Morning “For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations,

like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the

earth.” Amos 9:9

 Every sifting comes by divine command and permission. Satan must ask leave

before he can lay a finger upon Job. Nay, more, in some sense our siftings are

directly the work of heaven, for the text says, “I will sift the house of

Israel.” Satan, like a drudge, may hold the sieve, hoping to destroy the corn;

but the overruling hand of the Master is accomplishing the purity of the grain

by the very process which the enemy intended to be destructive. Precious, but

much sifted corn of the Lord’s floor, be comforted by the blessed fact that the

Lord directeth both flail and sieve to his own glory, and to thine eternal

profit.  

The Lord Jesus will surely use the fan which is in his hand, and will divide the

precious from the vile. All are not Israel that are of Israel; the heap on the

barn floor is not clean provender, and hence the winnowing process must be

performed. In the sieve true weight alone has power. Husks and chaff being

devoid of substance must fly before the wind, and only solid corn will remain.

 Observe the complete safety of the Lord’s wheat; even the least grain has a

promise of preservation. God himself sifts, and therefore it is stern and

terrible work; he sifts them in all places, “among all nations”; he sifts them

in the most effectual manner, “like as corn is sifted in a sieve”; and yet for

all this, not the smallest, lightest, or most shrivelled grain, is permitted to

fall to the ground. Every individual believer is precious in the sight of the

Lord, a shepherd would not lose one sheep, nor a jeweller one diamond, nor a

mother one child, nor a man one limb of his body, nor will the Lord lose one of

his redeemed people. However little we may be, if we are the Lord’s, we may

 rejoice that we are preserved in Christ Jesus.

Evening “Straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.” Mark 1:18

 When they heard the call of Jesus, Simon and Andrew obeyed at once without

demur. If we would always, punctually and with resolute zeal, put in practice

what we hear upon the spot, or at the first fit occasion, our attendance at the

means of grace, and our reading of good books, could not fail to enrich us

spiritually. He will not lose his loaf who has taken care at once to eat it,

neither can he be deprived of the benefit of the doctrine who has already acted

upon it. Most readers and hearers become moved so far as to purpose to amend;

but, alas! the proposal is a blossom which has not been knit, and therefore no

fruit comes of it; they wait, they waver, and then they forget, till, like

 the ponds in nights of frost, when the sun shines by day, they are only thawed

in time to be frozen again. That fatal to-morrow is blood-red with the murder of

fair resolutions; it is the slaughter-house of the innocents. We are very

concerned that our little book of “Evening Readings” should not be fruitless,

and therefore we pray that readers may not be readers only, but doers, of the

word. The practice of truth is the most profitable reading of it. Should the

reader be impressed with any duty while perusing these pages, let him hasten to

fulfil it before the holy glow has departed from his soul, and let him leave his

nets, and all that he has, sooner than be found rebellious to the

 Master’s call. Do not give place to the devil by delay! Haste while opportunity

and quickening are in happy conjunction. Do not be caught in your own nets, but

break the meshes of worldliness, and away where glory calls you. Happy is the

writer who shall meet with readers resolved to carry out his teachings: his

harvest shall be a hundredfold, and his Master shall have great honour. Would to

God that such might be our reward upon these brief meditations and hurried

hints. Grant it, O Lord, unto thy servant!

My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies. Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains.  Song of Songs 2:16-17 

Surely if there is a happy verse in the Bible it is this—”My beloved is mine, and I am his.” It is so peaceful, so full of assurance, so overflowing with happiness and contentment, that it might well have been written by the same hand that penned the Twenty-third Psalm. Yet though the prospect is very bright and lovely—as fair a scene as earth can display—it is not an entirely sunlit landscape. There is a cloud in the sky, which casts a shadow over the scene. Listen: “Until the day breathes and the shadows flee.”

There is a word, too, about the “cleft mountains,” or “the mountains of division,” and to our love, anything like division is bitterness. Beloved, this may be your present state of mind. You do not doubt your salvation, you know that Christ is yours, but you are not feasting with Him. You understand your vital interest in Him, so that you do not have a shadow of a doubt about being His and of His being yours, but still His left hand is not under your head, nor does His right hand embrace you. A shade of sadness is cast over your heart, perhaps by affliction, certainly by the temporary absence of your Lord, so that even while exclaiming, “I am his,” you are forced to take to your knees and to pray, “Until the day breathes, and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved.”

“Where is He?” asks the soul. And the answer comes, “He grazes among the lilies.” If we would find Christ, we must get into communion with His people, we must come to the ordinances with His saints. Oh, for an evening glimpse of Him! Oh, to eat with Him tonight!

Family Reading Plan

Isaiah 51

Revelation 21

Grace is one of God’s most amazing gifts. It provides us with everything we need to live in perfect freedom: pardon for our sins, healing for our hearts, the companionship of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, and access to freely cultivate our relationship with Him. We work, worship, and enjoy life surrounded by His unconditional love. His grace upholds us, fills us, and sustains us.

Since we are forgiven people, the Lord responds to us not as enemies but as His dearly loved children (Rom. 8:15; Eph. 5:1). He hears our prayers, speaks to us, and acts on our behalf.

The knowledge that we live under the covering of God’s grace gives us…

• Security about our position. No one can snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28).
• Boldness to live for Christ. Nothing anyone does or says can shake our confidence in who the Lord is or who we are in Him.
• Peace for today because we can fully trust in His sovereignty. The Lord is carrying out His perfect will–and we can be sure that nothing is able to thwart His plans when we cooperate with Him.
• Hope for the future. This life is just the beginning. One day we’ll see Jesus face to face, be perfected as the individuals He created us to be, and live with Him in our true home forever.

The Lord is committed to transforming each of us according to His special plan for our lives. Even His correction is an expression of His loving favor (Heb. 12:10). When we falter or fail, we can rest assured that His amazing grace hems us in and always offers us redemption.

 A popular U.S. comic strip once held the attention of millions as it chronicled the misadventures of a boy and his stuffed tiger. The infamous pair was inseparable, lingering energetically in topics both adult and childlike. One day on a walk in the woods, six-year-old boy Calvin announces to Hobbes the tiger that he has decided he doesn’t believe in ethics anymore, because, as far as he’s concerned, “The ends justify the means.” “Get what you can while the getting is good,” Calvin reasons, “Might makes right.” 

At this, Hobbes, who is a stuffed tiger in the eyes of all but Calvin, promptly pushes his human friend into a mud hole.

 “Why’d you do that?” Calvin objects. 

 “You were in my way,” Hobbes replies, “and now you’re not.  The ends justify the means.” 

 Sitting in the mud, Calvin seems to reach a brief moment of enlightenment, until he uncovers a way to reconcile the conflict with self-interest: “I didn’t mean for everyone, you dolt. Just me.” 

 One of the more striking things to confront in each of the four Gospel accounts, besides Jesus himself, is the reactions people had to him. When in his presence, some like Mary and the man with leprosy fell instantaneously at his feet, others like the young rich ruler or the people of Nazareth turned away. In his presence some cried for mercy and others who needed a doctor were confronted with the question of whether or not they wanted to be well. In the presence of Jesus of Nazareth, choices were made, realities were challenged, worldviews were transformed.  

 Ironically, those deemed unrighteous and dishonorable by the social standards of the day were often the most responsive to the demands of Jesus. I have often wondered if this was because they were the ones most willing to see themselves rationally, those most willing to respond to their own inconsistencies with fear and trembling. In the presence of Christ, the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda came to see the contradictions he lived with, his unlivable beliefs, and his need for direction. The Samaritan woman at the well saw not only that Jesus was speaking truth, but that he was truth, and that his way was livable and hers was not. Called into the presence of Christ, Zacchaeus saw the depravity of his methods and the great hunger of his life for something more. Conversely, the rich young ruler walked away from Jesus’s instruction because it was a request and reality that he could not face. 

 Francis Schaeffer called the cultural phenomenon of living unaware or unconcerned with our inconsistencies “the age of non-reason.” He saw humans drifting in a sea of irrationality, willing to live with great contradictions, no longer living as though they had to be reasonable. Yet he also contended that a person’s worldview must be livable, and that we must be willing and able to live out the reality we profess. 

 As the young Calvin once said to his animated tiger, “Reality continues to ruin my life!” Finding himself in the mud, Calvin saw clearly that he could not live with the outworkings of his theory (though he proceeded to mend the belief illogically). It is both brave and essential to confront the belief systems that hold our lives and shape our ways. I believe that the Christian faith makes sense of life’s most foreboding questions, and that it is livable because it is true. Christ gently unearths the dark and fatal inconsistencies of our lives, calling us to consistency, to reality, to truth, to himself. 

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

Morning “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:4

 Rich were the blessings of this day if all of us were filled with the Holy

Ghost. The consequences of this sacred filling of the soul it would be

impossible to overestimate. Life, comfort, light, purity, power, peace; and many

other precious blessings are inseparable from the Spirit’s benign presence. As

sacred oil, he anoints the head of the believer, sets him apart to the

priesthood of saints, and gives him grace to execute his office aright. As the

only truly purifying water he cleanses us from the power of sin and sanctifies

us unto holiness, working in us to will and to do of the Lord’s good pleasure.

As the light, he manifested to us at first our lost estate, and now he reveals

the  Lord Jesus to us and in us, and guides us in the way of righteousness.

Enlightened by his pure celestial ray, we are no more darkness but light in the

Lord. As fire, he both purges us from dross, and sets our consecrated nature on

a blaze. He is the sacrificial flame by which we are enabled to offer our whole

souls as a living sacrifice unto God. As heavenly dew, he removes our barrenness

and fertilizes our lives. O that he would drop from above upon us at this early

hour! Such morning dew would be a sweet commencement for the day. As the dove,

with wings of peaceful love he broods over his Church and over the souls of

believers, and as a Comforter he dispels the cares and doubts which mar

 the peace of his beloved. He descends upon the chosen as upon the Lord in

Jordan, and bears witness to their sonship by working in them a filial spirit by

which they cry Abba, Father. As the wind, he brings the breath of life to men;

blowing where he listeth he performs the quickening operations by which the

spiritual creation is animated and sustained. Would to God, that we might feel

his presence this day and every day.

Evening “My Beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day

break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe or a

young hart upon the mountains of Bether.” Song of Solomon 2:16-17

 Surely if there be a happy verse in the Bible it is this–“My Beloved is mine,

and I am his.” So peaceful, so full of assurance, so overrunning with happiness

and contentment is it, that it might well have been written by the same hand

which penned the twenty-third Psalm. Yet though the prospect is exceeding fair

and lovely–earth cannot show its superior–it is not entirely a sunlit

landscape. There is a cloud in the sky which casts a shadow over the scene.

Listen, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away.”

 There is a word, too, about the “mountains of Bether,” or, “the mountains of

division,” and to our love, anything like division is bitterness. Beloved, this

may be your present state of mind; you do not doubt your salvation; you know

that Christ is yours, but you are not feasting with him. You understand your

vital interest in him, so that you have no shadow of a doubt of your being his,

and of his being yours, but still his left hand is not under your head, nor doth

his right hand embrace you. A shade of sadness is cast over your heart, perhaps

by affliction, certainly by the temporary absence of your Lord, so even while

exclaiming, “I am his,” you are forced to take to your knees, and to

 pray, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved.”

 “Where is he?” asks the soul. And the answer comes, “He feedeth among the

lilies.” If we would find Christ, we must get into communion with his people, we

must come to the ordinances with his saints. Oh, for an evening glimpse of him!

Oh, to sup with him tonight!

I came to my garden, my sister, my bride.   Song of Songs 5:1 

The heart of the believer is Christ’s garden. He bought it with His precious blood, and He enters it and claims it as His own. A garden implies separation. It is not the open field; it is not a wilderness; it is walled around or hedged in. If only we could see the wall of separation between the church and the world made broader and stronger. It is sad to hear Christians saying, “Well, there is no harm in this; there is no harm in that,” and by this approach getting as near to the world as possible. Grace is at a low ebb in the soul that is always inquiring about how far it may go in worldly conformity.

A garden is a place of beauty; it far surpasses the wild uncultivated lands. The genuine Christian must seek to be more excellent in his life than the best moralist, because Christ’s garden ought to produce the best flowers in all the world. Even the best is poor compared with what Christ deserves; let us not disappoint Him with withering and feeble plants. The rarest, richest, choicest lilies and roses ought to bloom in the place that Jesus calls His own.

The garden is a place of growth. The believer must not remain undeveloped, just mere buds and blossoms. We should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Growth should be rapid where Jesus is the gardener and the Holy Spirit the dew from heaven.

A garden is a place of retirement. So the Lord Jesus Christ would have us reserve our souls as a place in which He can show Himself, in a way that He does not to the world. As Christians we should be far keener to keep our hearts closely shut up for Christ! We often worry and trouble ourselves, like Martha, with much serving, and like her we do not have the room for Christ that Mary had, and we do not sit at His feet as we ought. May the Lord grant the sweet showers of His grace to water His garden today.

Family Reading Plan

Isaiah 50

Revelation 50

Think about a circumstance in your life you’d change if you could. Are you frustrated? Worried? Angry? To experience the freedom of contentment in the midst of it–whether a hardship or unfulfilled desire–you must accept the situation as having been allowed by God, even if He didn’t cause it.

In these situations, I often pray, “Lord, I choose to accept this as though it’s coming from You. No matter what I see, I’m choosing to look to You.” Then I can rest in His omnipotence and the knowledge that I’m a child of the living God. Instead of feeling like a helpless, hopeless victim of my circumstance, I know I’m cared for and guided by my sovereign Father through whatever may come.

The second crucial decision is total submission. This doesn’t mean approaching God insincerely and saying, “Well, Lord, I just want to thank You for this! It’s all just so sweet, Jesus.” No, it’s not. Be honest and admit, “This is painful and I don’t like it. But I choose to submit to You because You are trustworthy and loving. I’m willing to persevere until You accomplish in me whatever You want. I choose to draw from Your strength for everything I need.” My friend, if you make this decision and follow through, your fears will lose their power.

Either you believe Romans 8:28 or you don’t. And if you do, you can entrust yourself to the Lord, knowing that He has your best interest at heart, will take care of you, and won’t ever leave your side. When you embrace these truths, you’ll have no reason to be anxious.

Above the massive statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C. is the inscription: “In this Temple, as in the hearts of the people, for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” The seated figure is 19 feet tall, carved from 28 blocks of white marble. To behold the great sculpture is no doubt to catch a glimpse of the nation’s respect for the man and his important place in American history.

 As in many cultures, a statue carved in someone’s image is an honor bestowed upon the one engraved in stone. A portrait painted in someone’s likeness is, indeed, intended to be a distinguishing tribute to the life captured in color. And yet, in ancient near eastern writ is the repeated warning never to do the same with God. In the ancient words of the Hebrew Bible, the one who would hold our highest esteem, has cautioned us against even attempting to make such images. “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isaiah 42:8). Whether in finest metal or costly stone, to create a graven image of God would only reduce this God.

 A prayer by C.S. Lewis captures a similar idea in more modern terms, reminding that not all graven images are of stone and gold. The poem is titled “The Apologist’s Evening Prayer” and is for me a potent glimpse at my own thoughtful idols. Writes Lewis:

 Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
Of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.
From all my thoughts, even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle’s eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.

 It is not uncommon to hear Christians speak of things they are perpetually finding themselves surprised by again and again with God. Even as thoughts of God can easily become idols aligned neatly on theological shelves, God mercifully and repeatedly wakes knowing disciples to new understandings. It is forever surprising for me, for instance, to be reminded that Jesus’s famous words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” were not uttered at angry religious leaders, nor directed at the lost and downtrodden. To me it seems a statement that draws a line in the sand with quickened stroke, separating the faithful from the uninterested, providing infinite comfort to the lost, and infinitely disturbing those who thought themselves found. And certainly, Christ’s words have a way of doing just that. But his potent words that day were spoken not to those who did not know him, but to those who knew him best. And they did not understand.

 I wonder if these men and women understood any further, when only days later Jesus’s very life was poured out before them. “I am the way the truth and the life.” Did they remember these words on his lips? Could their minds have gotten around the thought that his life made the way, that the life of God’s Son poured out for the world is somehow the way to truth and life and meaning? Could they understand all that was packed in those words? Can anyone? 

 We are given minds and imaginations that can freely tread into heavenly matters. The desire to see God seems to be set upon our hearts no matter the culture or creed we are raised with. “Show me your glory,” Moses implored of God. “Show us the Father,” the disciples pled with Jesus. But we cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end anymore than we can fathom God, and for this God seems to remind us of our limitations. We will be shown the Father; we are shown God’s glory; we are continually given glimpses of a self-revealing God. And yet we are warned not to make any of it into an idol lest we miss God in the midst of it. In a letter to a younger colleague, poet and professor Stanley Wiersma advised, “When you are too sure about God and faith, you are sure of something other than God: of dogma, of the church, of a particular interpretation of the Bible. But God cannot be pigeonholed. We must press toward certainty, but be suspicious when it comes too glibly.” 

 I believe that God moves us to those places where we discover again that God is fearfully alive, that the mere hem of God’s robe fills even our holiest moments. We must repeatedly remind ourselves, or be reminded as God reminded Job: “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?”(1)

 “Show us the Father” is a hope our hearts were meant to utter even as we hopefully learn to shudder at the request. It is also a longing God has promised will be answered—from cultures and ages past to our own today: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.(2)

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

 (1) Job 11:7-8.
(2) Isaiah 40:5.

Morning “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

John 10:28

 The Christian should never think or speak lightly of unbelief. For a child of

God to mistrust his love, his truth, his faithfulness, must be greatly

displeasing to him. How can we ever grieve him by doubting his upholding grace?

Christian! it is contrary to every promise of God’s precious Word that thou

shouldst ever be forgotten or left to perish. If it could be so, how could he be

true who has said, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not

have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I never

forget thee.” What were the value of that promise–“The mountains shall depart,

and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee,

 neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath

mercy on thee.” Where were the truth of Christ’s words–“I give unto my sheep

eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out

of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is

able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Where were the doctrines of grace?

They would be all disproved if one child of God should perish. Where were the

veracity of God, his honour, his power, his grace, his covenant, his oath, if

any of those for whom Christ has died, and who have put their trust in him,

should nevertheless be cast away? Banish those unbelieving fears which so

 dishonour God. Arise, shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful

garments. Remember it is sinful to doubt his Word wherein he has promised thee

that thou shalt never perish. Let the eternal life within thee express itself in

confident rejoicing.

  “The gospel bears my spirit up:

 A faithful and unchanging God

 Lays the foundation for my hope,

 In oaths, and promises, and blood.”

Evening “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the

strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

 “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Here is personal interest, “my light,”

“my salvation;” the soul is assured of it, and therefore declares it boldly.

Into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of

salvation; where there is not enough light to reveal our own darkness and to

make us long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. After

conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our

light: he is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to

be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but

that he is light; nor that he gives salvation, but that he is salvation; he,

 then, who by faith has laid hold upon God, has all covenant blessings in his

possession. This being made sure as a fact, the argument drawn from it is put in

the form of a question, “Whom shall I fear?” A question which is its own answer.

The powers of darkness are not to be feared, for the Lord, our light, destroys

them; and the damnation of hell is not to be dreaded by us, for the Lord is our

salvation. This is a very different challenge from that of boastful Goliath, for

it rests, not upon the conceited vigour of an arm of flesh, but upon the real

power of the omnipotent I AM. “The Lord is the strength of my life.” Here is a

third glowing epithet, to show that the writer’s hope was

 fastened with a threefold cord which could not be broken. We may well

accumulate terms of praise where the Lord lavishes deeds of grace. Our life

derives all its strength from God; and if he deigns to make us strong, we cannot

be weakened by all the machinations of the adversary. “Of whom shall I be

afraid?” The bold question looks into the future as well as the present. “If God

be for us,” who can be against us, either now or in time to come?

 . . Who opens and no one will shut.  Revelation 3:7 

 Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise, and before every believing soul He sets an open door, which no man or devil will be able to close. What joy it will be to find that faith in Him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, do you carry this key close to you, or are you trusting in some dishonest locksmith who will fail you in the end?

Pay attention to a parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and He has proclaimed to all the world that no one will enter except those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and each one brings the flower that he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence and do not enter into the festive halls. Some are carrying the poisonous plant of superstition, others the flaunting poppies of empty religion, and some the hemlock of self-righteousness; but these are not precious to the King, and so those carrying them are shut out of the pearly gates.

My soul, have you gathered the rose of Sharon? Do you wear the lily of the valley on your lapel constantly? If so, when you arrive at the gates of heaven you will know its value, for you only have to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open and without a moment’s delay, for to that rose the Porter always opens. You will find your way with the rose of Sharon in your hand up to the throne of God Himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise, none of them can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into your hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it your all in all, and you will be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

Family Reading Plan    Isaiah 47    Revelation 17

Jeremiah 2:13

For us as believers, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation–whether he was surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.

The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him (John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.

I want to challenge you–this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and say, “Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express.” This decision is a matter of simple trust.

Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You’ll be surprised at your own attitude: when you respond from within–rather than from the flesh–Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.

 At certain times of the year, an extremely ferocious wind from the mountain blows through the city of Bursa in Turkey. This wind, named Lodos by the locals, is so strong that if you were anything short of a 100 pounds, you would be blown off the street when it hits.

 A few years ago, when Lodos was making one of its many visits, a grade school building collapsed and tragically killed six schoolchildren. Later, officials blamed the poor structure of the building’s walls for the cause of the crash. The public claimed that had the walls been properly constructed according to safe building standards, the school would have been able to withstand the destructive blow of Lodos and the unfortunate incident would not have occurred.

 In a separate incident, some musicians were tearing down parts of their house to build a music studio. Imagine their horror when they found newspaper stuffed between the bricks of the walls of the house! Apparently, the contractor appointed to build the house used paper to gap between bricks to save on costs and make more money from the project.

 Such reports sound peculiarly like what Jesus warned in one of his parables. In Matthew 7:24–27, he tells of two builders—one wise and another foolish. The houses of both builders look sturdy in fine weather, but the test always comes with the storm. The one who built his foundation on the rock had his house still standing after the rain and flood, but the house of the foolish man came crashing down after the storm, as it was built on sand.

 The original audience of this parable knew very well what Jesus was talking about, since theirs was a land known for its torrential storms. Through this familiar analogy, Jesus was warning his followers that only those who take heed of his teachings and live out what they had learned from him will withstand the storms of life and ultimately remain standing. Any shortcuts or shoddiness will eventually be revealed.

 The devotion of those who pretend to have faith, those who simply pay lip service, those who have faith in faith instead of trust in Jesus, will be tested and proven powerless and unable to hold up under pressure. Even those who merely have an intellectual commitment to the teachings of Christ will find that their structure will fool no one when the storms of life come.

 In Ezekiel 13:10–13 a similar warning is given to those who cover up the weak wall that they have built with whitewash. The Lord assures that the storm will come and the foundation of those whitewashed walls will be leveled along with the destruction of its builder.

 Clearly we live at a time in history when storms of various origins seem to beat endlessly against the foundation of our walls from all directions. Belief or conviction is difficult to articulate amidst the torrents of relativism; religion is mocked; lives are constantly distracted by the lure of consumer advertising and its promise of a better life.

 Yet, the invitation of Jesus is still the same. If we are to be like the wise builder, then we must construct our foundation on the rock by practicing the righteousness we have learned. We will find that the cost demanded of us is no less than a radical submission to the exclusive lordship of Jesus. However, the reward comes when we find our house still standing after the final storm leaves and when the sun breaks through again. 

 I’Ching Thomas is associate director of training at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Singapore.

Morning “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh

with me.” Genesis 21:6

 It was far above the power of nature, and even contrary to its laws, that the

aged Sarah should be honoured with a son; and even so it is beyond all ordinary

rules that I, a poor, helpless, undone sinner, should find grace to bear about

in my soul the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus. I, who once despaired, as

well I might, for my nature was as dry, and withered, and barren, and accursed

as a howling wilderness, even I have been made to bring forth fruit unto

holiness. Well may my mouth be filled with joyous laughter, because of the

singular, surprising grace which I have received of the Lord, for I have found

Jesus, the promised seed, and he is mine forever. This day will I lift up

 psalms of triumph unto the Lord who has remembered my low estate, for “my heart

rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged

over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation.”

 I would have all those that hear of my great deliverance from hell, and my most

blessed visitation from on high, laugh for joy with me. I would surprise my

family with my abundant peace; I would delight my friends with my

ever-increasing happiness; I would edify the Church with my grateful

confessions; and even impress the world with the cheerfulness of my daily

conversation. Bunyan tells us that Mercy laughed in her sleep, and no wonder

when she dreamed of Jesus; my joy shall not stop short of hers while my Beloved

is the theme of my daily thoughts. The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of joy: my soul

shall dive therein, shall be swallowed up in the delights of his society. Sarah

looked on her  Isaac, and laughed with excess of rapture, and all her friends laughed with

her; and thou, my soul, look on thy Jesus, and bid heaven and earth unite in thy

joy unspeakable.

Evening “He openeth, and no man shutteth.” Revelation 3:7

 Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise and before every believing soul he

setteth an open door, which no man or devil shall be able to close against it.

What joy it will be to find that faith in him is the golden key to the

everlasting doors. My soul, dost thou carry this key in thy bosom, or art thou

trusting to some deceitful pick-lock, which will fail thee at last? Hear this

parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and

he has proclaimed to all the world that none shall enter but those who bring

with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate

by thousands, and they bring each one the flower which he esteems the

 queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence, and

enter not into the festive halls. Some bear in their hand the deadly nightshade

of superstition, or the flaunting poppies of Rome, or the hemlock of self-

righteousness, but these are not dear to the King, the bearers are shut out of

the pearly gates. My soul, hast thou gathered the rose of Sharon? Dost thou wear

the lily of the valley in thy bosom constantly? If so, when thou comest up to

the gates of heaven thou wilt know its value, for thou hast only to show this

choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open: not for a moment will he deny

thee admission, for to that rose the Porter openeth ever. Thou shalt

 find thy way with the rose of Sharon in thy hand up to the throne of God

himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and

of all the flowers that bloom in paradise there is none that can rival the lily

of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into thy hand by faith, by

love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it thine all

in all, and thou shalt be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus,

be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

To us, O Lord, belongs open shame . . . Because we have sinned against you.  Daniel 9:8 

 A deep sense and clear view of sin, its dreadfulness, and the punishment that it deserves should make us lie low before the throne. We have sinned as Christians. It is sad that it should be so. We have been favored, and yet we have been ungrateful; privileged beyond most, but we have not brought forth fruit in proportion. Who is there, although he may have been engaged in the Christian warfare for years, who will not blush when he looks back upon the past? As for our days before we were born again, may they be forgiven and forgotten; but since then, though we have not sinned as before, yet we have sinned against light and against love—light that has really penetrated our minds, and love in which we have rejoiced.

The sin of a pardoned soul is an atrocity! An unpardoned sinner sins cheaply compared with the sin of one of God’s elect, who has had communion with Christ and leaned upon Him for his comfort. Look at David! Many will talk of his sin, but I ask you to look at his repentance and hear his broken bones as each one of them moans out its mournful confession! Consider his tears as they fall upon the ground, and the deep sighs with which he accompanies the softened music of his harp!

We have strayed: Let us, therefore, seek the spirit of penitence. Look again at Peter! We often speak of how he denied Christ. Remember, it is written, “He wept bitterly.” Do we have no denials of our Lord to be lamented with tears? These sins of ours, before and after conversion, would consign us to the place of inextinguishable fire if it were not for God’s sovereign mercy, which snatched us like sticks from the fire.

My soul, bow down under a sense of your natural sinfulness, and worship your God. Admire the grace that saves you—the mercy that spares you—the love that pardons you!

Family Reading Plan

Isaiah 46

Revelation 16

In today’s reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?

We’re often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it’s possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there’s no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life–even unfulfilled desires.

It’s usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we’ll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I’m not saying there’s some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.

This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.

How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that “surpasses all comprehension” (Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!

 Whether we merely dip into its surface or stretch out our arms attempting to reach its depths, language is a deep well. With words, there is often more than meets the eye. And there is something about the study of words that reminds us that if we dig deep enough, hidden treasures can be found.

 By way of introduction to the word “faith,” the book of Hebrews speaks of men and women, people of history exhibiting faith themselves, following hard after God in trust and obedience. These names are not listed to makes us feel diminutive by comparison, but are presented as something of a definition, a definition which establishes that faith continues to be about seeking one who has been found. Abraham and Moses, Enoch and Noah and Rahab, all are commended for walking in faith and hoping in what was yet unseen. We are given the image of countless spirits who have been moved by God as they moved toward God, seeking in light and shadow the one who is pleased by faith. For “without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

 Here, further encouragement is set forth even while imagining the magnificent faith of Moses and the sustaining hope of Abraham. For what sets them apart in the eyes of God are hearts that were after God’s own. These men and women sought first the kingdom though in some cases little was seen of this kingdom in their lifetimes. They sought first the God who is faithful though they were not, a firm foundation though they were often indecisive in their certainty. Likewise, we today can seek a God who does not grow weary of pursuing us though we often grow weary of pursuing God.

 Thus the writer imparts that faith in God is more than believing God exists; faith is not mere abstraction, a lifeless notion of fact. Faith is seeking the God who can be found, which is the detail of utmost importance. The Greek word that is usually translated “seek” in this passage is actually a compound word meaning to “seek out.” The word “seek” (zeteo) here is written ekzeteo. Though most English translations denote the two different words identically, the later is deliberately more intense. The added word re-emphasizes the first so that it is understood with all the force and certainty the author intended. It is not merely “seeking;” it is seeking actively something that can be found. It is the difference between seeking something like happiness or world peace and seeking the child who has run off to hide while you are counting to twenty. You will seek the child until you find her, looking under beds and in wardrobes because you know she is out there wanting and waiting to be found.  

 “Faith,” writes Oswald Chambers, “is a tremendously active principle which always puts Jesus Christ first.” The careful words of the writer of Hebrews remind us not only that we are able to seek one who can be found but that we are able to seek one who wants to be found. We can seek the one who came among us, willing that none would be lost. That God is pleased by those who seek the Father’s arms exemplifies his longing to gather his children together, the care with which God seeks each one. Jesus likened it to a hen longing to gather her chicks, a shepherd seeking every last sheep in his flock. 

 God’s desire to seek you is not abstract, and faith’s seeking of God is no abstraction. Consider the depths of these words: “For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out'” (Ezekiel 34:11). Our seeking after the one who can be found might be similarly earnest, believing not only that God exists but that Father, Son, and Spirit are already near those who seek.  

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

Morning “Delight thyself also in the Lord.”  Psalm 37:4

 The teaching of these words must seem very surprising to those who are strangers

to vital godliness, but to the sincere believer it is only the inculcation of a

recognized truth. The life of the believer is here described as a delight in

God, and we are thus certified of the great fact that true religion overflows

with happiness and joy. Ungodly persons and mere professors never look upon

religion as a joyful thing; to them it is service, duty, or necessity, but never

pleasure or delight. If they attend to religion at all, it is either that they

may gain thereby, or else because they dare not do otherwise. The thought of

delight in religion is so strange to most men, that no two words in

 their language stand further apart than “holiness” and “delight.” But believers

who know Christ, understand that delight and faith are so blessedly united, that

the gates of hell cannot prevail to separate them. They who love God with all

their hearts, find that his ways are ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are

peace. Such joys, such brimful delights, such overflowing blessednesses, do the

saints discover in their Lord, that so far from serving him from custom, they

would follow him though all the world cast out his name as evil. We fear not God

because of any compulsion; our faith is no fetter, our profession is no bondage,

we are not dragged to holiness, nor driven to duty. No,

 our piety is our pleasure, our hope is our happiness, our duty is our delight.

 Delight and true religion are as allied as root and flower; as indivisible as

truth and certainty; they are, in fact, two precious jewels glittering side by

side in a setting of gold.

 “‘Tis when we taste thy love,

 Our joys divinely grow,

 Unspeakable like those above,

 And heaven begins below.”

Evening  “O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face … because we have sinned against

thee.”   Daniel 9:8

 A deep sense and clear sight of sin, its heinousness, and the punishment which

it deserves, should make us lie low before the throne. We have sinned as

Christians. Alas! that it should be so. Favoured as we have been, we have yet

been ungrateful: privileged beyond most, we have not brought forth fruit in

proportion. Who is there, although he may long have been engaged in the

Christian warfare, that will not blush when he looks back upon the past? As for

our days before we were regenerated, may they be forgiven and forgotten; but

since then, though we have not sinned as before, yet we have sinned against

light and against love–light which has really penetrated our minds, and love in

which  we have rejoiced. Oh, the atrocity of the sin of a pardoned soul! An unpardoned

sinner sins cheaply compared with the sin of one of God’s own elect ones, who

has had communion with Christ and leaned his head upon Jesus’ bosom. Look at

David! Many will talk of his sin, but I pray you look at his repentance, and

hear his broken bones, as each one of them moans out its dolorous confession!

Mark his tears, as they fall upon the ground, and the deep sighs with which he

accompanies the softened music of his harp! We have erred: let us, therefore,

seek the spirit of penitence. Look, again, at Peter! We speak much of Peter’s

denying his Master. Remember, it is written, “He wept bitterly.” Have we

 no denials of our Lord to be lamented with tears? Alas! these sins of ours,

before and after conversion, would consign us to the place of inextinguishable

fire if it were not for the sovereign mercy which has made us to differ,

snatching us like brands from the burning. My soul, bow down under a sense of

thy natural sinfulness, and worship thy God. Admire the grace which saves

thee–the mercy which spares thee–the love which pardons thee!

Remove far from me falsehood and lying.  Proverbs 30:8 

 Here we have two great lessons—what to deprecate and what to supplicate. The happiest state of a Christian is the holiest state. Just as there is the most heat nearest to the sun, so there is the most happiness closest to Christ. No Christian enjoys comfort when his eyes are fixed on falsehood—he finds no satisfaction unless his soul is quickened in the ways of God.

The world may find happiness elsewhere, but he cannot. I do not blame ungodly men for rushing to their pleasures. Why should I? Let them have their fill. That is all they have to enjoy. A converted wife who despaired of her husband was always very kind to him, for she said, “I fear that this is the only world in which he will be happy, and therefore I have made up my mind to make him as happy as I can in it.” Christians must seek their delights in a higher sphere than the tasteless trifles or sinful enjoyments of the world. Empty pursuits are dangerous to renewed souls.

We have heard of a philosopher who, while he looked up to the stars, fell into a pit; but how deeply do they fall who look down. Their fall is fatal. No Christian is safe when his soul is lazy, and his God is far from him. Every Christian is always safe as to the great matter of his standing in Christ, but he is not safe as regards his experience in holiness and communion with Jesus in this life.

Satan does not often attack a Christian who is living near to God. It is when the Christian departs from God, becomes spiritually starved, and tries to feed on lies that the devil discovers his moment of advantage. He may sometimes stand foot to foot with the child of God who is active in his Master’s service, but the battle is generally brief. He who slips as he goes down into the Valley of Humiliation will find that with every false step he invites the devil’s attack. O for grace to walk humbly with our God!

Isaiah 45

Revelation 15

Once upon a time there were two grains of wheat lying on the floor of a warm and cozy barn. But one day, the farmer came in and told them, “I want to take you out of this comfortable barn and plant you in the earth. I’m going to place you in the cold ground and cover you with soil. It will be dark, and you will die. But I promise that you will multiply and become very fruitful.”

The first grain of wheat turned down the suggestion. “No way!” he said. “Count me out. I like my comfort, and I don’t want to die.” But the second one, after carefully considering the pain and discomfort of dying, decided the promise of a future harvest was worth the sacrifice. So the farmer took him outside and planted him in the ground, while allowing the first grain of wheat to remain inside the barn.

A few days later, a small green sprout appeared over where the seed had been planted. Then it grew and became a tall stalk of wheat that produced one hundred more grains. For the next forty years, the farmer planted all the seeds that had originated from that first grain of wheat, and year after year, the harvest multiplied. However, the grain of wheat that stayed in the barn remained there by itself, never multiplying–but he was very comfortable.

Which grain of wheat are you? Are you playing it safe, or have you let Christ plant you in the world? The only way you’ll ever become useful and fruitful in God’s kingdom is to abandon your own selfish desires, get out of your comfort zone, and serve the Lord by serving others.

Cognitive dissonance, the study of psychology tells us, is the internal tension that results when our experience doesn’t match our professed beliefs and values. It is that sense of unease when we encounter something that contradicts what we have held to be true. We often experience this tension in the course of academic training as we learn new ideas. But perhaps dissonance is felt most acutely when it occurs in the realm of faith commitments. How is it that my spouse has left me if marriage is God’s ideal? How is it that prayers seemingly go unanswered if I have been so faithful to pray? How do I reconcile my personal or the global experience of suffering with a view of a good and loving God?

 Now those who have never experienced (or noticed) cognitive dissonance as a reality in their own lives might be quick to offer all kinds of explanations for those who don’t find it quite as easy to reconcile the gaps between beliefs and experience: We have drifted away from our moral center. We have not studied enough, or prayed enough. Perhaps we have not understood right teaching. And surely there are times when all of these explanations may be true.

 But is it always so easy to explain dissonance away? I asked this question anew when I looked at the questions of John the Baptist. The gospels portray John with all the intensity and moral outrage of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, or Malachi—zealous prophets from the days of ancient Israel prone to weeping and crying out with zeal and tenacity. The courageous cousin of Jesus preached repentance resolutely, and even baptized Jesus in preparation for his own earthly ministry as the Jewish Messiah. He stood against the immorality and hypocrisy of those who were religious and political leaders. John was resolute in his ministry as the forerunner to the Messiah. Even as his own disciples came undone and complained that the crowds who once clamored to see him were now flocking to Jesus, John stood clear in his calling: “You yourselves bear me witness, that I have said, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ but ‘I have been sent before him'” (John 3:26-28).

 Yet all of this background creates a dramatic contrast once John was imprisoned. His resolve was shaken. Both Matthew and Luke’s gospels record his dissonance: “Now when John in prison heard of the works of Jesus, he sent word by his disciples, and said to him, ‘Are you the expected one, or shall we look for someone else?'” (Matthew 11:3; Luke 7:20)  His question belies his own ‘gap’ between the reality he envisioned and his current reality in a cold prison cell. If Jesus is the Messiah, John must have wondered, why am I sitting in this jail?  The Messiah John proclaimed would “thoroughly clear his threshing floor” and “burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The Messiah was coming to rid Israel—and indeed the world—of evil. Yet in John’s day to day existence in his lonely prison cell, evil had won the day. “Are you the expected one, or shall we look for someone else?”

 John’s dissonance is not unlike the gaps we often fall into between what we believe and what we experience. Yet the suffering that results from the gaps, according to author Scott Cairns, “[These also] can become illuminating moments in which we see our lives in the context of a terrifying, abysmal emptiness, moments when all of our comfortable assumptions are shown to be false, or misleading, or at least incomplete.”(1) The gap between what we, like John, believe about the nature and ministry of the Messiah and the reality of a Jesus who is free from our comfortable assumptions often creates unbearable dissonance.

 Jesus acknowledged that his ministry would be disruptive, and even be misunderstood. In responding to John’s doubts, Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who keeps from stumbling over me” (Matthew 11:6). Surely, the gaps between what we believe and what we experience often cause us to stumble and fall. Yet, as Cairns suggests, might mining those gaps also illuminate new paths of discovery from Jesus’s own life and ministry? The gaps we experience often hold the treasure of new insight and the beauty of a more faithful devotion if we are willing to let go of our “comfortable assumptions” and dig deep, where what is precious and most valuable is often found in the deepest places of dissonance.  

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

 (1) Scott Cairns, The End of Suffering (Brewster MA: Paraclete Press, 2009), 8.