Morning  “And of his fulness have all we received.” / John 1:16

These words tell us that there is a fulness in Christ. There is a fulness of

essential Deity, for “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead.” There

is a fulness of perfect manhood, for in him, bodily, that Godhead was

revealed. There is a fulness of atoning efficacy in his blood, for “the blood

of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” There is a fulness of

justifying righteousness in his life, for “there is therefore now no

condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” There is a fulness of divine

prevalence in his plea, for “He is able to save to the uttermost them that

come unto God by him; seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

There is a fulness of victory in his death, for through death he destroyed him

that had the power of death, that is the devil. There is a fulness of efficacy

in his resurrection from the dead, for by it “we are begotten again unto a

lively hope.” There is a fulness of triumph in his ascension, for “when he

ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and received gifts for men.”

There is a fulness of blessings of every sort and shape; a fulness of grace to

pardon, of grace to regenerate, of grace to sanctify, of grace to preserve,

and of grace to perfect. There is a fulness at all times; a fulness of comfort

in affliction; a fulness of guidance in prosperity. A fulness of every divine

attribute, of wisdom, of power, of love; a fulness which it were impossible to

survey, much less to explore. “It pleased the Father that in him should all

fulness dwell.” Oh, what a fulness must this be of which all receive! Fulness,

indeed, must there be when the stream is always flowing, and yet the well

springs up as free, as rich, as full as ever. Come, believer, and get all thy

need supplied; ask largely, and thou shalt receive largely, for this “fulness”

is inexhaustible, and is treasured up where all the needy may reach it, even

in Jesus, Immanuel–God with us.

 

Evening   “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” / Luke 2:19

There was an exercise, on the part of this blessed woman, of three powers of

her being: her memory–she kept all these things; her affections–she kept

them in her heart; her intellect–she pondered them; so that memory,

affection, and understanding, were all exercised about the things which she

had heard. Beloved, remember what you have heard of your Lord Jesus, and what

he has done for you; make your heart the golden pot of manna to preserve the

memorial of the heavenly bread whereon you have fed in days gone by. Let your

memory treasure up everything about Christ which you have either felt, or

known, or believed, and then let your fond affections hold him fast for

evermore. Love the person of your Lord! Bring forth the alabaster box of your

heart, even though it be broken, and let all the precious ointment of your

affection come streaming on his pierced feet. Let your intellect be exercised

concerning the Lord Jesus. Meditate upon what you read: stop not at the

surface; dive into the depths. Be not as the swallow which toucheth the brook

with her wing, but as the fish which penetrates the lowest wave. Abide with

your Lord: let him not be to you as a wayfaring man, that tarrieth for a

night, but constrain him, saying, “Abide with us, for the day is far spent.”

Hold him, and do not let him go. The word “ponder,” means to weigh. Make ready

the balances of judgment. Oh, but where are the scales that can weigh the Lord

Christ? “He taketh up the isles as a very little thing:”–who shall take him

up? “He weigheth the mountains in scales”–in what scales shall we weigh him?

Be it so, if your understanding cannot comprehend, let your affections

apprehend; and if your spirit cannot compass the Lord Jesus in the grasp of

understanding, let it embrace him in the arms of affection.