Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: April 29th

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. Isaiah 38:17. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Isaiah 44:22.

Let him who fears on account of his sins, regard his fear as a pledge that the Lord and His salvation are near; for the Lord is in such fear. He calls it forth, and He sustains it. Otherwise we should never fear on account of our sins in this world. Now He who makes you fear will also make you happy and blessed; for, as a wise and good physician, He wounds only that He may heal; He cuts into the wound that He may make you healthy and clean. He first sends disconsolation or the want of comfort to your heart, that He may afterward send consolation, that He may find an entrance. But when the disconsolate and sorrowful soul implores Him, trusts in Him, He comes with consolation and shows His kind countenance; before Him and the words of His grace, with which He appears to the tearful eyes of the soul, vanish sins, accusation of conscience, terror of judgment, as the mist before the sun, and as clouds chased by the wind. Then the sky of the soul becomes clear; the sun smiles into your heart; He lays songs of praise upon your lips, so that you, no less than others whom He has saved, give Him the testimony, "He has in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption. " Only remain in this grace and keep it. As much as it causes you joy, so faithfully use it and keep it; otherwise the sin which God has put behind His back, will come again and take possession of you with sevenfold power.

Though great our sins and sore our woes.

His grace much more aboundeth;

His helping love no limit knows,

Our utmost need it soundeth.

Our kind and faithful Shepherd, He,

Who shall at last set Israel free

From all their sin and sorrow.