September
September
MUTUAL ACCEPTATION
As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God.
Ephesians 6:6
Not until we have presented our bodies a living sacrifice can we prove what is that good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God.
But in thus proving it, this continual presentation will be more and more seen to be our reasonable service, and becomes more and more a joyful sacrifice of praise.
The connection in Romans 12 :1, 2 between our sacrifice which He so graciously calls acceptable to Himself and our finding out that His will is acceptable to ourselves, is very striking.
One reason for this connection may be that only love can really understand love, and love on both sides is at the bottom of the whole transaction and its results.
And if it seemeth good to Thee, my Father, Shall it seem aught but good to me?
Thy will be done!
Thou knowest I would rather Leave all with Thee.
September 2
HANDS REVEAL THE HEART
Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?
If it be, give me thine hand.
King.s 10:15
What a call to confidence, and love, and free, loyal, happy service is this! and how different will the result of its acceptance be from the old lamentation: "We labour and have no rest; we have given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians."
In the service of these other lords, under whatever shape they have presented themselves, we shall have known something of the meaning of having "both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit." How many a thing have we taken in hand, as we say, which we expected to find an agreeable task, an interest in life, a something towards filling up that unconfessed aching void which is often most real when least acknowledged ; and after a while we have found it change under our hands into irksome travail, involving perpetual vexation of spirit!
The thing may have been of the earth and for the world, and then no wonder it failed to satisfy even the instinct of work, which comes natural to many of us.
Or it may have been right enough in
itself, something for the good of others so far as we understood their good, and unselfish in all but unraveled motive, and yet we found it full of tangled vexations, because the hands that held it were not simply consecrated to God.
Well, if so, let us bring these soiled and tangle-making hands to the Lord, "Let us lift up our heart with our hands" to Him, asking Him to clear and cleanse them, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ
. written .
. in fleshly tables of the heart."
Let Him write what He will upon our hearts With His unerring pen.
They are His own.
Hewn from the roclt by His selecting grace, Prepared for His own glory.
Let Him write!
Be sure He will not cross out one sweet word But to inscribe a sweeter — but to grave One that shall shine forever to His praise, , And thus fulfill our deepest heart-desire.
The tearful eye at lirst may read the line "Bondage to grief!" but He shall wipe away The tears, and clear the vision, till it read In ever-brightening letters "Free to serve!"
For whom the Son makes free is free indeed.
September 3
JOY INW^ARD AND UPWARD
I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
Chronicles 29:17
The result of willing consecration of ourselves and our service is always joy.
But was it not far more, far sweeter, that their king "also rejoiced with great joy"?
For when a heart and life are willingly offered and fully surrendered to Him, He sees of "the travail of His soul" in it; it is a new accomplishment of the work which He came to do; and what then? He
"is satisfied."
If motive were wanting to yield ourselves unto Him, would it not be more than supplied by the thought that it will be satisfaction and joy to Him "who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood"?
It seems just the one blessed opportunity given to us of being His true cupbearers, of bringing the wine of joy to our King; and in so doing He will make our cups to run over.
Our Father, we pray that Thy will may be done, For full acquiescence is Heaven begun Both in us and by us Thy purpose he wrought.
In word and in action, in spirit and thought; And Thou canst enable us thus to fulfill, With holy rejoicing. Thy glorious will.
For Thine is the Power!
September 4
A FIRM GRASP AND A FULL RECEPTION
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
Psalm 33:1
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Psalm 100:2
Let us not, either for ourselves or others, acquiesce in disobedience to any of His commandments.
See how absolute they are!
Think of the terribly distinct condemnation, "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart .
. therefore shalt thoir serve thine enemies .
. and He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until He have destroyed thee."
Thank God, our experience is not the measure of His promises; they are all yea and Amen in Christ Jesus and our varying, short-falling experience touches neither their faithfulness nor their fullness.
Forget the things which are behind, and press on to firmer grasp and fuller reception of Christ and His joy.
Then it shall be always "praise .
. more and more," "more grace,"
"grace for grace," "from strength to strength" — yes, even "from glory to glory."
"Froth glory unto glory!"
Thank God. that even here The starry words are shining out, our heavenward way to cheer!
That e'en among the shadows the conquering brightness glows.
As ever from the nearing Light intenser radiance flows.
September 5
OUR LIPS FOR FRUITFUL PRAISE
With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people.
Corinthians 14:21
There seems a sevenfold sequence in His filling the lips of His messengers.
First, they must be purified.
The live coal from off the altar must be laid upon them, and He must say, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged." Then He will create the fruit of them, and this seems to be the great message of peace, "Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord and I will heal him"
(see Isaiah 57:19).
Then comes the prayer, "0 Lord, open Thou my lips," and its sure fulfillment.
For then come in the promises, "Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth," and, "They shall withal be fitted in thy lips."
Then, of course, "the lips of the righteous feed many," for
the food is the Lord's own giving.
Everything leads up to praise, and so we come next to "My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips, when I remember Thee." And lest we should fancy that "ivhen" rather implies that it is not, or cannot be, exactly always, we find that the meditation of Jesus throws this added light upon it, "By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continuaUy, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to"
(margin, confessing) "His name."
Have you not a word for Jesus?
Will the world His praise proclaim?
Who shall speak if ye are silent? ye who know and love His name.
You, whom He hath called and chosen His own witnesses to be, Will you tell your gracious Master, "Lord, we cannot speak for Thee!"
September 6
SANCTIFIED—ENERGIZED—STRENGTHENED
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another.
John 13:34
The love of Christ is not an absorbing, but a radiating love.
The more we love Him, the more we shall most certainly love others.
Some have not much natural power of loving, but the love of Christ will strengthen it. Some have had the springs of love dried up by some terrible earthquake. They will find "fresh springs" in Jesus, and the gentle flow will be purer and deeper than the old torrent could ever be.
Some have been satisfied that it should rush in a narrow channel, but He will cause it to overflow into many another, and widen its course of blessing.
Some have spent it all on their God-given dear ones. Now He is come whose right it is ; and yet in the fullest resumption of that right, He is so gracious that He puts back an even larger measure of the old love into our hand, sanctified with His own love, and energized with His blessing, and strengthened with His new commandment.
But He had need of her.
Not one new gem But many, for His crown — not one fair sheaf.
But many she should bring.
And she should have A richer, happier harvest-home at last .
* * ::
* * * Then through the darkness and the chill He sent A heat-ray of His love, developing The mystic writing, till it glowed and shone And lit up all her life with radiance new The happy service of a yielded heart.
With comfort that He never ceased to give (Because her need could never cease) she filled The empty chalices of other lives.
And time and tho't were thenceforth spent for Him Who loved her with His everlasting love.
September 7
CLEAN HANDS AT THE TABLE
Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
Luke 22:21
He that dippeth his hand with me In the dish, the same shall betray me.
Matthew 26:23
It was a literal hand that our Lord Jesus spoke of; a hand so near to Jesus, with Him on the table, touching His own hand in the dish at that hour of sweetest, and closest, and most solemn intercourse, and yet betraying Him
That same hand taking the thirty pieces of silver!
What a tremendous lesson of the need of keeping for our hands !
Oh, that every hand that is with Him at His table, and that takes the memorial bread, may be kept from any faithless and loveless motion !
And again, it was by literal "wicked hands" that our Lord Jesus was crucified and slain.
Does not the thought that human hands have been so treacherous and cruel to our beloved Lord make us wish the more fervently that our hands may be totally faithful and devoted to Him?
Danger and temptation to let the hands move at other impulses is every bit as great to those who have nothing else to do but to render direct service, and who think they are doing nothing else.
He will sanctify thee wholly; body, spirit, soul shall be Blameless till thy Saviour's coming in His glorious majesty!
He hath perfected forever those whom He hath sanctified; Spotless, glorious, and holy is the Church, His chosen Bride.
September 8
ROYAL SERVANTS
Choose you this day whom ye will serve.
Joshua 24:15
What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all tliy heart and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 10:12
Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Hebrews 12:28
Choose this day whom you will serve with real, thoroughgoing, wholehearted service, and He will receive you
; and you will find, as we have found, that He is such a good Master that you are satisfied with His goodness, and that you will never want to go out free.
Nay, rather take His own word for it; see what He says:
"If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleas-
ures." You cannot possibly understand that till you are really in His service!
For He does not give, nor even show, His wages before you enter it.
And He says, "My servants shall sing for joy of heart."
But you cannot try over that song to see what it is like, you cannot even read one bar of it, till your nominal or even promised service is exchanged for real and undivided consecration.
But when He can call you, "My servant," then you will find yourself singing for joy of heart, because He says you shall.
"My Lord!"
My heart hath said it joyfully.
Nay, could it be my own cold, treacherous heart?
'Tis comfort to remember that we have No will or power to think one holy thought.
And thereby estimate His power in us "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord.
But by the Holy Ghost."
Then it must be That all the sweetness of the word, "Thy Lord,"
And all the long glad echoes that it woke.
Are whispers of the Spirit, and a seal Upon His work, as yet so faintly seen.
September 9
RETREAT MEANS DEFEAT
Without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5
I can do ail things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13
We had such a nice little quiet, shady corner in the vineyard, down among the tender grapes, with such easy little weedings and waterings to attend to.
And then the Master comes and draws us out into the thick of the work, and puts us into a part of the field where we never should have thought of going, and puts larger tools in our hands, that we may do more at a stroke.
And we know we are not sufficient for these things, and the very tools seem too heavy for us, and the glare too dazzling, and the vines too tall.
Ah! but would we really go back?
He would not be in the old shady corner with us now ; for when He put us forth He went before us, and it is only by close following that we can abide with Him.
Without Him we could do nothing if we perversely and fearfully ran back to our old work.
With Him, "through Christ which strengtheneth" us, we "can do all things" in the new work.
Not our power, but His presence will carry us through.
I could not do without Thee I No other friend can read The Spirit's deepest longings, inteipreting its need.
No human heart could enter each dim recess of mine.
And soothe and hush and calm it. O blessed Lord, but Thine!
September 10
THE WARNING OF A SILENT HEAVEN
To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.
2 Samuel 14:22
An answered prayer makes us glad for its own sake. But there is grace behind the gift which is better and more gladdening than the gift itself.
For which is most valued, the engagement ring, or the favor of which it is the token?
Setting aside judicial answers to unspiritual prayers, which an honest conscience will have no difficulty in distinguishing, the servants of the King may take it that His answers to their requests are proofs and tokens of His grace and favor — of His real, and present, and personal love to themselves individually.
When they are receiving few or none, they should search for the cause, lest it should be some hidden or unrecognized sin.
For "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me"
; so never let us go on comfortably and easily when He is silent to us. And instead of envying others who get such wonderful answers, "Let us search and try our ways."
And evermore the Father sends radiantly down All-marvelous responses.
His ministers to crown:
The incense-cloud returning as golden blessing-showers.
We in each drop discerning some feeble prayer of ours, Transmuted into wealth unpriced, by Him who giveth thus
The glory all to Jesus Christ, the gladness all to us!
September
MISUNDERSTOOD?
Thou understandest my thought.
Psalm 1.39:2
Who does not know what it is to be misunderstood?
Perhaps no one ever is always and perfectly understood, because so few Christians are like their Master in having the spirit of quick understanding.
But this does not make it the less trying to you ; and you do not feel able to say with Paul, "With me it is a very small thing."
But this precious Word which meets every need, gives you a steppingstone which is quite enough to enable you to reach that brave position, if you will only stand on it. "Thou understandest my thought."
Even if others "daily mistake" your words, He understands your thought, and is not this infinitely better? He Himself, your ever-loving, everpresent
Father, understands.
He understands perfectly just
what and just when others do not.
Not your actions merely, but your thought— the central self which no words can reveal to others.
"All my desire is before Thee." He understands how you desired to do the right thing when others thought you did the wrong thing.
He understands how His poor, weak child wants to please Him, and secretly mourns over grieving Him.
"Thou understandest" seems to go even a step further than the great comfort of "Thou knowest."
"His understanding is infinite."
She could not have put it in words, But the Teacher understood.
As God understands the chirp of the birds In the depths of an autumn wood.
And a quiet touch on a reddening cheek Was quite enough; No need to question, no need to speak.
September 12
THE EARNEST OF THINGS TO COME
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.
Corinthians 1:10
"The Lord hath heard the voice of my supplication ; the Lord will receive my prayer." "The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me," comes first; then follows, "Deal bountifully with Thy servant"
; and then, "Thou shalt deal bountifully with me."
"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad," leads us on to the prophecy, "Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things."
The same argument is used in prayer.
"Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy people ... as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egj^'pt even until now."
"Thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt Thou not deliver my feet from falling?"
So in the lovely typical request of Achsah to her father, "Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water."
The basis for such expressions of trust and petition are found in Romans 8:32, "He that spared not His own Son"—there is the entirely incontrovertible fact of what He hath done — "shall He not with Him also freely give us all things" — there is the inspired conclusion of what He will do.
All my desire Thou grantest, whatsoe'er I ask!
Was ever mythic tale or dream So bold as this reality — this stream Of boundless blessings flowing full and free?
Yet more than I have thought or asked of Thee, Out of Thy royal bounty still Thou givest me.
September 13 TRUSTING When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:6
Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
Isaiah 26:12
What a long time it takes to come down to the conviction, and still more to the realization of the fact that without Him we can do nothing, but that He must work all our works in us!
This is the work of God, that ye believe in Him whom He has sent.
And no less must it be the work of God that we go on believing, and that we go on trusting.
Then, dear friends who are longing to trust Him with unbroken and unwavering trust, cease the effort and drop the burden, and now entrust your trust to Him ! He is just as well able to keep that as any other part of the complex lives which we want Him to take and keep for Himself. And oh, do not pass on content with the thought,
"Yes, that is a good idea; perhaps I should find that a great help!"
But, "Now, then, do it."
It is no help to the sailor to see a flash of light across a dark sea, if he does not instantly steer accordingly.
I am trusting Tliee.
Lord Jesus, trusting only Thee; Trusting Thee for full salvation, great and free.
I am trusting Thee, Lord .lesus; nevei let me fall!
I am trusting Thee forever, and for all.
September 14
WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
The Lord shall fight for you.
Exodus 14:14
How glad the childi-en of Israel must have been when Moses said these words to them on the shores of the Red Sea!
For when they "lifted up their eyes, behold, the Egyptians marched after them ; and they were sore afraid."
The Egyptians had been cruel masters to them ; and they had horses and chariots to pursue them with ; and there was the sea close before them, and no boats!
Perhaps some of the Israelites thought it was no use trying to escape; they would only be overtaken and conquered, and be worse off than before. And so, left to themselves, they would have been
; but God fought for them in a way they never thought of, for "the Lord saved Israel tliat day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the
Egyptians dead upon the seashore."
What about your Egyptians?—the angry tempers, the impatient words, the vain and foolish thoughts, the besetting sins that master you so often.
Have you tried so often to fight against them, and failed, that it seems almost no use, and you do not see how to conquer them or to escape them?
Are you very tired of fighting, and "sore afraid" of being always overcome just the same as ever? Now hear God's true, strong promise to you, "The Lord shall fight for you!"
Will He really?
Yes, really, and He will conquer for you too, if you will only believe His Word and trust the battle to Him, and let Him fight for you.
So, when you meet with trials, and know not wliat to do.
Just cast the care on Jesus, and He will fight for you.
Gird on the heavenly armor of faith, and hope, and love:
And when the conflict's ended, you'll reign with Him above.
September U
ROYAL PARTNERSHIP
Labourers together with God.
Corinthians 3:9
Workers together with him.
Corinthians 6:1
The Lord working with them.
Mark 16:20
Divine fellowship of work ! Will not this thought ennoble everything He gives us to do today, even if it is among plants and hedges!
Even the pottery will be grand!
But dwelling and working must go together.
If we are indeed dwelling with the King, we shall be working for Him, too, "as we have opportunity."
The working will be as the dwelling—a settled, regular thing, whatever form it may take at His appointment.
Nor will His work ever be done when we are not dwelling with Him.
It will be our own work then, not His, and it will not "abide."
We shall come under the condemnation of the vine which was pronounced "empty," because "he bringeth forth fruit unto himself." We are, like the potters of old, to dwell with the King "for His work"; but He will see to it that it shall be for a great deal besides—for a great continual reward according to His own heart and out of His royal bounty—for peace, for power, for love, for gladness, for likeness to Himself.
"Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts."
Lord! to Thy command we bow, touch our lips with altar fire; Let Thy Spirit kindle now, faith and zeal and strong desire; So that henceforth we may be fellow-workers, Lord, with Thee.
September 16
ENTHRONE HIM WHOSE RIGHT IT
IS In time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel.
2 Samuel 5:2
Chosen, anointed, given by God, continually leading and caring for us, yet not accepted, not crowned, not enthroned by us
; our real allegiance, our actual service, given to another!
Self has been our Saul, our central tyranny; and many have been its officers domineering in every department.
But "the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will" of self —
Satan — the world. We do not want "to live the rest of our time" to any but One Will.
Let us with full purpose of heart, dethrone the usurper and give the diadem to Him "whose right it is," a blood-bought and death-sealed right.
I spent long years for thee, in weariness and woe.
That an eternity of joy thou mightest know.
I spent Ions years for thee:
Hast thou spent one for Me?
Oh, let thy life be given, thy years for Him be spent.
World-fetters all be riven, and joy with suffering blent; I gave Myself for thee:
Give thou thyself to Mel September 17
"WHATSOEVER YE DO"
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Colossians 3:17
A Christian school-girl loves Jesus; she wants to please Him all day long, and so she practices her scales carefully and conscientiously.
It is at the impulse of His love that her fingers move so steadily through the otherwise tiresome exercises.
Some day her Master will find a use for her music ; but meanwhile it may be just as really done unto Him as if it were Mr.
Sankey at his organ, swaying the hearts of thousands.
The hand of a Christian lad traces his Latin verses, or his figures, or his copying. He is doing his best, because a banner has been given him that it may be displayed, not so much by talk as by continuance in well-doing.
And so, for Jesus' sake, his hand moves accurately and perseveringly.
A busy wife, or daughter, or servant has a number of little manual duties to perform.
If these are done slowly and lei-
surely, they may be got through, but there will not be time left for some little service to the poor, or some little kindness to a suffering or troubled neighbor, or for a little quiet time alone with God and His Word. And so the hands move quickly, impelled by the loving desire for service or communion, kept in busy motion for Jesus' sake. Or it may be that the special aim is to give no occasion of reproach to some who are watching, but so to adorn the doctrine that those may be won by the life who will not be won by the Word.
Then the hands will have their share to do ; they will move carefully, neatly, perhaps even elegantly, making everything around as nice as possible, letting their intelligent touch be seen in the details of the home, and even of the dress, doing or arranging all the little things decently and in order for Jesus' sake. And so on with every duty in every position.
The morning light flingeth its wakening ray, And as the day bringeth the work of the day.
The happy heart singeth; Awake and away!
No life can be dreary when work is delight; Though evening be weary, rest eometh at night; And all will be cheery, if faithful and right.
September 18
STRONG CONSOLATION
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil.
Psalm 121:7
Do you believe that? But He who knows our little faith never gives an isolated promise. He leaves us no chance of overlooking or misunderstanding anyone except by willful neglect because it is always confirmed in other parts of the Word.
So He has given the same strong consolation in other terms.
"There shall no evil happen to the just."
"In seven [troubles] there shall no evil touch thee."
He is the "wall of fire round about" us; and what fortification so impenetrable—nay, so unapproachable! And "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye"—the very least touch is felt by the Lord, who loves us and is mighty to save!
Well may He say, "And who is he that will harm you?"
Thy power. Thy love. Thy faithfulness.
With lip and life I long to bless.
Thy faithfulness shall be my tower.
My sun Thy love, my shield Thy power.
In darkest night.
In fiercest fight.
With lip and life I long to bless Thy power. Thy love. Thy faithfulness.
September 19
OUR ROYAL HIGH PRIEST
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
"Therefore!" because we have "such an High Priest," touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and in all points tempted like as we are ; because He is "a Priest upon His throne," ever living, with His royal power to save to the uttermost, and His priestly power to make intercession; "let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace."
Boldness and faith go together; fear and unbelief go together.
"If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."
It is always want of faith that is at the bottom of all fear.
"Why are ye fearful?" is the question for those "of little faith."
So, in order to come boldly, and therefore joyfully, all we need is more faith in the Great High Priest who sits upon the throne of grace.
Yet there are some who see not their calling high and grand, Who seldom pass the portals, and never boldly stand
Before the golden altar on the crimson-stained floor.
A\Tio wait afar and faltei-, and dare not hope for more.
Will ye not join the blessed ranks in their beautiful array?
Let intercession blend with thanks as ye minister today!
So the incense-cloud ascendeth as through calm, crystal air, A pillar reaching unto Heaven of wreathed faith and prayer.
For evermore the Angel of Intercession stands In His Divine High Priesthood, with fragrance-filled hands.
To wave the golden censer before His Father's throne.
With Spirit-fire intenser, and incense all His own.
September 20
SHIELDED FROM THE ENEMY
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation.
2 Samuel 22:36
The salvation which the Lord Jesus came to bring is not only salvation at last, just escaping hell, but it is salvation now, and salvation in everything.
Salvation does not only mean victory at last, but it is like a broad shining shield, given to us in the midst of the battle, coming between us and the poisoned arrows and sharp sword-thrusts of the enemy.
It is a shield not only to keep us from death, but to keep us from being hurt and wounded.
It is the shield which the Captain has given us to use now, as well as the crown which He will
give when the warfare is ended.
If you have come to the Lord Jesus to be saved, He does not merely say He will save you, but that you are saved.
This is how you are to use the shield believe it, and be sure of it, because you have His word for it; and then, when a temptation comes, tell the enemy that he has nothing to do with you, for you are saved
; that you belong to Jesus, and not to him.
Did He ever let any find themselves deceived and mistaken who looked up in faith and confidence to Him, trusting in His great salvation?
Never! and never will you find this shield of His salvation fail to cover you completely.
Satan himself cannot touch you when you are behind this shield!
He is with thee I — in thy dwelling, Shielding thee from fear of ill; All thy burdens kindly bearing; For thy dear ones gently caring, Guarding, keeping, blessing still.
September 21
USELESS OR USEFUL OCCUPATION
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
What about our letter-writing?
Have we not been tempted (and fallen before the temptation), according to our various dispositions, to let the hand that holds the pen move at the impulse to write an unkind thought of another; or to say a clever and sarcastic thing, or a slightly colored and exaggerated thing, which will make our point more telling; or to let out a grumble or a suspicion; or to let the pen run away with us into flippant and trifling words, unworthy of our high and holy calling?
Have we not drifted away from the golden reminder, "Should he reason with unprofitable talk, and with speeches wherewith he can do no good?" Why has this been, perhaps again and again?
Is it not for want of putting our hands into our dear Master's hand, and asking and trusting Him to keep them?
He could have kept; He ivould have kept!
Whatever our work or our special temptations may be, the principle remains the same, only let us apply it for ourselves.
I look up to my Father, and know that I am heard.
And ask Him for the glowing thought, and for the fitting word; I look up to my Father, for I cannot write alone, 'Tis sweeter far to seek His strength than lean upon my own.
September 22
ALL THINGS NOW READY
It is finished.
John 19:30
Even if you did not heed nor believe any other words of Jesus, could you can you—doubt His dying words?
Surely they are worthy of all acceptation!
What are they?
"It is finished!"
What is finished?
"I have finished the work that Thou gavest me to do." And what is that work?
Simply the work of our salvation.
That is the reason why all things are now ready, because Jesus has finished that all-inclusive work.
When a thing is finished, how much is there left to do?
The question sounds too absurd with respect to ordinary things. We hardly take the trouble to answer, "Why nothing, of course!" When
Jesus has finished the work, how much is there left for you to do? Do you not see?
Nothing, of course! You have only to accept that work as really finished, and accept His dying declaration that it is so. What further assurance would you have?
Is not this enough?
Does your heart say Yes, or No?
Oh believe the Lord hath done it!
Wherefore linger?
Wherefore doubt?
All the clouds of black transgression He Himself hath blotted out.
He hath done it!
Come and bless Him, Swell the grand thanksgiving shout Evermore and evermore.
September 23
TESTED TRUST
Do thou for me.
Psalm 109:21
The Psalmist does not say what he wanted God to do for him.
He leaves it open.
So this most restful prayer is left open for all perplexed hearts to appropriate "according to their several necessities." And so we leave it open for God to fill up in His own way.
Only a trusting heart can pray this prayer at all; the very utterance of it is an act of faith. We could not ask anyone whom we did not know intimately and trust implicitly to "do" for us, without even suggesting what.
Only a selfemptied heart can pray it.
It is when we have come to the end of our own resources, or rather, come to see that we never had any at all, that we are willing to accept the fact that we can "do nothing," and to let God do everything for us.
Only
a loving heart can pray it, for nobody likes another to take him and his affairs in hand and "do" for him, unless that other is cordially loved. We might submit to it, but we should not like it, and certainly should not seek it.
So, if we have caught at this little prayer as being just what we want, just what it seems a real test to say, I think it shows that we do trust in Him and not in ourselves, and that we do love Him really and truly.
He heard the prayer, and gave the will and strength to touch the hem; And gave the faith, and virtue flowed from Him, and healed them:
For every one whose feeblest touch thus met the Saviour's power.
Rose up in perfect health and strength in that accepted hour.
September 24
A PROMISE TO MEET EVERY FEAR
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.
Isaiah 54:17
Man's curse shall be turned into God's blessing: Jehovah Himself, watering His vineyard every moment, says:
"Lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day."
Again, the promise, with a solemn condition, takes an even stronger form :
"Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing."
Is not all this enough?
It might well be, but His wonderful love has yet more to say—not only that nothing shall hurt us, but that all things work together for our good; not merely shall work, but actually are working.
All things, if it means all things, must include exactly those very things, whatever they may be, which you and I are tempted to think will hurt us, or, at least, may hurt us. Now will we today trust our own ideas, or God's
Word? One or the other must be mistaken. Which is it?
Christ, my own Master, my Lord, my God, has given a promise which meets every fear; therefore, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep : for Thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety."
But Faith and Love with angel-might, break up life's dismal tomb.
Transmuting into golden light the words of leaden gloom.
No shadow, but its sister light not far away must burn!
No weary night, but morning bright shall follow in its turn.
No chilly snow, but safe below a million buds are sleeping; No wintry days, but fair spring rays are swiftly onward sweeping.
With fiercest glare of summer air comes fullest leafy shade; And ruddy fruit bends every shoot, because the blossoms fade.
No note of sorrow but shall melt in sweetest chord unguessed; No labor all too pressing felt, but ends in quiet rest.
No sigh but from the harps above, soft echoing tones shall win; No heart-wound but the Lord of Love shall pour His comfort in.
No withered hope, while loving best thy Father's chosen way; No anxious care, for He will bear thy burdens eveiy day.
September 25
REST ASSURED
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Hebrews 4:10
After forgiveness there comes a thought of great comfort in our freshly felt helplessness, rising out of the very thing that makes us realize this helplessness.
Just because our influence is to such a great extent involuntary and unconscious, we may rest assured that if we ourselves are truly kept for Jesus, this will be, as a quite natural result, kept for Him also.
It cannot be otherwise, for as is the fountain, so will be the flow ; as the spring, so the action ; as the impulse, so the communicated motion.
Thus there may be, and in simple trust there will be, a quiet rest about it, a relief from all sense of strain and eff"ort, a fulfilling of the words, "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His."
It will not be a matter of trying to have good influence, but just of having it, as naturally and constantly as the magnetized bar.
Resting on the faithfulness of Christ our Lord.
Resting on the fullness of His own sure word; Resting on His power, on His love untold; Resting on His covenant secured of old.
Resting and believing, let lis onward press, Resting in Himself, the Lord our Righteousness; Resting and rejoicing, let His saved ones sing.
Glory, glory, glory be to Christ our King!
September 26 WAIT FOR
HIS ROYAL RESPONSE
Let my lord the king now speak.
2 Samuel 14: IS Lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
Psalm 28:1
Are we not apt to think more of speaking to the King than of the King speaking to us? We come to the throne of grace with the glad and solemn purpose, "I will now speak unto the King." And we pour out our hearts before Him, and tell Him all the sins and all the needs, all the joys and all the sorrows, till the very telling seems almost an answer, because it brings such a sense of relief.
It is veiy sweet, very comforting to do this.
But this is only half-communion; and we miss, perhaps, a great deal of unknown blessing by being content with this one-sided audience.
We should use another "nou-," and say,
"Let my Lord the King now speak," We expect Him to speak some time, but not actually and literally "now," while we kneel before Him.
And therefore we do not listen, and therefore we do not hear what He has to say to us. What about the last time we knelt in prayer?
Surely He had more to say to us than we had to say to Him, and yet we never waited a minute to see!
We did not give Him opportunity for His gracious response. We rushed away from our King's presence as soon as we had said our say, and vaguely expected Him to send His answers after us somehow and some time, but not there and then. What wonder if they have not yet reached us !
The only wonder is that He ever speaks at all when we act thus.
Master, speak!
Thy servant heareth, waiting for Thy gracious word.
Longing for Thy voice that cheereth; Master! let it now be heard.
I am listening.
Lord, for Thee; what hast Thou to say to me?
Often through my heart is pealing many another voice than Thine, Many an unwilled echo stealing from the walls of this Thy shrine:
Let Thy longed-for accents fall; Master, speak! and silence all.
September 21
YOU COULD BE MISTAKEN
How can a man then understand his own way?
Provei-l)s 20:24
Even this difficulty He meets, for "He declareth unto man what is His thought."
But are you willing to let Him do this?
He may show you that those who have, as you suppose, misunderstood you, may have guessed right after all.
He may show you that your desire was not so honest, your motives not so single as you fancied; that there was self-will where you only recognized resolution, sin where you only recognized infirmity or mistake. Let Him search, let Him declare it unto you.
For then He will declare another message to you: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."
Then, when all is clear between Him and you, "nothing between"
(and let that "when" be "now"), how sweet you will find it in the light of His forgiveness, and the new strength of His cleansing, to look up and say, "Thou understandest!" and wait patiently for Him to let you be understood or misunderstood, just as He will, even as Jesus did.
For who was ever so misunderstood as He?
Even our present way is known to ourselves alone.
Height and abyss and torrent, flower and thorn and stone; But we gaze on another's path as a far-off mountain scene.
Scanning the outlined hills, but nevei' the vales between.
September 28
A SAFE WAY ON THE PATHLESS SEA
Bid me come unto thee on the water.
Matthew 14:28
Perhaps it is night in your soul—as dark as ever it can be.
It would not be so bad if you could even distinctly see the waves of the troubled sea on which you are tossing. You do not know where you are.
All seems vague and uncertain and wretched and confused.
And though the Lord Jesus is very near you, though He has come to you, walking on the water, and has said.
"It is I, be not afraid," you cannot see Him, and you are not at all sure it is His voice; or if it is, that He is speaking to you.
So, of course, you are "troubled." And if, in this trouble, you go on trying to steer and row for yourself, these same waves will prove themselves to be awful realities, and you will be lost in the storm.
Do not venture that ; but venture out, through the darkness and upon the waves at the bare word of Jesus.
She had spoken of Jesus' wondrous call, As He trod the waves of Galilee.
They asked, as she gazed from the sunset shore, "If He walked that water, what would you do?"
Then fell the answer, glad and true, "If He beckoned me, I would go to Him on the pathless sea."
September 29
WHAT'S HIS
IS OURS A king shall reign .
. and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
.leremiah 23:5, 6 We cannot do without this most wonderful name.
It can never be an old story to us.
It is always a "new name" in freshness and beauty and power.
It is our daily need and our daily joy.
For strength it is indeed "a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
For sweetness it is "as ointment poured forth."
In it we see at once the highest height and the deepest depth; Jehovah, God of God, Light of Light, and our need of a righteousness which is not our own at all, because we have none. We stand as upon an Alpine slope, face to face with the highest, grandest, purest summit above, and the darkest, deepest valley below, seeing more of the height because of the depth, and more of the depth because of the height.
Jesus
our King "hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name" than angels, for His Father has given Him His own name
"He shall be called Jehovah."
But this alone would be too great, too far off for us; it might find echoes among the harpings of sinless angels, but not among the sighings of sinful souls. And so the name was completed for us, by the very word that expresses our truest, deepest, widest, most perpetual need, and the Holy Ghost revealed the Son of God to us as "Jehovah our Righteousness."
Therefore, justified forever by the faith which He hath given.
Peace, and joy, and hope abounding, smooth thy trial path to Heaven:
Unto Him betrothed forever, who thy life shall crown and bless, By His name thou shalt be called, Christ, "The Lord our Righteousness!"
September 30
THE "LEAST"
IS NOT FORGOTTEN
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
Satan has desired to have us, that he might sift us as wheat; but the Lord Himself holds the sieve in His own hand, and pledges His word that not the least grain shall fall on the earth. We are so glad of that word, "not the least"
; not even I, though less than the least of all saints, though feeling as if my only claim upon Christ Jesus is that I am the chief of sinners.
"Not the least grain"; for He says, "Ye shall be gathered one by one."
Think of His hand gathering you separately and individually out of His million-sheaved harvest; gathering you, one by one always, into His garner, even in that tremendous day of sifting, when He shall thoroughly purge His floor.
You may feel a little overlooked sometimes now; only one among so very many, and perhaps not first, nor even second in anybody's love, or care, or interest, but He is watching His "least grains" all the time. A flock of sheep look most uninterestingly alike and hopelessly indistinguishable to us, but a good shepherd knows every one quite well. Yes, the Good Shepherd calleth His own sheep by name here, and "in Zion every one of them appeareth before God."
Our Saviour and our King, enthroned and crowned above, Shall with exceeding gladness bring the children of His love.
All that the Father gave. His glory shall behold; Not one whom .Tesus came to save is missing from His fold.