The teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?   Mark 14:14

Jerusalem at the time of the Passover was one great inn; each householder had invited his own friends, but no one had invited the Savior, and He had no dwelling of His own. It was by His own supernatural power that He found Himself an upper room in which to keep the feast. This is still the case today—Jesus is not received among the sons of men except when by His supernatural power and grace He makes the heart anew. All doors are open enough to the prince of darkness, but Jesus must clear a way for Himself or lodge in the streets.

On account of the mysterious power exerted by our Lord, the householder raised no question but at once cheerfully and joyfully opened his guest room. Who he was and what he was we do not know, but he willingly accepted the honor that the Redeemer proposed to confer upon him. In similar fashion we can still discover who are the Lord’s chosen and who are not, for when the Gospel comes to some, they fight against it and will not have it; but where men receive it, welcoming it, this is a sure indication that there is a secret work going on in the soul and that God has appointed them to eternal life. Are you willing, dear reader, to receive Christ?

Then there is no difficulty in the way. Christ will be your guest; His own power is working with you, making you willing. What an honor to entertain the Son of God! The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and yet He condescends to find a house within our hearts! We are not worthy that He should come under our roof, but what an unutterable privilege when He condescends to enter! For then He makes a feast and causes us to feast with Him upon His royal provision; we sit at a banquet where the food is immortal and provides immortality to those who feed on it. Blessed among the sons of Adam is he who entertains the angels’ Lord.

Family Reading Plan       Hosea 14       Psalm 139

Psalm 1:1-6

The Bible declares the Lord’s great power and majesty while also revealing His deep mercy and love. He is worthy of wholehearted, passionate submission, but He doesn’t often get it. Are you among the few who offer themselves to Him without reservation?

Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. This means that we obey the Lord even if our friends choose a different path or when suffering or embarrassment is guaranteed. Seeing His will done is more important than our own comfort or personal ambition. We commit the consequences to God and cling to His promises: He will never leave us (Heb. 13:5), and He makes good out of every situation (Rom. 8:28).

Notice the word ‘commitment’ in the title of today’s devotion. I’m not writing about obedience that is born of the moment (as in, I choose to follow God in this instance) but about submission as a way of life. Setting restrictions on compliance is so tempting–we want to be able to change our mind when obeying upsets our lifestyle, the final result is unclear, or we’re just plain scared. But let me ask you this one sobering question: If Jesus is the Lord of your life, what right do you have to limit how and when you’ll do His will?

Believers have no right to set their own limits; their one criterion for making decisions should be, What does God want me to do? The answer at times may cause suffering, but obedience is always right. And following God in all things is the surest path to favor and spiritual growth.

 “You have to earn it,” a gentle, elderly man told my husband and me as we drove through the streets of a crowded city. His eyes were smiling even as he told stories obviously weighing on his heart, as if the opportunity to speak his mistakes aloud to a young couple made looking back somehow worth the ache of remembering. In broken English he told of his days after the war; how, filled with questions, he turned to things now regrettable, deeply hurting people he loved with his rebellion. My heart leapt as he seemed to get to the part that ordained his smiling eyes. “I was running from everything, even myself. But God was chasing me,” he said, sounding yet in awe at the thought of it. “There are two roads in life,” he then explained quickly, as if he felt he was about to lose our attention, not knowing whether we would want to hear it or not. “One way moves toward God, the other away from God. I realized that I wanted to go God’s way, towards heaven, towards Christ,” he said, pointing upwards. “But you have to earn it.”

The hope that seemed to grab hold of me as he spoke, as we were beautifully evangelized in a foreign city by our taxi driver, was abruptly stifled. As he told his story I wanted to shout, “God chased me too!” I wanted to tell him that I was so humbled by his unapologetic faith and his resolve to share it. Such were the things I wanted to say when the chance to speak was mine. But at these words I wanted to cry: You have to earn it. The ride ended. We shook hands, exchanged blessings. And he was gone before I could swallow the lump in my throat.

How can you earn God’s love?

In that unexpected moment in transit, the love of God seemed so vast, so wonderfully intrusive. My heart stirred within me as Christ connected three strangers together, two of us far from home. The world seemed gigantic, and yet three were joined together by a name that will outlive us all, and Christ was there among us, three of his own. I think this is why, to my deep regret, I remained speechless in the wake of such a statement:  The idea of earning this love seemed more impossible than usual.

Yet, what if he merely spoke aloud words many of us know not to utter, though we still try to earn God’s favor, God’s forgiveness, God’s love and attention anyway? How often I have to take captive the thoughts that I am struggling to stay in God’s good graces, mentally visualizing gold stars by my name, as if God were a father on the brink of abandoning me lest one more sticker be lost to bad behavior. Though I know better, do I always know differently? “You have to earn it” is a tune not always far from my repertoire. Yet when struggling to earn our way into God’s presence—whether we are admitting it aloud or not—it is usually not the case that we have overestimated our ability to earn. Perhaps it is that we are grossly underestimating the love we are longing to keep.

So wrote one who walked with God’s begotten: “For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Modern hymnist Stuart Townend reminds us of this great mystery often memorized, but less easily known.

How deep the Father’s love for us.

How vast beyond all measure,

That he should give His only Son,

To make a wretch His treasure.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart:

His wounds have paid my ransom.

We cannot earn our way into the presence of God. “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).  The debt, which was ours, has been paid.  You can neither earn Christ’s heart nor his reward. You are asked only to receive him.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

 Morning “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” / Isaiah 49:16

 No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word “Behold,” is

excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said,

“The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me.” How amazed the

divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding

than the unfounded doubts and fears of God’s favoured people? The Lord’s

loving word of rebuke should make us blush; he cries, “How can I have

forgotten thee, when I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands? How darest

thou doubt my constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon my very

flesh?” O unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to

wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of his people. He keeps his

promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt him. He never

faileth; he is never a dry well; he is never as a setting sun, a passing

meteor, or a melting vapour; and yet we are as continually vexed with

anxieties, molested with suspicions, and disturbed with fears, as if our God

were the mirage of the desert. “Behold,” is a word intended to excite

admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may

well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart

of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of his hands. “I have graven

thee.” It does not say, “Thy name.” The name is there, but that is not all: “I

have graven thee.” See the fulness of this! I have graven thy person, thine

image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses,

thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that

concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that

thy God hath forsaken thee when he has graven thee upon his own palms?

Evening “And ye shall be witnesses unto me.” / Acts 1:8

 In order to learn how to discharge your duty as a witness for Christ, look at

his example. He is always witnessing: by the well of Samaria, or in the Temple

of Jerusalem: by the lake of Gennesaret, or on the mountain’s brow. He is

witnessing night and day; his mighty prayers are as vocal to God as his daily

services. He witnesses under all circumstances; Scribes and Pharisees cannot

shut his mouth; even before Pilate he witnesses a good confession. He

witnesses so clearly, and distinctly that there is no mistake in him.

Christian, make your life a clear testimony. Be you as the brook wherein you

may see every stone at the bottom–not as the muddy creek, of which you only

see the surface–but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love to God

and man may be visible to all. You need not say, “I am true:” be true. Boast

not of integrity, but be upright. So shall your testimony be such that men

cannot help seeing it. Never, for fear of feeble man, restrain your witness.

Your lips have been warmed with a coal from off the altar; let them speak as

like heaven-touched lips should do. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the

evening withhold not thine hand.” Watch not the clouds, consult not the

wind–in season and out of season witness for the Saviour, and if it shall

come to pass that for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s you shall endure

suffering in any shape, shrink not, but rejoice in the honour thus conferred

upon you, that you are counted worthy to suffer with your Lord; and joy also

in this–that your sufferings, your losses, and persecutions shall make you a

platform, from which the more vigorously and with greater power you shall

witness for Christ Jesus. Study your great Exemplar, and be filled with his

Spirit. Remember that you need much teaching, much upholding, much grace, and

much humility, if your witnessing is to be to your Master’s glory.

And you will be my witnesses.Acts 1:8

 In order to learn how to discharge your duty as a witness for Christ, look at His example. He is always witnessing—by the well of Samaria or in the temple of Jerusalem; by the sea of Galilee or on the mountainside. He is witnessing day and night; His mighty prayers are as vocal to God as His daily services. He witnesses under all circumstances. Scribes and Pharisees cannot shut His mouth; even before Pilate He witnesses a good confession. He witnesses so clearly and distinctly that there is no mistake in understanding Him. Christian, make your life a clear testimony. Be like the stream in which you can see every stone at the bottom—not like a muddy creek where you can only see the surface, but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love for God and man may be visible to all. You need not say, “I am true”; be true. Do not boast of integrity, but be upright. Then your testimony will be such that men cannot help seeing it. Never, on account of fear of feeble man, restrain your witness. Your lips have been warmed with a coal from off the altar; let them speak as heaven-touched lips should do. “In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand.”1

Do not watch the clouds or consult the wind; in season and out of season witness for the Savior, and if it transpires that for Christ’s sake and the Gospel’s you must endure suffering in any shape, do not shrink, but rejoice in the honor conferred upon you, that you are counted worthy to suffer with your Lord. And find joy also in this—that your sufferings, your losses, and persecutions shall make you a platform from which with more vigor and with greater power you will witness for Christ Jesus. Study your great example, and be filled with His Spirit. Remember that you need much teaching, much upholding, much grace, and much humility if your witnessing is to be to your Master’s glory.

1Ecclesiastes 11:6

Family Reading Plan Hosea 13   Psalm 138

 John 14:15

For a sermon I gave several years ago, I jotted down a list and titled it “The Evolution of a Passion to Obey God.” That passion doesn’t just spring up, full-blown at salvation. We do enter our new life in Christ with a desire to please Him, and that does include obeying Him. But an intensely determined pursuit of His will develops more slowly.

In fact, the first stage–fear of the consequences of disobedience–barely qualifies as reverence for God. But as we progress in our faith and form a commitment to obey the Lord, we eventually reach the final stage, which is love and devotion to Christ. Wouldn’t you rather follow Him out of love than out of fear?

Getting from the first stage to the last begins with what you might expect–an increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we dig into God’s Word to see how He provided for the saints, we develop a desire for His best. Men like Moses, David, and Paul weren’t satisfied with what the world had to offer, and we won’t be either when we witness His work in the lives of His followers. So we test out obedience and discover that God’s promised blessings are real. As we acquire a record of consistent rewards for doing His will, we recognize the wisdom of obedience.

Can you find yourself on the spectrum between fear and devotion? It is my hope that you have committed to obeying God and that you are reading His Word daily to learn how to keep your promise. God wants your best–your passionate pursuit of His will–because He is giving His best to you.

In today’s world, it is often difficult to summon optimism. Bad news swirls around us blowing our hopes and dreams like leaves in the fall wind. In this gale, we often find it hard to cling to hope and to a sense that the future will be a bright one. In general, I see myself as an optimistic person. I try to find the bright side of bad situations, and I work hard to walk the extra mile to give others the benefit of the doubt in personal relationships. I am not a naïve optimist like the character Pangloss in Voltaire’s biting satire Candide. When it is clear the ship is sinking, I don’t believe everything will be alright nor do I believe, as Pangloss would, that the sinking ship is the best thing that could happen to me. I do all that I can to bail out the rising water, even as I wrestle against the fear and anxiety that accompanies impending disaster!

Yet despite my generally optimistic attitude and outlook, there are times when sadness overwhelms me. It may be a growing storm of weary longing or a tide of lonely isolation that sweeps over me, drowning me with a dolor that submerges my hope. Sometimes it occurs when I think about the aging process and our hopeless fight against it. Sometimes it occurs when I am in the grocery line, looking at the baggers and clerks who wonder if this is all they will ever do for work. Oftentimes, it occurs when I cannot see the good through all the violence and evil that oppresses the world and its people. I can easily become overwhelmed by the numbers of people who are forgotten by our society—the last, the least, and the lost among us—and wonder who is there to help and to save them from drowning.

It is in these times that I befriend lament. And I take great comfort in the loud cries and mourning that have echoed throughout time and history as captured in the poems, songs, and statements of lament. Indeed, a great portion of the Hebrew Scriptures comes in the form of lament, both individual and communal lament. The Psalms, as the hymnal of Israel, record the deepest cries of agony, anger, confusion, disorientation, sorrow, grief, and protest. In so doing, they express hope that the God who delivered them in the exodus from Egypt, would once again deliver by listening and responding to their lament.(1)  The prophets of Israel, who cry out in times of exile, present some of the most heart-wrenching cries to God in times of deep sorrow and distress. One can hear the anguish in Jeremiah’s cry, “Why has my pain been perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will God indeed be to me like a deceptive stream with water that is unreliable?” (Jeremiah 15:18). In addition, Jeremiah cries out on behalf of the people of Judah: “Harvest is past, summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?” (Jeremiah 8:20-22).

As I listen to Jeremiah’s cries, I recognize that they arise out of a deep love for the very people he often had to speak against. As Abraham Joshua Heschel notes, “[Jeremiah] was a person overwhelmed by sympathy for God and sympathy for man. Standing before the people he pleaded for God. Standing before God he pleaded for his people.”(2) In this same tradition, Jesus cried out with deep longing about the people in his own day, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace” (Luke 19:42). It is more than appropriate for us to weep and lament over the terrible condition of the world—a condition that all too often, we participate in and condone.

Many face realities in life that feel completely overwhelming: death, and loss, poverty, hunger, homelessness, job loss or under-employment, relational disruption. Lament seems the only appropriate response for those who find themselves on the losing end of things, or who through no fault of their own always find themselves in last place or left behind. Lament arises from looking honestly at these realities for what they are, and wishing for something else.

Yet it has been said that “the cry of pain is our deepest acknowledgment that we are not home.” The author continues, “We are divided from our own body; our own deepest desires; our dearest relationships. We are separated and long for utter restoration. It is the cry of pain that initiates the search to ask God, ‘What are you doing?’ It is this element of a lament that has the potential to change the heart.”(3) If this is true, then the overwhelming sorrow or feelings of bitterness over having to deal with what feels like more than one’s share of the harsh yet inevitable realities of life are, in fact, the crucible for real change. The same waters of despair that seek to drown and overwhelm are the waters of cleansing. Therefore, let the tears flow! The writers of Scripture give witness to the overwhelming compassion of God in the midst of grief: “For if [the LORD] causes grief, then He will have compassion according to his abundant lovingkindness.”(4) Perhaps, as we remember the one who was described as a “man of sorrows” who was “acquainted with grief,” lament offers a crucible in which we might experience a better compassion and care. Indeed, lament may yet have its own way of transformation.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

(1) Barish Golan, “A Look at Lament Songs in the Bible,” http://www.disciplestoday.org.

(2) Abraham Heschel, The Prophets (New York: Harper Collins, 1962), 154-155.

(3) Dan Allender, “The Hidden Hope in Lament,” Mars Hill Review, Premier Issue, 1994, 25-38.

(4) Lamentations 3:32.

 Morning “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.” / Isaiah 44:3

 When a believer has fallen into a low, sad state of feeling, he often tries to

lift himself out of it by chastening himself with dark and doleful fears. Such

is not the way to rise from the dust, but to continue in it. As well chain the

eagle’s wing to make it mount, as doubt in order to increase our grace. It is

not the law, but the gospel which saves the seeking soul at first; and it is

not a legal bondage, but gospel liberty which can restore the fainting

believer afterwards. Slavish fear brings not back the backslider to God, but

the sweet wooings of love allure him to Jesus’ bosom. Are you this morning

thirsting for the living God, and unhappy because you cannot find him to the

delight of your heart? Have you lost the joy of religion, and is this your

prayer, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”? Are you conscious also

that you are barren, like the dry ground; that you are not bringing forth the

fruit unto God which he has a right to expect of you; that you are not so

useful in the Church, or in the world, as your heart desires to be? Then here

is exactly the promise which you need, “I will pour water upon him that is

thirsty.” You shall receive the grace you so much require, and you shall have

it to the utmost reach of your needs. Water refreshes the thirsty: you shall

be refreshed; your desires shall be gratified. Water quickens sleeping

vegetable life: your life shall be quickened by fresh grace. Water swells the

buds and makes the fruits ripen; you shall have fructifying grace: you shall

be made fruitful in the ways of God. Whatever good quality there is in divine

grace, you shall enjoy it to the full. All the riches of divine grace you

shall receive in plenty; you shall be as it were drenched with it: and as

sometimes the meadows become flooded by the bursting rivers, and the fields

are turned into pools, so shall you be–the thirsty land shall be springs of

water.

Evening “Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.”

/ Hebrews 9:20

 There is a strange power about the very name of blood, and the sight of it is

always affecting. A kind heart cannot bear to see a sparrow bleed, and unless

familiarized by use, turns away with horror at the slaughter of a beast. As to

the blood of men, it is a consecrated thing: it is murder to shed it in wrath,

it is a dreadful crime to squander it in war. Is this solemnity occasioned by

the fact that the blood is the life, and the pouring of it forth the token of

death? We think so. When we rise to contemplate the blood of the Son of God,

our awe is yet more increased, and we shudder as we think of the guilt of sin,

and the terrible penalty which the Sin-bearer endured. Blood, always precious,

is priceless when it streams from Immanuel’s side. The blood of Jesus seals

the covenant of grace, and makes it forever sure. Covenants of old were made

by sacrifice, and the everlasting covenant was ratified in the same manner.

Oh, the delight of being saved upon the sure foundation of divine engagements

which cannot be dishonoured! Salvation by the works of the law is a frail and

broken vessel whose shipwreck is sure; but the covenant vessel fears no

storms, for the blood ensures the whole. The blood of Jesus made his testament

valid. Wills are of no power unless the testators die. In this light the

soldier’s spear is a blessed aid to faith, since it proved our Lord to be

really dead. Doubts upon that matter there can be none, and we may boldly

appropriate the legacies which he has left for his people. Happy they who see

their title to heavenly blessings assured to them by a dying Saviour. But has

this blood no voice to us? Does it not bid us sanctify ourselves unto him by

whom we have been redeemed? Does it not call us to newness of life, and incite

us to entire consecration to the Lord? O that the power of the blood might be

known, and felt in us this night!

This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.   Hebrews 9:20

There is a strange power in the very name of blood, and the sight of it is always moving. A kind heart cannot bear to see a sparrow bleed and, unless familiarized by use, turns away with horror at the slaughter of a beast. As to the blood of men, it is a consecrated thing: It is murder to shed it in anger; it is a dreadful crime to squander it in war. Is this solemnity occasioned by the fact that the blood is the life, and the shedding of it the token of death? We think so. When we rise to contemplate the blood of the Son of God, our awe is greater yet, and we shudder as we think of the guilt of sin and the terrible penalty that the Sin-bearer endured. Blood, always precious, is priceless when it streams from Immanuel’s side.

The blood of Jesus seals the covenant of grace and makes it certain forever. Covenants of old were made by sacrifice, and the everlasting covenant was ratified in the same manner. What comfort that our salvation rests upon the sure foundation of divine commitments that cannot be dishonored! Salvation by the works of the law is a frail and broken vessel whose shipwreck is sure; but the covenant vessel fears no storms, for the blood ensures the whole. The blood of Jesus made His covenant valid. Wills are of no power unless the testators die.

In this light the soldier’s spear is a blessed aid to faith, since it proved our Lord to be really dead. There can be no doubt about that matter, and we may boldly appropriate the legacies that He has left for His people. Happy are they who see their title to heavenly blessings assured to them by a dying Savior. But does this blood not speak to us? Does it not bid us sanctify ourselves unto Him by whom we have been redeemed? Does it not call us to newness of life and incite us to entire consecration to the Lord? O that the power of the blood might be known and felt in us tonight!

Family Reading Plan    Hosea 12   Psalm 136

Romans 8:32-39

We all experience hardship, and trials can shake us unless we cling to truth. Let me share three assurances to remember when troublesome circumstances arise.

First, God will always meet our needs. This doesn’t mean He provides everything we want. Instead, the Lord will bless us with all that is necessary to fulfill His purpose for our lives. His goal is to sanctify us, not simply to satisfy each immediate desire.

Second, we’re never alone. God promised to be with us always (Heb. 13:5). Loneliness often accompanies hardship, so we may feel deserted or opposed by family and friends. But our Father has sent His Spirit to be with us and in us, until the day He brings us to heaven (John 14:16-17). He is all we need–our advocate, guide, helper, and comforter. Recognizing His intimate presence gives us confidence in the midst of trials.

Third, God’s love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional–even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others’ wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers’ lives.

In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father’s love is forever.

The word “souvenir” comes from the French word meaning “to remember.” Browsing through crowded airport souvenir shops or overstuffed booths of t-shirts in tourist-likely places, it is hard to remember the almost romantic origins of the word. A fuzzy magnet bearing the words of my latest destination may serve to remind me of a another land, but I still feel like I’ve sold myself out as the prototypical, easily-targeted, junk-buying tourist any time I leave a souvenir shop receipt in hand.

Creators of a souvenir shop in Buchenwald, Germany, claim, though controversially, to be bearing the less-materialistic origins of the word. The shop opened in time for the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp where an estimated 56,000 people were murdered at the hands of the Nazis. Their souvenirs range from plaques embedded with stones from the camp to sprigs taken from the surrounding forest to be planted elsewhere. Moneymaking was never the point, the founders maintain; the project has always been about building bridges of memory, actively confronting history, and hoping to extend the somber lessons of the Holocaust to future generations.(1) From outrage to appreciation, reactions have been understandably varied. My own are admittedly mixed. Can materialism be set aside in a souvenir shop? Can history only be “actively confronted” with an object in hand? More notably, how do we best go about the vital act of remembering?

I remember looking at the gold cross around my neck differently after spending some time in the tourist-ready sites of Jerusalem. Amid the constant sounds of bartering beside some of the holiest places of history, the image of Jesus turning over the moneychangers’ tables was easy to bear in mind. But it was my own tables that were being overturned. Remembering had become for me an action I had taken as lightly as the delicate cross I put on each day.

A great amount of Christian Scripture calls the world to the act of remembering: remembering the story we are a part of, the moments God has acted mightily, the times humanity has learned in tears. “Remember this,” God uttered in history, “Fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.  Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.”(2) The story of faith is one that requires memory. God has moved; God is moving. Remember.

But how?

“Actively,” the answer seems to come, and with great weight, for it is possible to forget. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  These words that I command you today shall be on your heart.Teach them diligently to your children, talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.  Bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”(3) Memory plays a vital role in the story God continues to tell.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it. “Remember me,” he asked, “as often as you do this.” Whether we are holding again the bread that tells of his broken body, clasping again the chained cross that remembers the death of God, or reconsidering this story of God coming near, as often as we do this, let us remember.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Andreas Tzortzis, “At the Gift Shop: Souvenirs of Buchenwald,” The New York Times (September 15, 2004).

(2) Isaiah 46:8-10a.

(3) Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

 Morning “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” / Isaiah 54:17

 This day is notable in English history for two great deliverances wrought by

God for us. On this day the plot of the Papists to destroy our Houses of

Parliament was discovered, 1605.

 “While for our princes they prepare

 In caverns deep a burning snare,

 He shot from heaven a piercing ray,

 And the dark treachery brought to day.”

 And secondly–today is the anniversary of the landing of King William III, at

Torbay, by which the hope of Popish ascendancy was quashed, and religious

liberty was secured, 1688.

 This day ought to be celebrated, not by the saturnalia of striplings, but by

the songs of saints. Our Puritan forefathers most devoutly made it a special

time of thanksgiving. There is extant a record of the annual sermons preached

by Matthew Henry on this day. Our Protestant feeling, and our love of liberty,

should make us regard its anniversary with holy gratitude. Let our hearts and

lips exclaim, “We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us the

wondrous things which thou didst in their day, and in the old time before

them.” Thou hast made this nation the home of the gospel; and when the foe has

risen against her, thou hast shielded her. Help us to offer repeated songs for

repeated deliverances. Grant us more and more a hatred of Antichrist, and

hasten on the day of her entire extinction. Till then and ever, we believe the

promise, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” Should it not

be laid upon the heart of every lover of the gospel of Jesus on this day to

plead for the overturning of false doctrines and the extension of divine

truth? Would it not be well to search our own hearts, and turn out any of the

Popish lumber of self-righteousness which may lie concealed therein?

Evening “Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” / Psalm 100:4

 Our Lord would have all his people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning

his blessed person. Jesus is not content that his brethren should think meanly

of him; it is his pleasure that his espoused ones should be delighted with his

beauty. We are not to regard him as a bare necessary, like to bread and water,

but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight. To this end he

has revealed himself as the “pearl of great price” in its peerless beauty, as

the “bundle of myrrh” in its refreshing fragrance, as the “rose of Sharon” in

its lasting perfume, as the “lily” in its spotless purity.

 As a help to high thoughts of Christ, remember the estimation that Christ is

had in beyond the skies, where things are measured by the right standard.

Think how God esteems the Only Begotten, his unspeakable gift to us. Consider

what the angels think of him, as they count it their highest honour to veil

their faces at his feet. Consider what the blood-washed think of him, as day

without night they sing his well deserved praises. High thoughts of Christ

will enable us to act consistently with our relations towards him. The more

loftily we see Christ enthroned, and the more lowly we are when bowing before

the foot of the throne, the more truly shall we be prepared to act our part

towards him. Our Lord Jesus desires us to think well of him, that we may

submit cheerfully to his authority. High thoughts of him increase our love.

Love and esteem go together. Therefore, believer, think much of your Master’s

excellencies. Study him in his primeval glory, before he took upon himself

your nature! Think of the mighty love which drew him from his throne to die

upon the cross! Admire him as he conquers all the powers of hell! See him

risen, crowned, glorified! Bow before him as the Wonderful, the Counsellor,

the mighty God, for only thus will your love to him be what it should.

Give thanks to him; bless his name!   Psalm 100:4

 Our Lord would have all His people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning His blessed person. Jesus is not content that His brethren should think poorly of Him; it is His pleasure that His people should be delighted with His beauty. We are not to regard Him as a bare necessity, like bread and water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight. To this end He has revealed Himself as the “pearl of great price” in its peerless beauty, as the “bundle of myrrh”1 in its refreshing fragrance, as the “rose of Sharon” in its lasting perfume, as the “lily” in its spotless purity.

As a help to high thoughts of Christ, remember the estimation that Christ has beyond the skies, where things are measured by the right standard. Think how God esteems the Only Begotten, His unspeakable gift to us. Consider what the angels think of Him, as they count it their highest honor to veil their faces at His feet. Consider what the blood-washed think of Him, as day without night they sing His well-deserved praises. High thoughts of Christ will enable us to act consistently in our relationship with Him. The more loftily we see Christ enthroned, and the more lowly we are when bowing before the foot of the throne, the more truly shall we be prepared to act our part toward Him.

Our Lord Jesus desires us to think well of Him, that we may submit cheerfully to His authority. High thoughts of Him increase our love. Love and esteem go together. Therefore, believer, think much of your Master’s excellencies. Study Him in His pre-incarnate glory, before He took upon Himself your nature! Think of the mighty love that drew Him from His throne to die upon the cross! Admire Him as He conquers all the powers of hell! See Him risen, crowned, glorified! Bow before Him as the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Mighty God, for only in this way will your love for Him be what it should.

1Song of Solomon 1:13, KJV

Family Reading Plan Hosea 11 Psalm 134

Psalm 119:57-59

The Bible records two kinds of promises from God–unconditional and conditional. An unconditional pledge is one whose fulfillment rests solely with the Lord; His commitment is independent of people and situations. An example would be God’s covenant never to send another flood to destroy the entire earth (Gen. 9:11). No matter how the world behaves, He will not take this action again.

The second type of divine promise is conditional. In other words, the Lord is willing to act under certain circumstances. It’s often written as an “if-then” statement and involves our cooperation. Let’s look at three conditional promises involving salvation, forgiveness, and wisdom.

Romans 10:10 tells us that salvation is pledged to those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord. We are saved when we genuinely trust in the Savior.

If we come to the Lord with sincere confession of sin, we have the assurance of divine forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). The Lord’s fulfillment of this vow depends upon our obedient action.

James 1:5-6 instructs us to ask God for wisdom without doubting that we will receive it. If we approach the Lord with faith, then He will give us understanding.

God will do exactly what He’s promised. But He requires our obedient cooperation before fulfilling His conditional pledges. To receive the stated blessing, we must satisfy the conditions He has set. If you are waiting for the Lord to fulfill His pledge, check to be sure you are carrying out your part.

There are several places in Scripture that speak of God’s abhorrence of “dishonest scales.” Having recently read an editorial that sought to expose what the writer deemed “the unfair scales” of our justice system, the phrase catches my attention. There is something within us that cries out at the sight of injustice; we long to find the place where life is fair. But what does it mean to measure our own lives with an honest scale?

As the Israelites emerged from their slavery in Egypt and the perils of the desert through mighty acts of deliverance, they were asked to remember the almighty hand of God. The great plagues that came upon Egypt, the triumphant parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven—all were arguably unforgettable—and yet God specifically asked them to remember. Remember the great movement of God among you; remember the God who saw your misery and acted out in justice. Indeed, remember. For how easy it is to forget. How easy it is to forget that God not only sees the injustice of our situation, our yearning for help and crying for deliverance, but also the injustice we impose on others, our unwillingness to forgive, and our eagerness to tip the scales in our favor.

Through the prophet Micah, the LORD inquired of Israel, “Am I still to forget, O wicked house, your ill-gotten treasures and the short ephah, which is accursed? Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?”(1)

Used in ancient Israel, the ephah was a large vessel with which merchants measured out goods for a buyer. Likewise, the shekel was used to weigh out the silver with which the buyer paid for it. By shortening the ephah and increasing the weight of the shekel, the merchant found a way to sell less than he promised for more than he agreed. The practice of utilizing measures to get ahead in business was quite prevalent amongst merchants in the ancient world—perhaps as prevalent as it is today. In a poem titled “Song of the Devil” W.H. Auden voices a chorus familiar to the ages:  “Values are relative/Dough is dough.”

Yet as God declared through Micah and again through Hosea and Amos, dishonest dealings make a mockery of the one who set the values. The cry of the prophet for economic justice is the cry of the God who is just. And God who is just demands a careful commitment to all that God values: “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.”(2)

Moreover, God who is just not only calls for justice in our dealings with others, but in our dealings with God. Here, the Christian story reports that we ourselves have been weighed on scales and found wanting. This is a difficult truth to accept, particularly where we want to measure the world with a sliding scale of tolerance. All the more difficult to comprehend, Christ’s death is said somehow to level the scales. Where we are lacking, where we are unjust, where we have tipped the scales dishonestly in our favor, where sin throws off the balance, and we carry our bag of false weights, Christ comes to restore our own value inasmuch as those we have slighted.  As the apostle Peter writes, “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God.” In Christ the scales are balanced; what is wanting is restored in him by the Spirit. Setting on both sides of the scale, he is our full and just weight.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Micah 6:10-11.

(2) Deuteronomy 25:13-15.

Morning “I am the Lord, I change not.” / Malachi 3:6

It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, there is One whom

change cannot affect; One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow

mutability can make no furrows. All things else have changed–all things are

changing. The sun itself grows dim with age; the world is waxing old; the

folding up of the worn-out vesture has commenced; the heavens and earth must

soon pass away; they shall perish, they shall wax old as doth a garment; but

there is One who only hath immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in

whose person there is no change. The delight which the mariner feels, when,

after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid

shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this

troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth–“I am the

Lord, I change not.”

The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a

hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes

itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow

of turning.” Whatever his attributes were of old, they are now; his power, his

wisdom, his justice, his truth, are alike unchanged. He has ever been the

refuge of his people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and he is their

sure Helper still. He is unchanged in his love. He has loved his people with

“an everlasting love”; he loves them now as much as ever he did, and when all

earthly things shall have melted in the last conflagration, his love will

still wear the dew of its youth. Precious is the assurance that he changes

not! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.

“Death and change are busy ever,

Man decays, and ages move;

But his mercy waneth never;

God is wisdom, God is love.”

Evening “Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.” /

Psalm 119:53

My soul, feelest thou this holy shuddering at the sins of others? for

otherwise thou lackest inward holiness. David’s cheeks were wet with rivers of

waters because of prevailing unholiness, Jeremiah desired eyes like fountains

that he might lament the iniquities of Israel, and Lot was vexed with the

conversation of the men of Sodom. Those upon whom the mark was set in

Ezekiel’s vision, were those who sighed and cried for the abominations of

Jerusalem. It cannot but grieve gracious souls to see what pains men take to

go to hell. They know the evil of sin experimentally, and they are alarmed to

see others flying like moths into its blaze. Sin makes the righteous shudder,

because it violates a holy law, which it is to every man’s highest interest to

keep; it pulls down the pillars of the commonwealth. Sin in others horrifies a

believer, because it puts him in mind of the baseness of his own heart: when

he sees a transgressor he cries with the saint mentioned by Bernard, “He fell

today, and I may fall to-morrow.” Sin to a believer is horrible, because it

crucified the Saviour; he sees in every iniquity the nails and spear. How can

a saved soul behold that cursed kill-Christ sin without abhorrence? Say, my

heart, dost thou sensibly join in all this? It is an awful thing to insult God

to His face. The good God deserves better treatment, the great God claims it,

the just God will have it, or repay His adversary to his face. An awakened

heart trembles at the audacity of sin, and stands alarmed at the contemplation

of its punishment. How monstrous a thing is rebellion! How direful a doom is

prepared for the ungodly! My soul, never laugh at sin’s fooleries, lest thou

come to smile at sin itself. It is thine enemy, and thy Lord’s enemy. View it

with detestation, for so only canst thou evidence the possession of holiness,

without which no man can see the Lord.

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.     Psalm 119:53

My soul, do you feel this holy trembling at the sins of others? For if you do not, you lack inward holiness. David’s cheeks were wet with rivers of waters because of prevailing unholiness. Jeremiah desired eyes like fountains that he might lament the iniquities of Israel, and Lot was deeply troubled by the conduct of the men of Sodom. Those upon whom the mark was set in Ezekiel’s vision were those who sighed and cried for the sins of Jerusalem. Gracious souls cannot help but be grieved to see what pains men take to go to hell. They know the evil of sin experimentally [experientially], and they are alarmed to see others flying like moths into its blaze.

Sin makes the righteous shudder because it violates a holy law that it is in every man’s highest interest to keep; it pulls down the pillars of the nation. Sin in others horrifies a believer because it makes him think of the baseness of his own heart: When he sees a transgressor he is reminded of his own frailty and vulnerability: “He fell today, and I may fall tomorrow.” Sin to a believer is horrible because it crucified the Savior; he sees in every iniquity the nails and spear. How troubling it should be when the Christian learns to tolerate rather than shrink from it in disgust.

Each of us must examine his heart. It is an awful thing to insult God to His face. The good God deserves better treatment; the great God claims it; the just God will have it or repay His adversary to his face. An awakened heart trembles at the audacity of sin and stands alarmed at the contemplation of its punishment. How monstrous a thing is rebellion! How dreadful a doom is prepared for the ungodly! My soul, never laugh at sin’s fooleries, lest you begin to smile at sin itself. It is your enemy, and your Lord’s enemy: Learn to detest it and to distance yourself from it, for only then can you give evidence of the possession of holiness, without which no one can see the Lord.

Family Reading Plan        Hosea 8       Psalm 125

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

The Christian life rests on a foundation of God’s promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be…

Truthful. The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters. We can be assured of this because He is holy; there is no sin in Him. He is also omniscient and understands everything (Heb. 4:12-13). His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness.

Faithful. Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who “gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (Isa. 40:11 niv). What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition (Rom. 8:28). Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.

Loving. God’s love for us was demonstrated at the cross. He sent His Son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins. The Savior experienced God’s wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.

All-powerful. Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans. Our omnipotent Father can keep every one of His promises.

A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through. Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful. We can base our entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said

I remember getting into a cab outside a central London church. The cabbie took one look at my Bible and launched into his opinion of Christianity. He explained to me that belief in God is a crutch for weak, pathetic people who don’t have the strength to take responsibility for their own lives. When I answered, “Thank you very much,” with just a hint of irony, he blustered on with, “Well, I’m just saying it for your own good. A girl like you doesn’t need religion!”

This idea that Christian faith is a psychological crutch for needy people is a pervasive one, based on a number of assumptions. The first is that God is merely a psychological projection: he doesn’t actually exist in any real sense, but exists only in the minds of his followers, who have created him out of their own need—a need for a father figure or a need to give significance to their existence. The most famous proponent of this view was the Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). In arguing against the existence of God, Freud theorized that one’s view of God springs from the view one has of one’s father. When people grow up and find themselves thrust into the cruel, cold world, they look for a haven of security and protection from it. An adult can no longer look to parents for this protection, if he or she is to maintain dignity. Yet, Freud mused, we look for another “Someone” to do this job for us and this leads to the idea of a “Higher Power” or God.

From this perspective, God is merely a creation of the human mind, a projection emanating from human need and desire rather than a distinct reality. For Freud, God is made in humanity’s own image, the “ultimate wish-fulfillment,” the end product of human desire for a loving father.

Can God really be explained away so easily by one aspect of psychology? One obvious point to make is that the argument about projection cuts both ways. After all, isn’t it equally possible to say that Freud and other atheists deny the existence of God out of a need to escape from a father figure, or to argue that the non-existence of God springs from a deep-seated desire for no father figure to exist?

Clearly this doesn’t prove that God is real, but it does show that Freud’s arguments cannot prove that God does not exist while at the same time helping us tackle the question of projection. After all, dismissing God as a psychological projection while claiming neutrality in our own psyche is disingenuous at best and cannot be an adequate basis for rejecting God.

It also quickly becomes apparent that a Freudian belief in God as a human projection cannot provide us with an explanation for the Christian faith of converts such as C.S. Lewis or Alister McGrath, who would rather not believe but find themselves compelled by the evidence that Christianity is true and real.

In fact, we may go further by suggesting that a desire for a God who can fulfill our needs and provide moral order exists precisely because human beings have been created to desire him. The man floating on a raft at sea is unbearably thirsty, but he won’t get a drink of water simply by being thirsty. But the very existence of his thirst does show that a way for his desire to be satisfied actually exists: fresh water. As C.S. Lewis put it, “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.” Ultimately for the Christian the important question is not whether I have a psychological need for a father figure, or a desire for a father figure not to exist. Rather, the question is about what actually exists: Is God really there? The way to come to any conclusions about that is to investigate the evidence for his existence.

The second assumption we encounter is that because belief in God provides the faithful with a crutch, this means it is somehow suspect. The skeptic implies that since the believer finds protection from the cruelty of nature and the evil of the world, the idea of God is like a talisman, an irrational superstition. But surely, if belief in God provides a positive moral framework that helps people to live constructively, that is not a reason to disbelieve. Similarly, if relationship with God enables to believer to find healing, wholeness, and comfort in the midst of human suffering, we should not be surprised.  After all, if God is real, God’s existence will have a massive impact on life and on the experience of life. It is only if God is not real that we ought to be worried about the “crutch” God provides.

Finally, the third assumption is that people who make use of this “crutch” of relationship with God, and find it practical, meaningful, and effective, must be weak or inferior. This is a rather strange idea, since surely it makes sense to access real sources of support and relationship that are there for us. If a God of love does exist, the rational thing to do is accept that love, to come to know it. Entering into that relationship will have a positive effect, and that does not make the person weaker than or somehow inferior to anyone else. On the contrary, it is the logical, reasonable response if God himself is real.

Amy Orr-Ewing is curriculum director for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and training director of RZIM Zacharias Trust in Oxford, England.

Morning “The church in thy house.” / Philemon 2

Is there a Church in this house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all

members of it? or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the

question go round–Am I a member of the Church in this house? How would

father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears if from

the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy

until the Lord shall grant it to us. Probably it had been the dearest object

of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first

granted him in its fulness. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having

wronged him, ran away from his service. His master’s prayers followed him, and

at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preach; his heart

was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant,

but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s

house. Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning? Make

special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all

hearts with good news of what grace has done! Is there one present? Let him

partake in the same earnest entreaty.

If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act

as in the sight of God. Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied

holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a Church

than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more

devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external

conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the

smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy

Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance.

As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church

universal, and let us beseech him to give us grace to shine before men to the

glory of his name.

Evening “And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away: so shall also the

coming of the Son of man be.” / Matthew 24:39

Universal was the doom, neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the

illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the

old and the young, all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed

the patriarch–where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his

zeal which they counted madness–where now their boastings and hard speeches?

The critic who judged the old man’s work is drowned in the same sea which

covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good

man’s fidelity to his convictions, but shared not in them, have sunk to rise

no more, and the workers who for pay helped to build the wondrous ark, are all

lost also. The flood swept them all away, and made no single exception. Even

so, out of Christ, final destruction is sure to every man of woman born; no

rank, possession, or character, shall suffice to save a single soul who has

not believed in the Lord Jesus. My soul, behold this wide-spread judgment and

tremble at it.

How marvellous the general apathy! they were all eating and drinking, marrying

and giving in marriage, till the awful morning dawned. There was not one wise

man upon earth out of the ark. Folly duped the whole race, folly as to

self-preservation–the most foolish of all follies. Folly in doubting the most

true God–the most malignant of fooleries. Strange, my soul, is it not? All

men are negligent of their souls till grace gives them reason, then they leave

their madness and act like rational beings, but not till then.

All, blessed be God, were safe in the ark, no ruin entered there. From the

huge elephant down to the tiny mouse all were safe. The timid hare was equally

secure with the courageous lion, the helpless cony as safe as the laborious

ox. All are safe in Jesus. My soul, art thou in him?