Morning “The liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” / Galatians 5:1

This “liberty” makes us free to heaven’s charter–the Bible. Here is a choice
passage, believer, “When thou passest through the rivers, I will be with
thee.” You are free to that. Here is another: “The mountains shall depart, and
the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee”; you are
free to that. You are a welcome guest at the table of the promises. Scripture
is a never-failing treasury filled with boundless stores of grace. It is the
bank of heaven; you may draw from it as much as you please, without let or
hindrance. Come in faith and you are welcome to all covenant blessings. There
is not a promise in the Word which shall be withheld. In the depths of
tribulations let this freedom comfort you; amidst waves of distress let it
cheer you; when sorrows surround thee let it be thy solace. This is thy
Father’s love-token; thou art free to it at all times. Thou art also free to
the throne of grace. It is the believer’s privilege to have access at all
times to his heavenly Father. Whatever our desires, our difficulties, our
wants, we are at liberty to spread all before him. It matters not how much we
may have sinned, we may ask and expect pardon. It signifies nothing how poor
we are, we may plead his promise that he will provide all things needful. We
have permission to approach his throne at all times–in midnight’s darkest
hour, or in noontide’s most burning heat. Exercise thy right, O believer, and
live up to thy privilege. Thou art free to all that is treasured up in
Christ–wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. It matters not
what thy need is, for there is fulness of supply in Christ, and it is there
for thee. O what a “freedom” is thine! freedom from condemnation, freedom to
the promises, freedom to the throne of grace, and at last freedom to enter
heaven!

Evening “For this child I prayed.” / 1 Samuel 1:27

Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained in
answer to supplication, for they can see God’s especial love in them. When we
can name our blessings Samuel, that is, “asked of God,” they will be as dear
to us as her child was to Hannah. Peninnah had many children, but they came as
common blessings unsought in prayer: Hannah’s one heaven-given child was
dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest pleadings. How sweet was that
water to Samson which he found at “the well of him that prayed!” Quassia cups
turn all waters bitter, but the cup of prayer puts a sweetness into the
draughts it brings. Did we pray for the conversion of our children? How doubly
sweet, when they are saved, to see in them our own petitions fulfilled! Better
to rejoice over them as the fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our
bodies. Have we sought of the Lord some choice spiritual gift? When it comes
to us it will be wrapped up in the gold cloth of God’s faithfulness and truth,
and so be doubly precious. Have we petitioned for success in the Lord’s work?
How joyful is the prosperity which comes flying upon the wings of prayer! It
is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the
door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. Even when
prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; the child
Jesus was all the more lovely in the eyes of Mary when she found him after
having sought him sorrowing. That which we win by prayer we should dedicate to
God, as Hannah dedicated Samuel. The gift came from heaven, let it go to
heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it.
Here will be a special occasion for saying, “Of thine own have I given unto
thee.” Reader, is prayer your element or your weariness? Which?