Morning “For the truths sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever.” / 2 John 2

Once let the truth of God obtain an entrance into the human heart and subdue

the whole man unto itself, no power human or infernal can dislodge it. We

entertain it not as a guest but as the master of the house–this is a

Christian necessity, he is no Christian who doth not thus believe. Those who

feel the vital power of the gospel, and know the might of the Holy Ghost as he

opens, applies, and seals the Lord’s Word, would sooner be torn to pieces than

be rent away from the gospel of their salvation. What a thousand mercies are

wrapped up in the assurance that the truth will be with us forever; will be

our living support, our dying comfort, our rising song, our eternal glory;

this is Christian privilege, without it our faith were little worth. Some

truths we outgrow and leave behind, for they are but rudiments and lessons for

beginners, but we cannot thus deal with Divine truth, for though it is sweet

food for babes, it is in the highest sense strong meat for men. The truth that

we are sinners is painfully with us to humble and make us watchful; the more

blessed truth that whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus shall be saved,

abides with us as our hope and joy. Experience, so far from loosening our hold

of the doctrines of grace, has knit us to them more and more firmly; our

grounds and motives for believing are now more strong, more numerous than

ever, and we have reason to expect that it will be so till in death we clasp

the Saviour in our arms.

Wherever this abiding love of truth can be discovered, we are bound to

exercise our love. No narrow circle can contain our gracious sympathies, wide

as the election of grace must be our communion of heart. Much of error may be

mingled with truth received, let us war with the error but still love the

brother for the measure of truth which we see in him; above all let us love

and spread the truth ourselves.

 

Evening  “She gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a

part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.” /

Ruth 2:3

Her hap was. Yes, it seemed nothing but an accident, but how divinely was it

overruled! Ruth had gone forth with her mother’s blessing, under the care of

her mother’s God, to humble but honourable toil, and the providence of God was

guiding her every step. Little did she know that amid the sheaves she would

find a husband, that he should make her the joint owner of all those broad

acres, and that she a poor foreigner should become one of the progenitors of

the great Messiah. God is very good to those who trust in him, and often

surprises them with unlooked for blessings. Little do we know what may happen

to us to-morrow, but this sweet fact may cheer us, that no good thing shall be

withheld. Chance is banished from the faith of Christians, for they see the

hand of God in everything. The trivial events of today or to-morrow may

involve consequences of the highest importance. O Lord, deal as graciously

with thy servants as thou didst with Ruth.

 

How blessed would it be, if, in wandering in the field of meditation tonight,

our hap should be to light upon the place where our next Kinsman will reveal

himself to us! O Spirit of God, guide us to him. We would sooner glean in his

field than bear away the whole harvest from any other. O for the footsteps of

his flock, which may conduct us to the green pastures where he dwells! This is

a weary world when Jesus is away–we could better do without sun and moon than

without him–but how divinely fair all things become in the glory of his

presence! Our souls know the virtue which dwells in Jesus, and can never be

content without him. We will wait in prayer this night until our hap shall be

to light on a part of the field belonging to Jesus wherein he will manifest

himself to us.