the Fourth Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts. Isaiah 65:2. They do alway err in their heart. Hebrews 3:10. O that thou hadst harkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:18. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Hosea 6:4.
If the Savior ’’spread out His hands to a rebellious people," who ever offended Him but could not make Him weary; if He spread out His hands and held His arms open to them all the day, all the days of their life, what will He not do for them who spread out their hands to Him? whose whole longing and desire are bent on Him? who say with the Psalmist, ’’Whom have I in heaven but Thee"? If God loved the stiffnecked Jews so much, how much will He not love the Christians who have given themselves to Him completely? If He longed for those who walked after their own thoughts in ways that were not good, how earnestly will He not long for those whose thoughts are bent upon Him, who walk in the blessed way of faith and love! If the Lord did so much for Ephraim and Judah, concerning whom He makes so many complaints in the same chapter, how much will He not do for you, dear soul, if you bring Him your heart as a sacrifice and throw yourself into His arms with all that you are and all that you have! What rivers of divine peace will not flow into your soul that thirsts for Him! What a sea of grace and righteousness, of joy and salvation, will not pour into your heart, if you heed His commandment, ’’Love me with all thy heart," ’’Abide in me," "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden! " When you look up to God, never imagine Him otherwise than He presents Himself in the above quoted Scripture passages. Never picture Him to your spiritual eye otherwise than with arms spread out to you, with an open heart from which rivers of peace, grace and righteousness flow and would enter your heart. Make no other picture of Him. Copy the original that He has outlined for you, then you will get a good likeness of Him.
Sinner, come, for here is found
Balm that flows for every wound;
Peace that ever shall endure;
Rest eternal, sacred, sure.
