in Jesus continually. This is a soul-affecting consideration: all is of grace. Conceived in the womb of the morning of eternity, and its rich profusion freely poured forth in time, like the pearly dew upon the vegetable creation, produces its verdure, refreshment, and fruits.

So, disciple, all thy mercies come from above. Freely thou hast received an understanding to know, a will to choose, and affections to cleave unto Jesus: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s." Do thou take all the shame of thy sinful, free-will and nature-state to thyself, and be humbled: "But unto God the things that are God’s." By his grace "I am what I am," should be thy daily confession; and this the sweet exercise of thy grateful heart, to glory in the Lord alone, and devote thyself to his service. "Ye are not your own."- 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Isaiah 49:15.

Lord, remember David and all his afflictions. (Psalms 132:1.) How comprehensive is this short petition? What a holy boldness, what a filial confidence breathes in it! Yes, says a poor doubting dejected soul, but it came from an eminent saint, but I am a miserable sinner: I am afraid the Lord hath forgotten and forsaken me. Is your mind pained at the thoughts of this? That is a godly sorrow, which the wicked are strangers to. This is one of the afflictions of the righteous. Lord, remember me, is the prayer of faith, to a covenant God. Here is a precious cordial, a heart reviving answer from the Lord. Look at that woman with her smiling babe at her breast. See how fond she is of it, how delighted with it. It is part of herself. She bore it with pains, and brought it into the world with labour. Its innocent looks, and helpless cry, call for her tenderest affection and regard. Can she forget it? Can she refuse to shew compassion to it? Will she neglect to administer to its wants, and to preserve from danger the dear and tender son of her womb? Is it possible? Here is an image in nature, which strikes us with the most tender affection, in order to set forth the love and care of the Lord to his people. But strong and striking as it is, there have been, there may be such monsters in nature, who have not had compassion upon the offspring of their womb. Therefore, knowing the fears and surmises of our nature, the Father of love, and the Friend of sinners, as it were, corrects himself; and says, “yea, they may forget”-the comparison fails-this image, yea, all nature is too weak to borrow a representation from. Yet will I not forget thee. O may faith take hold, fasten, and live upon this precious word. O may love be excited, and joy increased by it. As though our dear Lord had said, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love,” saved thee with an everlasting salvation, called thee by my grace, made thee know thy poverty and vileness, thy hopeless and helpless state: shall I ever be unmindful of thy distress, deaf to thy cry, and unwilling to relieve thy wants? Impossible! Is the tender infant part of its mother? Remember, “we are members of Christ’s body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” (Ephesians 5:30.) In pain and sorrow did the mother bring the infant forth? O what agonies did it cost our Lord to redeem us! Has he been at the pains, to bring us to himself for salvation? After all this, will he leave us to perish by sin, to be overcome by the world, or to be a prey to Satan? If we think so, we must sadly forget him who says, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands,” Isaiah 49:16.

My name from the palms of his hand,

Eternity will not erase-

Impress’d on his heart it remains,

In marks of indelible grace.”