Morning   “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord,

according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us.” / Isaiah 63:7

And canst thou not do this? Are there no mercies which thou hast experienced?

What, though thou art gloomy now, canst thou forget that blessed hour when

Jesus met thee, and said, “Come unto me”? Canst thou not remember that

rapturous moment when he snapped thy fetters, dashed thy chains to the earth,

and said, “I came to break thy bonds and set thee free”? Or if the love of

thine espousals be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone

along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst

read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a

sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee?

Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never

in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of

thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark,

wherein thine infant–faith–may float safely on the stream. Forget not what

thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider

the days of old. Canst thou not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never

meet with thee at Hermon? Hast thou never climbed the Delectable Mountains?

Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back,

then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be

dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the

darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows

flee away. “Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for

they have been ever of old.”

 

Evening  “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the

law.” / Romans 3:31

When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old

Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new

covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your

heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a

slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are

bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will.

Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you

neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to

seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be

ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not

because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to

be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not

because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye

love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given

unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor?

Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because

Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.” Does the Word say, “Love God

with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment,

Christ hath fulfilled thee already–I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee

for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my

Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the

Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s

love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments;

for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not

the apologist of sin.