And they were unaware until the flood came, and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.     Matthew 24:39

The doom was universal. Neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the despised, the religious and the profane, the old and the young all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed the preacher, but where were their merry jests now? Others had threatened Noah for his zeal, which they regarded as madness. What happened to their boastings and hard speeches? The critic who judged the old man’s work drowns in the same sea that covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man’s faithfulness to his convictions, but did not share 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, outside of Christ, final destruction is sure to everyone; no rank, possession, or character will be enough to save a single soul who has not believed in the Lord Jesus. My soul, consider this widespread judgment and tremble at it.

How incredible was the general apathy! They were all eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the awful morning dawned. There was not one wise individual upon earth outside of the ark. Folly duped the whole race: folly as to self-preservation, the most fooling of all follies. Folly in doubting the most true God: the most malignant foolishness. Is it not strange, my soul? All men are negligent of their souls until grace gives them reason; then they leave their madness and act like rational beings, but not until 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 lamb as safe as the laborious ox. All are safe in Jesus. My soul, are you in Him?

Family Reading Plan        Hosea 7       Psalm 122

John 16:7-11

Jesus assured His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go away so that the Helper could come (John 16:7)–God sends Him to convict people of their sin. Since the Holy Spirit is unlimited by time or space, He can reach out to every individual on the planet. However, His work differs with regard to believers and unbelievers.

With regard to unbelievers, God’s Spirit penetrates the heart and brings awareness of wrongdoing. He reveals that according to God’s holy standard, they have sinned and stand condemned by their transgression. Unbelief is the greatest sin against God, so every prick of the heart is meant to point out their need for the Savior.

As for believers, the Holy Spirit deals with them on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ and convicts us of disobedience to Him. In other words, He makes us aware of specific sins and the Lord’s attitude about them. But He also prompts us to be accountable before Christ for our wrongdoing by confessing it and repenting.

Convicting believers of sin is an important part of the Holy Spirit’s job, but He is equally delighted to make them aware of the Lord’s approval. God commends righteous living, obedient actions, and loving acts done in His name.

While conviction is often uncomfortable for unbelievers and believers alike, it’s a beautiful demonstration of God’s love. He desires to bring us into the center of His will and keep us there for our good and His glory. The Holy Spirit’s work makes that possible, if we choose to follow His promptings

Common is the sentiment among recent college graduates: “I went in feeling like I knew so much, and leave realizing how little I know.” I remember what this felt like, walking down the aisle to accept my diploma, wondering at the might be, I am convinced that the thought is an important place at which to arrive.

Ravi Zacharias tells of being a graduate student when the new encyclopedia Britannica was released in its fifteenth edition. It was a massive work that had taken fourteen years to produce, and he remembers being fascinated by the statistics: two hundred advisors, three hundred editors, four thousand contributors, over a hundred thousand entries, thirty-four million dollars, forty-three million words. Even so, in the last pages of that work, one of the editors had the audacity to conclude: “Herein contains the entirety of human knowledge.”

In the stories in Scripture where God is encountered we find men and women who, having come in contact God, find themselves blown away by the notion that they didn’t know all that they didn’t know. As Jacob lay dreaming, he saw God appear above a great ladder where God was introduced as the God of his ancestors. Upon waking, Jacob’s his first words were filled with astonishment: “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (Genesis 28:16). Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, had a similar reaction after she encountered God in the desert. Having run away from Sarah’s abuse, Hagar was resting beside a spring when God spoke to her and told her to return. Scripture imparts that she was amazed: “And she gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the one who sees me’” (Genesis 16:13).

Whatever we see, there is almost always more. It is probably the one thing we can count on—and the one thing we do not. Christian philosopher Esther Lightcap Meek writes, “We labor under the misimpression that we see what we see, that seeing is believing, that either I see it or I don’t.”(1) Perhaps seeing is not always about 20/20, and seeing God is something else altogether.

Christianity and its stories introduce us to a God who makes known God’s surprising presence again and again, a God whose revelation is both piecemeal and profound. “O LORD,” proclaims David, “for your servant’s sake and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.  There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears” (1 Chronicles 17:19,20, ESV). God is well worth our efforts in learning to see. Whether in Jacob’s dream or in Hagar’s distress, God seeks to be known and seeks to gather. The Spirit seeks to surprise and comfort. The Son seeks to be near. Says the LORD, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

There is something relieving in knowing that there is much that we do not know. It keeps us grounded in reality. It keeps us with a grateful eye toward mystery and beauty and kindness. It keeps us looking to the one who wills to be known. When Job was confronted by God with the great thunder of 62 questions about the foundations of the world and the inner workings of life, he realized that he might have spoken out of turn. Confronting the reality of all that he did not know brought Job to a deeper certainty of God and himself. “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). There is no more grateful, honest cry before the God who sees.

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

(1) Esther Lightcap Meek, Longing to Know: The Philosophy of Knowledge for Ordinary People (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2003), 99.

Morning “Renew a right spirit within me.” / Psalm 51:10

A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after

restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our

conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted

faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us

to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the

loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense

of present sin, that we need it now. No man can be renewed without as real and

true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s energy as he felt at first, because

the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever

they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee

pray earnestly to thy God for help. Remember, David when he felt himself to be

powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the

mercy-seat with “renew a right spirit within me.” Let not the doctrine that

you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your

side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel’s strong Helper. O that

you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very

life–“Lord, renew a right spirit within me.” He who sincerely prays to God to

do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be

much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have

driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of

sin. The Lord has his own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be

ready when he passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will

foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must

proceed from him, cease not to cry, “Renew a right spirit within me.”

Evening “I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.” / Hosea

13:5

Yes, Lord, thou didst indeed know me in my fallen state, and thou didst even

then choose me for thyself. When I was loathsome and self-abhorred, thou didst

receive me as thy child, and thou didst satisfy my craving wants. Blessed

forever be thy name for this free, rich, abounding mercy. Since then, my

inward experience has often been a wilderness; but thou hast owned me still as

thy beloved, and poured streams of love and grace into me to gladden me, and

make me fruitful. Yea, when my outward circumstances have been at the worst,

and I have wandered in a land of drought, thy sweet presence has solaced me.

Men have not known me when scorn has awaited me, but thou hast known my soul

in adversities, for no affliction dims the lustre of thy love. Most gracious

Lord, I magnify thee for all thy faithfulness to me in trying circumstances,

and I deplore that I should at any time have forgotten thee and been exalted

in heart, when I have owed all to thy gentleness and love. Have mercy upon thy

servant in this thing!

My soul, if Jesus thus acknowledged thee in thy low estate, be sure that thou

own both himself and his cause now that thou art in thy prosperity. Be not

lifted up by thy worldly successes so as to be ashamed of the truth or of the

poor church with which thou hast been associated. Follow Jesus into the

wilderness: bear the cross with him when the heat of persecution grows hot. He

owned thee, O my soul, in thy poverty and shame–never be so treacherous as to

be ashamed of him. O for more shame at the thought of being ashamed of my best

Beloved! Jesus, my soul cleaveth to thee.

“I’ll turn to thee in days of light,

As well as nights of care,

Thou brightest amid all that’s bright!

Thou fairest of the fair!”

It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.    Hosea 13:5

Yes, Lord, You did indeed know me in my fallen state, and You did even then choose me for Yourself. When I was loathsome and self-abhorred, You received me as Your child, and You satisfied my longings. Blessed forever be Your name for this free, rich, abounding mercy. Since then, my inward experience has often been a wilderness; but You have kept me still as Your beloved and poured streams of love and grace into me to gladden me and make me fruitful. When my outward circumstances have been at the worst, and I have wandered in a land of drought, Your sweet presence has comforted me. Men have ignored me, and I have been scorned; but You have known my soul in adversities, for no affliction dims the luster of Your love. Most gracious Lord, I magnify You for all Your faithfulness to me in trying circumstances, and I deplore the fact that I have at times forgotten You and been proud of heart when I have owed everything to Your gentleness and love. Have mercy upon Your servant in this matter!

My soul, if Jesus acknowledged you in your lowly condition, be sure that you own both Himself and His cause now that you are in prosperity. Do not be puffed up by worldly successes, and do not be ashamed of the truth or of the poor church with which you have been associated. Follow Jesus into the wilderness: Bear the cross with Him when the persecution heats up. He owned you, O my soul, in your poverty and shame; never be so treacherous as to be ashamed of Him. Let me know more shame at the thought of being ashamed of my best Beloved! Jesus, my soul cleaves to You.

I’ll turn to Thee in days of light,

As well as nights of care,

Thou brightest amid all that’s bright!

Thou fairest of the fair!

Family Reading Plan       Hosea 6       Psalm 119:145-176

Romans 8:1-4

Some believers are plagued by feelings of condemnation. Either they think they’ll never live up to God’s expectations for them or they’re nearly drowning in guilt over past sins. These men and women cannot seem to shake the sense that God is displeased with their puny efforts at being Christlike.

The book of Romans confronts this lie head-on: “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). When the Savior went to the cross on our behalf, He lifted the blame from our shoulders and made us righteous before God. Those feelings of condemnation do not belong to us; they are from Satan. He amplifies our guilt and feelings of inadequacy and then suggests that’s how the Lord feels about His “wayward child.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Our sins are wiped clean, and we are chosen and loved by God.

Condemnation is reserved for those who reject the Lord (John 3:36). Sin is a death sentence (Rom. 6:23). Anyone who chooses to cling to sin instead of seeking divine forgiveness must pay the penalty, which is an eternity separated from God. Two synonyms of condemn are ‘denounce’ and ‘revile.’ Those words certainly describe Jesus’ statement to unbelievers in Matthew 25:41: “Depart from me, accursed ones.”

There is no condemnation for those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. The believer’s penalty for sin is paid, and he can stand blameless before God. Trust in the Lord’s love and let go of Satan’s lie. God’s beloved children are covered by His grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

 The recent death of Oglala Sioux actor and activist Russell Means brought brief but broad attention to the chronic issues plaguing Native American communities in the United States. Means, who was quite a controversial figure, brought national attention to the poverty and discrimination suffered by many in Native communities in the 1970′s and 1980′s. He is credited with reviving the warrior image of the American Indian through guerrilla-tactic protests against the United States injustice against its indigenous peoples.(1)

One tragic episode of injustice was called “The Trail of Tears.” This was the name given to the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation from their home among the mountains of North Georgia to the plains of Oklahoma.(2) In one of the saddest episodes of the fledgling democracy of the United States, men, women, and children were taken from their land, herded into makeshift forts with minimal facilities and food, and then forced to march a thousand miles. Human loss for the first groups of Cherokee removed from North Georgia was extremely high. While records reflect differing accounts of casualties, some estimate that about 4000 Cherokee died as a result of the removal.

The story of Native American relocation is now a part of the history of the developing United States, where the North Georgia story is not unique. Russell Means and many other activists for Indian causes remind us that other trails of tears were forged in the land from east to west.  While there were minority voices protesting against these federal government policies concerning relocation, including Davy Crockett (better known for his failed stand at the Texas Alamo), they were few and far between.(3) The country that had swelled on a tide of freedom also had an undertow of injustice toward its Native peoples.

In human terms, the crucifixion of Jesus demonstrates a horrible injustice committed against him. While Christians believe that God was at work even in the midst of this act of injustice, Jesus had committed no crime deserving of this death reserved for the worst criminals. He was falsely accused, tortured, and nailed to the cross. Formal theology looks at the “injustice” of the crucifixion and seeks to explain the meaning of the event. Some theologians suggest that the atonement stands as the preeminent example of a sacrificial life in the face of injustice—an example which followers of Jesus are called to model in their own lives. Others see the Cross as the ultimate symbol of divine love or a demonstration of God’s divine justice against sin as the violation of his perfect law. Still others suggest the Cross overcame the forces of sin and evil, restored God’s honor in relation to God’s holiness and righteousness, and served as a substitution for the death we all deserved because of sin.(4)

While the meaning of the atonement may include a portion of all of these theories, I wonder about how the atonement might bring meaning to events like those suffered by Native peoples. And I wonder about how the atonement speaks to the personal injustices we all suffer, or commit against one another. Does the reality of the atonement give present meaning to the many injustices experienced and felt by many in today’s world?

The word atonement itself indicates that the willing offer by Jesus to absorb the injustices of the world creates the possibility to be at one, set right with God, and with one another. The apostle Paul indicates this in his second letter to the Corinthian Christians: “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Christians believe that the enactment of reconciliation by God even through the human injustice perpetrated against Jesus, enjoins them to a ministry of reconciliation and justice. And the word of reconciliation—namely, that God has not counted our trespasses against us—frees us to give   the ministry of reconciling forgiveness to one another. Forgiveness, then, paves the way for justice.

I wish Russell Means could have known about many of these reconciling ministries. While at a local church gathering, I was introduced to a ministry that works with urban-dwelling Native Americans. Most are homeless and many struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. Like me, these individuals are far removed from the Trail of Tears. But like me, this organization wonders what meaning to assign to a tragic past. Clearly, all of us carry the events of our past into our present lives. In some cases, painful hurts and histories have ongoing repercussions. Cycles of violence, addiction, and despair are shaped, in part, by the meaning assigned to these past events. Therefore, this ministry seeks to reassign new meaning to difficult pasts through reconciliation and forgiveness.

In the same way, Christians who affirm the atonement of Jesus also affirm a God who enjoins them to do justice on behalf of others. The atonement gives meaning to the past that is redemptive for the present. Recognizing both our need for forgiveness and the need to offer forgiveness, we give meaning to those who need atonement today. Not simply an act of injustice perpetrated against Jesus, the atonement brings life, as surely as it binds us to give life to others.

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

(1) Robert D. McFadden, “Russell Means, Who Clashed With Law as He Fought for Indians, Is Dead at 72.” The New York Times, October 22, 2012.

(2) “The Trail of Tears,” About North Georgia, http://ngeorgia.com/history/nghisttt.html, accessed February 16, 2010.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Theories of the atonement as highlighted in Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1983), 781-823.

Morning “I will praise thee, O Lord.” / Psalm 9:1

 Praise should always follow answered prayer; as the mist of earth’s gratitude

rises when the sun of heaven’s love warms the ground. Hath the Lord been

gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice of thy supplication? Then

praise him as long as thou livest. Let the ripe fruit drop upon the fertile

soil from which it drew its life. Deny not a song to him who hath answered thy

prayer and given thee the desire of thy heart. To be silent over God’s mercies

is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as basely as the nine

lepers, who after they had been cured of their leprosy, returned not to give

thanks unto the healing Lord. To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit

ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth

of the spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, to

increase our faith. It is a healthful and invigorating exercise which quickens

the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his

Master’s service. To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit

our fellow-men; “the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.” Others who have

been in like circumstances shall take comfort if we can say, “Oh! magnify the

Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together; this poor man cried, and the

Lord heard him.” Weak hearts will be strengthened, and drooping saints will be

revived as they listen to our “songs of deliverance.” Their doubts and fears

will be rebuked, as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and

spiritual songs. They too shall “sing in the ways of the Lord,” when they hear

us magnify his holy name. Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The

angels pray not, but they cease not to praise both day and night; and the

redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in their hands, are never

weary of singing the new song, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

Evening “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause

me to hear it.” / Song of Solomon 8:13

 My sweet Lord Jesus remembers well the garden of Gethsemane, and although he

has left that garden, he now dwells in the garden of his church: there he

unbosoms himself to those who keep his blessed company. That voice of love

with which he speaks to his beloved is more musical than the harps of heaven.

There is a depth of melodious love within it which leaves all human music far

behind. Ten of thousands on earth, and millions above, are indulged with its

harmonious accents. Some whom I well know, and whom I greatly envy, are at

this moment hearkening to the beloved voice. O that I were a partaker of their

joys! It is true some of these are poor, others bedridden, and some near the

gates of death, but O my Lord, I would cheerfully starve with them, pine with

them, or die with them, if I might but hear thy voice. Once I did hear it

often, but I have grieved thy Spirit. Return unto me in compassion, and once

again say unto me, “I am thy salvation.” No other voice can content me; I know

thy voice, and cannot be deceived by another, let me hear it, I pray thee. I

know not what thou wilt say, neither do I make any condition, O my Beloved, do

but let me hear thee speak, and if it be a rebuke I will bless thee for it.

Perhaps to cleanse my dull ear may need an operation very grievous to the

flesh, but let it cost what it may I turn not from the one consuming desire,

cause me to hear thy voice. Bore my ear afresh; pierce my ear with thy

harshest notes, only do not permit me to continue deaf to thy calls. Tonight,

Lord, grant thine unworthy one his desire, for I am thine, and thou hast

bought me with thy blood. Thou hast opened mine eye to see thee, and the sight

has saved me. Lord, open thou mine ear. I have read thy heart, now let me hear

thy lips.

O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it.    Song of Songs 8:13

 My sweet Lord Jesus remembers well the garden of Gethsemane, and although He has left that garden, He now dwells in the garden of His church: There He discloses Himself to those who keep His blessed company. The voice of love with which He speaks to His beloved is more musical than the harps of heaven. There is a depth of melodious love within it that leaves all human music far behind. Tens of thousands on earth, and millions above, are consumed with its harmonious accents. Some whom I know well, and whom I greatly envy, are at this moment hearkening to the beloved voice.

O that I were a partaker of their joys! It is true some of these are poor, others bedridden, and some near the gates of death; but, my Lord, I would cheerfully starve with them, pine with them, or die with them if I might simply hear Your voice. Once I heard it often, but I have grieved Your Spirit. Return to me in compassion and once again say to me, “I am your salvation.”

No other voice can content me. I know Your voice and cannot be deceived by another; let me hear it, I pray You. I do not know what You will say, nor do I make any condition, my Beloved; simply let me hear You speak, and if it be a rebuke I will bless You for it. Perhaps the cleansing of my dull ear will require a painful surgery, but let it cost me what it will, I have only one consuming desire—to hear Your voice.

Pierce my ear with Your harshest notes, but do not allow me to remain deaf to Your calls. Tonight, Lord, grant Your unworthy servant his desire, for I am Yours, and You have bought me with Your blood. You have opened my eyes to see You, and the sight has saved me. Lord, open my ear. I have read Your heart; now let me hear from Your lips.

Family Reading Plan Hosea 4   Psalm 119:121-144

 1 Samuel 18:1-3  –  All people long to be in genuine relationships. God created us with this need, as we were not meant to live in isolation.

Our world is so driven by technology that many people today try to ease their loneliness through computer relationships. However, this can never satisfy or compare to the human fellowship that the Creator designed. But healthy friendships don’t just happen. They require intentional effort.

Yesterday, in looking to Jonathan and David for a biblical model of godly companions, we saw how mutual respect is vital in a healthy friendship. Now, let’s look at two more aspects of their relationship. These two men had an emotional love for one another; their hearts were knit together (1 Sam. 18:1). When one man experienced joy or sadness, the other man felt it too.

They also had genuine devotion to each other, which is a type of commitment that involves giving: to show loyalty, Jonathan gave his friend material items–his robe and weapon. But these two men also selflessly offered more: Jonathan even risked his life and future kingship in order to save David from execution. Notice, too, that Jonathan was often the initiator, and the one who gave more. He was a prince, whereas David was a lowly shepherd. Social status shouldn’t interfere with cultivating a true friendship.

We were designed for true companionship based on mutual respect, genuine love, and commitment. This requires not only time and selfless devotion but also transparency–which means being real, even about our faults. Taking such a risk requires trust. Such relationships are well worth the effort.

 It is startling to consider the amount of information we carry about in our heads. Think simply of all of the numbers you have by memory: phone numbers, birthdays, ID numbers, zip codes, appointment times and dates.  Among these many numbers are some so inscribed in your mind with permanent marker that you could not forget the number anymore than you could forget the person or thing they represent. The significance moves well beyond the boldfaced digits themselves—the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, the street number of the house you grew up in, the number of times you failed before you finally passed the test.

In the days of Mordecai and Queen Esther the people set themselves to remember the days when they received relief from their enemies, the month that had been turned “from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday.”(1) And so it was determined: “These days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.” The days were weighted with enough hope to press upon them the need to remember them forever. More importantly, they saw the very certain possibility that they might forget.

I suppose there are moments in our lives when we realize that we are beholding the carving of a day into the great tree of history. On my way to the hospital on the day my son was born I thought about the date and how it was about to be something more. Like any bride or groom or parent I knew from that day forward it would be difficult (and detrimental) to forget this day on the calendar; it would carry the force of forgetting so much more. Like the number itself, my remembering is more than a recollection of detail; it is the recollection of a person.

With a similar sense of anticipation, God told the Israelites that they would remember the night of Passover before the night even happened. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast” (Exodus 12:14). Moses and Aaron were given instructions to tell the whole community of Israel to choose a lamb without defect, slaughtering it at twilight. Then they were to take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts of the houses. “The blood will be a sign,” the LORD declared. “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike the firstborns of Egypt.”

The significance of remembering is a theme carried throughout all of Scripture. It is not about static facts or rules or figures, but the mystery of a place, the significance of a person, the marking of lives. Celebrating the Passover was nonnegotiable. The command to remember was passed down from generation to generation. But they were remembering more than the mere events of Israel’s exodus from Egypt; they were remembering God as God showed up and changed them—the faithful hand that moved among them, the mighty acts which exclaim a Father’s untiring remembering of his people.

As the disciples sat around the table celebrating their third Passover meal with Jesus, an observance they kept before they could walk, everything probably looked ceremoniously familiar. The smell of lamb filled the upper room; the unleavened bread was prepared and waiting to be broken. Remembering again the acts of God in Egypt, the blood on the doorposts, the lives spared and brought out of slavery, they looked at their teacher as he lifted the bread from the table and gave thanks to God. Then Jesus broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

I have always wished that Luke would have described a little more of the scene that followed. Were the disciples hushed and confused? Did their years of envisioning the blood-marked doorposts cry out at the Lamb of God before them? They had spent their entire lives remembering the sovereignty of God in the events of the Passover, and then Jesus tells them that there is yet more to see in this day on the calendar: In this broken bread is the reflection of me. On this day, God is engraving across history the promise of Passover: I still remember you. I still seek you. 

I imagine from that day forward the disciples knew it would be difficult to forget that day on the calendar. It is not that different for us today either. Forgetting what was witnessed in the upper room on that Passover carries the force of forgetting so much more.

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

 Morning “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, etc.” /

Matthew 6:9

 This prayer begins where all true prayer must commence, with the spirit of

adoption, “Our Father.” There is no acceptable prayer until we can say, “I

will arise, and go unto my Father.” This child-like spirit soon perceives the

grandeur of the Father “in heaven,” and ascends to devout adoration, “Hallowed

be thy name.” The child lisping, “Abba, Father,” grows into the cherub crying,

“Holy, Holy, Holy.” There is but a step from rapturous worship to the glowing

missionary spirit, which is a sure outgrowth of filial love and reverent

adoration–“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Next follows the heartfelt expression of dependence upon God–“Give us this

day our daily bread.” Being further illuminated by the Spirit, he discovers

that he is not only dependent, but sinful, hence he entreats for mercy,

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:” and being pardoned, having

the righteousness of Christ imputed, and knowing his acceptance with God, he

humbly supplicates for holy perseverance, “Lead us not into temptation.” The

man who is really forgiven, is anxious not to offend again; the possession of

justification leads to an anxious desire for sanctification. “Forgive us our

debts,” that is justification; “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us

from evil,” that is sanctification in its negative and positive forms. As the

result of all this, there follows a triumphant ascription of praise, “Thine is

the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.” We rejoice

that our King reigns in providence and shall reign in grace, from the river

even to the ends of the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Thus

from a sense of adoption, up to fellowship with our reigning Lord, this short

model of prayer conducts the soul. Lord, teach us thus to pray.

Evening “But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” / Luke 24:16

 The disciples ought to have known Jesus, they had heard his voice so often,

and gazed upon that marred face so frequently, that it is wonderful they did

not discover him. Yet is it not so with you also? You have not seen Jesus

lately. You have been to his table, and you have not met him there. You are in

a dark trouble this evening, and though he plainly says, “It is I, be not

afraid,” yet you cannot discern him. Alas! our eyes are holden. We know his

voice; we have looked into his face; we have leaned our head upon his bosom,

and yet, though Christ is very near us, we are saying “O that I knew where I

might find him!” We should know Jesus, for we have the Scriptures to reflect

his image, and yet how possible it is for us to open that precious book and

have no glimpse of the Wellbeloved! Dear child of God, are you in that state?

Jesus feedeth among the lilies of the word, and you walk among those lilies,

and yet you behold him not. He is accustomed to walk through the glades of

Scripture, and to commune with his people, as the Father did with Adam in the

cool of the day, and yet you are in the garden of Scripture, but cannot see

him, though he is always there. And why do we not see him? It must be ascribed

in our case, as in the disciples’, to unbelief. They evidently did not expect

to see Jesus, and therefore they did not know him. To a great extent in

spiritual things we get what we expect of the Lord. Faith alone can bring us

to see Jesus. Make it your prayer, “Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may see

my Saviour present with me.” It is a blessed thing to want to see him; but oh!

it is better far to gaze upon him. To those who seek him he is kind; but to

those who find him, beyond expression is he dear!

But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.   Luke 24:16

The disciples ought to have known Jesus; they had heard His voice so often and gazed upon that marred face so frequently that it is incredible they did not discover Him. Yet is it not also with you? You have not seen Jesus lately. You have been to His table, and yet you have not met Him there. You are in a dark trouble this evening, and though He plainly says, “It is I, do not be afraid,” yet you cannot discern Him. Sadly, our eyes are kept from seeing Him. We know His voice, we have looked into His face, we have leaned our head upon His shoulder, and yet, though Christ is very near us, we are saying, “I wish I knew where I could find Him!”

We should know Jesus, for we have the Scriptures to reflect His image, and yet how possible it is for us to open that precious book and have no glimpse of our loving Lord! Dear child of God, are you in that state? Jesus feeds among the lilies of the Word, and you walk among those lilies, and yet you do not behold Him. He is accustomed to walking through the glades of Scripture and communing with His people, as the Father did with Adam in the cool of the day, and yet you are in the garden of Scripture but cannot see Him, although He is always there.

And why do we not see Him? This must be ascribed in our case, as in the disciples’, to unbelief. They evidently did not expect to see Jesus, and therefore they did not know Him. To a great extent in spiritual things we get what we expect from the Lord. Only faith can bring us to see Jesus. Make it your prayer, “Lord, open my eyes, that I may see my Savior present with me.” It is a blessed thing to want to see Him; but it is far better to gaze upon Him. To those who seek Him He is kind; but to those who find Him, He is dear beyond expression!

Family Reading Plan   Hosea 2  Psalm 119:97-120

1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Our God-given purpose is to glorify our heavenly Father. Ephesians 2:10 sheds light on the means by which we accomplish this: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”

As believers, we are responsible to do the Lord’s work. One day, we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be held accountable for our service.

“Judgment” can be a daunting term. Remember, though, that Jesus redeemed us by His death and resurrection and paid the penalty for our sins. He took our punishment, and we no longer face condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Christ’s judgment for Christians determines His rewards for each believer.

During this evaluation, God will test our actions. Scripture likens this to proving the quality of a substance through fire. Once the fire burns away impure motives and worthless tasks, the Lord will give recompense for that which remains.

From the outside, we may look as if we’re living obediently, striving to honor Jesus. So many tasks appear selfless and honorable, yet underneath the noble appearance, there can be an ugly motive like jealousy, pride, or anger. We often deceive even ourselves about the reason for our actions. Since our desire should be to please Christ, we can ask Him to purify and change our hearts.

Consider your actions over the last day. How much time and energy did you spend serving Christ for His glory? This can include any area of involvement–not just efforts related to church. Ask God to reveal whatever is driven by a selfish motive and needs to be brought under His authority.

On an international flight, after waiting five long hours for takeoff, a voice announced that the flight was cancelled. It is a scene many have been privy to, so I know better than to solicit sympathy. But in the aftermath of this announcement was a scene that captured my attention.  A young girl, no older than 10, immediately cupped her face with her hands, visibly deflated by this news. In broken English, a woman nearby tried to comfort her and the story slowly unraveled. Apparently, the child had written an essay that had won an award, which promised a week at space camp in the United States. She was only halfway to her destination waiting anxiously for the second half when the flight was cancelled for the night and rescheduled for the morning. Since she was traveling alone, news of the cancelled flight meant an evening far from home, alone in a foreign city, and one less day of her much-anticipated camp.

As the story was slowly drawn out, listeners around the cabin responded instinctively. A man immediately provided a cell phone for her to call home, a young mother offered to help her get to the hotel, and a flight attendant sat down beside her and offered to stay with her for the night and bring them both back in the morning for the next day’s flight.

Perhaps you have been active in a similar scene—bringing help for the stranded motorist in the rain, responding with care for the family on the news whose house burned down, guiding a lost child in the grocery store back to his mom. What is it that pulls us toward goodness in such a scene? What is it that moves us with the desire to help, particularly if we are merely creatures operating with instincts to survive? When perfect strangers reach out as if intuitively shouldn’t we pause to ask about the intuition? When we sense our need to move toward something or someone in care and concern, could it not follow that we have been made to know this need?

A national radio program recently ran a segment discussing one company’s efforts with what they are calling “ethics rehabilitation” classes—classes meant to re-instill the ethics essential for effective business. I was fascinated by this call to morality even across a medium that daily chips away the idea of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

What is it within us that instinctively recognizes our need for some sort of moral framework? What is it that sees a need to distinguish right and wrong, good and evil? Why do we have this longing for goodness or beauty? Can it be truly explained if we are merely creatures surviving for our own right?

In a letter to an ancient community, the apostle Paul hinted at a deeper reality moving us toward what we long to find but often do not, what we long to see corrected in ourselves, in our communities, in our broken world. “Who hopes for what they already see?” he asks (Romans 8:24).   Perhaps this inward groaning for good, a longing for beauty, our need for what is true—it is the hope for what we were made to see. It is the instinct that recognizes that something stains our fallen world yet hopes for what God intended. We help the stranded child far away from her parents because the desire to see children cared for is set within us, because we hope for what is good and we hope to see goodness fully.

Paul suggests that our recognition of the good points us to the God who first saw things and called them good. We were made to know the beautiful and the true because we were made by creative and cultivating God of the garden. We were created to taste and see all of it. The Spirit who has given the hope and longing to know and see goodness is goodness and love and beauty and truth. Knowing this Spirit, Son, and Father, we know not only the why and who behind the instinct, but the one who makes it whole again.

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

Morning  “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home,

I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that

is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.” / Haggai 1:9

Churlish souls stint their contributions to the ministry and missionary

operations, and call such saving good economy; little do they dream that they

are thus impoverishing themselves. Their excuse is that they must care for

their own families, and they forget that to neglect the house of God is the

sure way to bring ruin upon their own houses. Our God has a method in

providence by which he can succeed our endeavours beyond our expectation, or

can defeat our plans to our confusion and dismay; by a turn of his hand he can

steer our vessel in a profitable channel, or run it aground in poverty and

bankruptcy. It is the teaching of Scripture that the Lord enriches the liberal

and leaves the miserly to find out that withholding tendeth to poverty. In a

very wide sphere of observation, I have noticed that the most generous

Christians of my acquaintance have been always the most happy, and almost

invariably the most prosperous. I have seen the liberal giver rise to wealth

of which he never dreamed; and I have as often seen the mean, ungenerous churl

descend to poverty by the very parsimony by which he thought to rise. Men

trust good stewards with larger and larger sums, and so it frequently is with

the Lord; he gives by cartloads to those who give by bushels. Where wealth is

not bestowed the Lord makes the little much by the contentment which the

sanctified heart feels in a portion of which the tithe has been dedicated to

the Lord. Selfishness looks first at home, but godliness seeks first the

kingdom of God and his righteousness, yet in the long run selfishness is loss,

and godliness is great gain. It needs faith to act towards our God with an

open hand, but surely he deserves it of us; and all that we can do is a very

poor acknowledgment of our amazing indebtedness to his goodness.

Evening  “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from

whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” / Ecclesiastes 1:7

Everything sublunary is on the move, time knows nothing of rest. The solid

earth is a rolling ball, and the great sun himself a star obediently

fulfilling its course around some greater luminary. Tides move the sea, winds

stir the airy ocean, friction wears the rock: change and death rule

everywhere. The sea is not a miser’s storehouse for a wealth of waters, for as

by one force the waters flow into it, by another they are lifted from it. Men

are born but to die: everything is hurry, worry, and vexation of spirit.

Friend of the unchanging Jesus, what a joy it is to reflect upon thy

changeless heritage; thy sea of bliss which will be forever full, since God

himself shall pour eternal rivers of pleasure into it. We seek an abiding city

beyond the skies, and we shall not be disappointed. The passage before us may

well teach us gratitude. Father Ocean is a great receiver, but he is a

generous distributor. What the rivers bring him he returns to the earth in the

form of clouds and rain. That man is out of joint with the universe who takes

all but makes no return. To give to others is but sowing seed for ourselves.

He who is so good a steward as to be willing to use his substance for his

Lord, shall be entrusted with more. Friend of Jesus, art thou rendering to him

according to the benefit received? Much has been given thee, what is thy

fruit? Hast thou done all? Canst thou not do more? To be selfish is to be

wicked. Suppose the ocean gave up none of its watery treasure, it would bring

ruin upon our race. God forbid that any of us should follow the ungenerous and

destructive policy of living unto ourselves. Jesus pleased not himself. All

fulness dwells in him, but of his fulness have all we received. O for Jesus’

spirit, that henceforth we may live not unto ourselves!

All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again..  Ecclesiastes 1:7

Everything on earth is on the move; time knows nothing of rest. The solid earth is a rolling ball, and the great sun itself is a star obediently fulfilling its course around some greater luminary. Tides move the sea; winds stir the breezy ocean; friction wears the rock: Change and death rule everywhere. The sea is not a miser’s storehouse for a wealth of waters, for as by one force the waters flow into it, by another they are lifted from it.

Men are born to die: Everything is hurry, worry, and vexation of spirit. Friend of the unchanging Jesus, what a joy it is to reflect upon your changeless heritage, your sea of bliss that will be forever full since God Himself shall pour eternal rivers of pleasure into it. We seek an abiding city beyond the skies, and we shall not be disappointed. The passage before us should teach us to be grateful.

The ocean is a great receiver, but it is also a generous distributor. What the rivers bring, it returns to the earth in the form of clouds and rain. The man who takes everything but makes no return is out of joint with the universe. To give to others is still sowing seed for ourselves. He who is so good a steward as to be willing to use his substance for his Lord shall be entrusted with more. Friend of Jesus, are you rendering to Him in proportion to the benefit you receive? Have you been given a great deal? Where is your fruit? Have you done all you might? Can you not do more?

To be selfish is to be wicked. Suppose the ocean gave up none of its watery treasure; it would bring ruin upon our race. God forbid that any of us should follow the ungenerous and destructive policy of living for ourselves. Jesus did not please Himself. All fullness dwells in Him, but from His fullness we have all received. Oh, to be like Jesus and no longer live for ourselves!

The Purpose of Living

All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again..  Ecclesiastes 1:7

Everything on earth is on the move; time knows nothing of rest. The solid earth is a rolling ball, and the great sun itself is a star obediently fulfilling its course around some greater luminary. Tides move the sea; winds stir the breezy ocean; friction wears the rock: Change and death rule everywhere. The sea is not a miser’s storehouse for a wealth of waters, for as by one force the waters flow into it, by another they are lifted from it.

Men are born to die: Everything is hurry, worry, and vexation of spirit. Friend of the unchanging Jesus, what a joy it is to reflect upon your changeless heritage, your sea of bliss that will be forever full since God Himself shall pour eternal rivers of pleasure into it. We seek an abiding city beyond the skies, and we shall not be disappointed. The passage before us should teach us to be grateful.

The ocean is a great receiver, but it is also a generous distributor. What the rivers bring, it returns to the earth in the form of clouds and rain. The man who takes everything but makes no return is out of joint with the universe. To give to others is still sowing seed for ourselves. He who is so good a steward as to be willing to use his substance for his Lord shall be entrusted with more. Friend of Jesus, are you rendering to Him in proportion to the benefit you receive? Have you been given a great deal? Where is your fruit? Have you done all you might? Can you not do more?

To be selfish is to be wicked. Suppose the ocean gave up none of its watery treasure; it would bring ruin upon our race. God forbid that any of us should follow the ungenerous and destructive policy of living for ourselves. Jesus did not please Himself. All fullness dwells in Him, but from His fullness we have all received. Oh, to be like Jesus and no longer live for ourselves!

Family Reading Plan  Daniel 11  Psalm 119:25-48

Family Reading Plan  Daniel 11  Psalm 119:25-48

Romans 12:5-7

he world’s definition of success differs greatly from God’s. Take the role of a pastor, for example–it would be easy to accept accolades for church growth, as many people equate high attendance numbers with a minister’s effectiveness. But the Lord desires that we obey Him with humility. Whether we draw a crowd or not, success is measured by obedience.

This looks different for each believer. Some Christians have very visible jobs, so their efforts are public and obvious. Others serve Christ in quiet, less noticeable ways.

God bestows upon His followers gifts tailored to each one’s ordained assignments. The Holy Spirit reveals our calling, and we’re to give our best effort. Of course, no matter what the task may be, the result will be worthless unless the Father breathes life into it. In other words, we are entrusted with God-appointed work. He assigns the duty, provides the skills, and causes growth. The Lord deserves all of the glory. We are blessed simply to be a part of His plan.

As mere vessels that God uses, we should be thankful for anything He accomplishes through us. And by giving Him all the credit, we need never feel defeated with disappointment. Rather, in spite of how things may appear, we trust Him to achieve His good purpose.

Honor is misplaced unless it goes directly to the One who creates, sanctifies, and sustains. God created you for specific tasks to further His kingdom. He wants to use your life–and will allow you to watch His powerful hand at work. Listen for His leading, and praise Him for all He accomplishes.

For Unity

One of the most humbling moments in my life happened during a soccer match. At a critical moment in the game, I had to decide whether to go it alone or let a better positioned teammate attempt an almost guaranteed goal; a rare treat in soccer. Sadly, the split seconds available for the decision were enough for my ego to override my better judgment. Unwilling to pass on the glory of scoring the winning goal, I made the wrong decision and lost the ball, costing the team an important game in the process.

Ironically, I am inclined to believe that the consequences for me would have been much worse if I had managed to score the goal. Though quite humiliating, that terrible mistake gave me a glimpse into my own soul in a way that might have been impossible if I had actually led the team to a win. While it is hard to assert our egos in the midst of failure and hardship, the ugliness of our self-centeredness can be easily camouflaged in the motives and methods of our success, leaving us blind to our own insuperable finitude. When our pursuit for success is severed from a healthy sense of our chronic indebtedness, achieving success can instill in us a measure of entitlement foreign to our true identity. Such a pitfall is even more consequential in our spiritual lives since it is harder to distinguish between self-serving motives and genuine zeal for God. Unlike the gaping sins of the prodigal son, the dutiful son’s alienation from the father comes neatly packaged in obedience and commitment, the very treasures some of us long to lay before our heavenly Father.

In spite of the fact that Jesus prayed fervently for unity among his followers, the visible church is often a conglomeration of competing factions, each equally convinced of its solitary possession of divine favor.  Those who seek signs and wonders through the Holy Spirit are usually suspicious of those who emphasize exegetical approaches to the Scriptures. Christian scholars are sometimes content just to talk to each other, and the uncanny tendency of apologists to sniff out what they deem rotten doctrine is not always appreciated.

As a result, not only do we squander valuable benefits of dedicated teamwork within the household of faith, we also lose our edge in a broken world. Despite the monumental gains made in biblical research and translation, biblical illiteracy is still a high-ranking concern, and the frequent outbursts of oft-unfounded accusations from our detractors succeed in rattling the cage for not a few followers of Christ. While outcasts and sinners braved insults to seek refuge in Jesus, they bolt from the divided efforts of Christians and reject God because they mistake us for God.

When being right becomes an end in itself, we lose sight of our own need for God’s grace—a need that would be there even if we were faultless. Instead of recognizing that orthodoxy, though indispensable, is only the map of a journey which we must travel towards God, confidence in our knowledge of the truth becomes the missing link in our quest for self-sufficiency. We partition God’s comprehensive program for his people into various segments and guard our turfs with Herculean zeal. With a little practice, we become so adept at applying our preferred standards that we can accomplish the feat with our eyes closed. Having zeroed in on what we are certain to be God’s most vexing pet peeves, we stand poised not only to pronounce the verdict on those who offend but also to pound the gavel on God’s behalf. Before long, we, like Elijah, become convinced that we are the only ones who are faithful to God while all of his other children have lost their way.

Probably the best antidote to such spiritual calluses among loyal laborers in God’s vineyard is a healthy appreciation of the all-sufficiency of our Father and our exalted status as his humble children—a theological gem that is beautifully captured by C.S. Lewis in his book, Prince Caspian. When the children are reunited with Aslan after many years, Lucy expresses surprise that Aslan looks bigger. Aslan responds, “I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”(1)What a relief to remember that no amount of expertise on our part can ever diminish the glory of God or cause us to outlive God’s fatherly indulgence!

Pure, unadulterated motives may lie beyond the reach of even the most devout among us, but the intentional recognition of our humble place in deference to the majesty of our Maker is an indispensable ingredient in our service to God and others. It was neither out of false piety nor enslavement to sin that both Daniel and Nehemiah included themselves in their profound prayers of forgiveness on behalf of their sinful people (Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 1:6). While I do not subscribe to the relativistic “never judge anyone” maxim that greases the engine of the spirit of the age, I am also convinced that “The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him.”(2)

J.M. Njoroge is member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) C. S. Lewis, The Complete Chronicles of Narnia (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 259.

(2) Oswald Chambers, as quoted by Os Guinness in The Call: Finding Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life (Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2003), 41.

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.