Isaiah 61:1-3

No one’s childhood is perfect. What we experienced during those years has a profound impact, even into adulthood. Things we saw, heard, felt, and even things we did not feel can affect us later in life.

As one might expect, external influences do help to shape our personality. However, the result is not always predictable. For example, early years full of painful experiences leave deeps wounds in some, but in others, they contribute to the development of depth and perseverance.

Whether your younger years were joyful or painful, it can be valuable to consider what their impact was, back then as well as in the present. You might start by exploring your responses to key childhood events. Next, identify traits that you appreciated in your parents and others–qualities you’d like to nurture in your own life. Finally, think about people with characteristics that impacted you negatively. Ask God for healing and freedom from the patterns you may have developed in response. Then shift your focus to godly attributes you want to exhibit instead, such as peace, grace, and gentleness.

The heavenly Father wants to free you from any negative trends that took root early in life. He can break any unhealthy pattern and replace it with hope and deep satisfaction in Him.

As you explore the effects of childhood experiences, pray to see through a lens of truth. When you recognize ways that others negatively influenced you, pray for strength to forgive and God’s help in mending areas of brokenness–whether spiritual, emotional, relational, or mental

Morning   “All that believe are justified.”   Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce

this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith,

it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts

him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified

now?–so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and

sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was

justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the

aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no

service at all. We are today accepted in the Beloved, today absolved from

sin, today acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There

are some clusters of Eshcol’s vine which we shall not be able to gather till we

enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall. This is not as

the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this

is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with

which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now–even now

pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God

accepted, as though we had never been guilty. “There is therefore now no

condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” There is not a sin in the Book

of God, even now, against one of his people. Who dareth to lay anything to

their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing

remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of

the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and

now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.

 

Evening    “Made perfect.”    Hebrews 12:23

Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs–the

perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of

sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet

remains even in the breasts of the regenerate–experience soon teaches us this.

Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the

day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall

present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit,

without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful

heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this

spirit, which often cries, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from

the body of this sin and death?” shall get rid of sin and death–that I shall

have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace?

Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of

sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim

perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy

Spirit’s fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final

purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I

shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, “I am clean,” through

Jesus’  blood, and through the Spirit’s work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the

Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let

not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If

it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing,

even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected

then. Let us pray to “be filled with the Spirit,” that we may bring forth

increasingly the fruits of righteousness.

 

He will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom.

Isaiah 40:11

Who is He of whom such gracious words are spoken? He is the Good Shepherd. Why does He carry the lambs in His bosom? Because He has a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts His heart. The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the little ones of His flock draw forth His compassion. It is His office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak. Besides, He purchased them with blood; they are His property: He must and will care for those who cost Him so dearly. Then He is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant love not to lose one. Moreover, they are all a part of His glory and reward.

But how may we understand the expression, “he will carry them”? Sometimes He carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial. Providence deals tenderly with them. Often they are carried by being filled with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they do know. Frequently He carries them by giving them a very simple faith, which takes the promise just as it stands and in childlike trust runs with every trouble straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.

He carries the lambs “in his bosom.” Here is boundless affection. Would He put them in His bosom if He did not love them much? Here is tender nearness: They are so near that they could not possibly be nearer. Here is a holy relationship: There are precious love-passages between Christ and His weak ones. Here is perfect safety: In His bosom who can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first. Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely we are not sufficiently aware of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!

The family reading plan for May 14, 2012

Isaiah 13 | 1 Peter 1