Morning   “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in  him.”

Colossians 2:9-10

All the attributes of Christ, as God and man, are at our disposal. All the

fulness of the Godhead, whatever that marvellous term may comprehend, is ours to

make us complete. He cannot endow us with the attributes of Deity; but he has

done all that can be done, for he has made even his divine power and Godhead

subservient to our salvation. His omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence,

immutability and infallibility, are all combined for our defence. Arise,

believer, and behold the Lord Jesus yoking the whole of his divine Godhead to

the chariot of salvation! How vast his grace, how firm his faithfulness, how

unswerving his immutability, how infinite his power, how limitless his

knowledge! All these are by the Lord Jesus made the pillars of the temple of salvation; and

all, without diminution of their infinity, are covenanted to us as our perpetual

inheritance. The fathomless love of the Saviour’s heart is every drop of it

ours; every sinew in the arm of might, every jewel in the crown of majesty, the

immensity of divine knowledge, and the sternness of divine justice, all are

ours, and shall be employed for us. The whole of Christ, in his adorable

character as the Son of God, is by himself made over to us most richly to enjoy.

His wisdom is our direction, his knowledge our instruction, his power our

protection, his justice our surety, his love our comfort, his mercy our solace,

and his immutability our trust. He makes no reserve, but opens the recesses of

the Mount of God and bids us dig in its mines for the hidden treasures. “All,

all, all are yours,” saith he, “be ye satisfied with favour and full of the

goodness of the Lord.” Oh! how sweet thus to behold Jesus, and to call upon him

with the certain confidence that in seeking the interposition of his love or

power, we are but asking for that which he has already faithfully promised.

 

Evening   “Afterward.”   Hebrews 12:11

How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which

succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? Victorious

banquets are for well-exercised soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the

honey; after climbing the Hill Difficulty, we sit down in the arbour to rest;

after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the

shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows,

like the passing keels of the vessels upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy

light behind them “afterwards.” It is peace, sweet, deep peace, which follows

the horrible turmoil which once reigned in our tormented, guilty

souls. See, then, the happy estate of a Christian! He has his best things last,

and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first. But even his

worst things are “afterward” good things, harsh ploughings yielding joyful

harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives

by dying, and becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions

yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what shall be the full vintage

of joy “afterwards” in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world’s

days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the

sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how

sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how

will he extol him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what

will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then? Oh, blessed “afterward!”

Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown

which cometh afterwards? But herein is work for patience, for the rest is not

for today, nor the triumph for the present, but “afterward.” Wait, O soul, and

let patience have her perfect work.