March
March 2
NOT YOUR OWN
Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Corinthians 6:19-20 The more we by faith and experience realize that we are His own in life and death, the more willing we shall be that He should do what He will with His own and the more sure we shall be that He will do the very best with it and make the very most of it.
May we increasingly find the strength and rest of this, in our God-given claim upon God.
"I am Thine, save me!" And "He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in His love."
Not your own! To Him ye owe all your life and all your love; Live, that ye His praise may show, who is yet all praise above.
Every day and every hour, every gift and every power.
Consecrate to Him alone, who hath claimed you for His own.
Teach us, Master, how to give all we have and are to Thee; Grant us.
Saviour, while we live, wholly, only. Thine to be.
Henceforth be our calling high, Thee to serve and glorify; Ours no longer, but Thine own. Thine forever, Thine alone!
March 3
BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION!
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.
1 Peter 3:18
If when we looked back on some terrible suffering unto death of one who loved us dearly, I really do not know how any heart could bear it, if we distinctly knew that all that prolonged agony was borne instead of us, and borne for nothing in the world but for love of us.
But if to this were added the knowledge that we had behaved abominably to that dying one, done all sorts of things, now beyond recall, to grieve and vex him, not cared one bit about his love or made him any return of even natural affection, held aloof from him and sided with those who were against him ; and then the terrible details of his slow agony were told, nay shown to us—well, imagine our remorse if you can, I cannot!
The burden of grief and gratitude would be crushing, and if there were still any possible way in which we could show that poor, late gratitude, we should count nothing at any cost if we might but prove our tardy love.
Only I think we should never know another hour's
rest.
But it is part of the strange power of the remembrance of our Lord's sufferings that it brings strength and solace and peace; for, as Bunyan says, "He hath given us rest by His sorrow."
The bitterness of death to Him is the very fountain of the sweetness of life to us.
Do the words after all seem to fall without power or reality on your heart?
Is it nothing, or very little more than nothing, to you?
Not that you do not know it is all true, but your heart seems cold, and your apprehension mechanical, and your faith paralyzed — does this describe you?
Thank God that feelings do not alter facts!
He suffered for this sinful coldness as well as for all other sins.
He suffered, the Just for the unjust; and are we not emphatically unjust when we requite His tremendous love this way?
My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me, My love, so poor, so cold?
Oh, if I had but loved Thee more.
Yet Thou hast pardoned.
Let me pour My life's best wine for Thee, my heart's best gold (Worthless yet all I have), for very shame That Thou shouldst tell me, calling me by name Thus saith Jehovah, I remembei' thee.
March 4 CLEAVING The men of Judah clave unto their king.
2 Samuel 20:2
It is not a matter of course that coming is followed by cleaving Even when the King Himself, in His veiled royalty, walked and talked with His few faithful followers, many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. There was no word of indignation or reproach, only the appeal of infinite pathos from His gracious lips.
"Will ye also go away?"
Let this sound in our ears today, not only in moments of temptation to swerve from truest-hearted loyalty and service, but all through the business of the day; stirring our too-easy-going resting into active cleaving; quickening our following afar off into following hard after Him ; rousing us to add to the blessed assurance, "Thine are we, David!" the bolder and nobler position, "and on Thy side!"
In Thee I trust, on Thee I rest, O Saviour dear. Redeemer blest!
No earthly friend, no brother knows my weariness, my wants, my woes.
On Thee I call, who knowest all.
O Saviour dear. Redeemer blest, in Thee I trust, on Thee I rest.
March 3
A SURE KEEPER
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Psalm 121:3
I will trust, and not be afraid.
Isaiah 12:2
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.
Psalm 91:5
All through the dark hours He keepeth thee; keeps you from everything that could hurt or even frighten you. He keepeth thee; only think who is your Keeper! the mighty God, who can do everything, and can see everything.
Why need you ever fear with such a Keeper?
It is very nice to know that "He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee"
; but it is sweeter and grander still to think that God Himself keeps us.
As if He wanted us to be very sure of it, and to leave us no excuse for ever being afraid any more, He even says it three times over, "He that keepeth thee will not slumber."
"Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."
"The Lord is thy Keeper." What could He say more?
He is speaking in the darkness, tho' thou canst not see His face.
More than angels ever needed, mercy, pardon, love and grace.
Speaking of the many mansions, where, in safe and holy rest.
Thou shalt be with Him forever, perfectly and always blest.
What He tells thee in the darkness, whispers thro' time's lonely night, Thou shalt speak in glorious praises, in the everlasting light!
March 6
OUR SURETY
I will be surety for him.
Genesis 43:9
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 7:22
Judah promised his father to bring Benjamin back safely from Egypt.
He undertook this entirely.
He said, "I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou require him : if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever." And his father trusted Judah to do as he had said, and so Judah was surety for Benjamin.
The Lord Jesus is Surety for us. He undertakes to bring us safely to the house of His Father and our Father.
He undertakes to present us before the presence of His glory. We are in His hand, and from His hand God will require us and receive us. Now, if God has trusted Him, will not you trust Him too? What!
Hesitate about trusting Jesus? Whom else could you trust? Who else
could undertake to bring you safe to Heaven? Benjamin might possibly have found his way by himself from Egypt to Canaan but never, never could you find the way by yourself from earth to Heaven; and never could anyone but the Lord Jesus bring you there. Benjamin could not be quite certain that his brother could keep his promise, for Judah was only a man, and might have been killed in Egypt, but you may be quite certain that the Lord Jesus can keep His promise, for He is God as well as Man. And do you think He would break His promise?
He, the Faithful Saviour, break His promise?
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His word shall not pass away ! Then trust Him now, and never wrong His faithful love by leaving off trusting Him.
But on a higher, holier mount that Voice is pleading still; For while one weary child of His yet wanders here below, While yet one thirsting soul desires His peace and love to know,
And while one fainting spirit seeks His holiness to share.
The Saviour's loving heart shall pour a tide of mighty prayer; Yes! till each ransomed one hath gained his home of joy and peace.
That fount of blessings all untold shall never, never cease.
March 7
THE TIE THAT BINDS
I am my beloved's, and my beloved Is mine.
Song of Solomon 6:3
The believer's "1 am Thine" is only an echo, varying in clearness according to faith's atmosphere and our nearness to the original voice.
Yes, it is only the echo of "Thou art mine," falling in its mighty music on the responsive, because Spiritprepared, heart.
This note of heavenly music never originated with any earthly rock.
It is only when God sends forth the Spirit of His Son in our hearts that we cry, "Abba, Father."
It was when the anointed but not yet openly crowned king had gone out to meet Amasai and the Spirit came upon him that he said, "Thine we are David."
Therefore do not overlook the voice in the gladness of the echo.
Listen and you will hear it falling from the mysterious heights of high-priestly intercession : "They are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are
Mine."
Then bring your poor affection, and try it by this test; The hidden depth is fathomed, you see you love Him best!
Tis but a feeble echo of His great love to you.
Yet in His ear each note is dear, its harmony is true.
March 8
HOLINESS — CONFIDENCE — JOY
We are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.
Hebrews 6:9
There should be three practical results of our salvation:
(1) Holiness. We must see to it that we resolutely put away all that ought not to be in His royal abode.
"Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
(2) Confidence. What does the citadel fear when an invincible general is within it?
"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save." He is the wall of fire round about, and the glory in the midst of her; and he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.
(3) Joy.
Yes!
"Be glad and rejoice with all the heart"
; "sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion ; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord."
"Certainly I will be with thee!"
Father, I have found it true:
To Thy fait-hfulness and mercy I would set my seal anew.
All the year Thy grace hath kept me, Thou my help indeed hast been, Marvelous the loving-kindness every day and hour hath seen.
March 9
COME AND SEE
Come and see.
John 1:39
The Lord Jesus said it first.
He said it to the two disciples of John who heard that He was the Lamb of God.
They knew very little about Him, but they followed Him.
Perhaps they would not even have ventured to speak, but "Jesus turned, and saw them following," and spoke to them.
Then they asked Him where He dwelt, and He said, "Come and see!"
Philip said it next.
He had found Christ himself, and at once he told his friend Nathanael about it, "Come and see!"
Is it not said still?
Oh, "come and see!"
Look into the Saviour's glorious and loving face, and see what a lovelj'^ and precious Saviour
He is!
Come and see how ready He is to receive you, and to bless you.
Come and see what He has done for you ; see how He loved you and gave Himself for you; how He lived and suffered and bled and died for you !
Come and see what gifts He has for you — forgiveness and peace. His Spirit and His
grace, His joy and His love! Come and see where He dwelleth —see that He is ready to come in and dwell with you, to make your heart His own dwelling-place.
Oh, if I could but persuade you to "come and see!"
There is no other sight so glorious and beautiful.
Will you not come?
When you have come, when you can say, like Philip, "We have found Him!" and like Paul, "We see Jesus," will you not say to someone else, "Come and see!"
You will wish every one else to come to Him, and you have His word to bid you try to bring them
"Let him that heareth say, Come!"
Hush! while on silvery wing of holiest song Floats forth the old, dear story of our peace, His coming, the Desire of Ages long.
To wear our chains, and win our glad release.
Our wondering joy, to hear such tidings blest Is crowned with "Come to Him, and He will give you rest."
March 10
NOT FOR TIME — BUT FOR ETERNITY
Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare [margin, stablish] their heart unto thee.
1 Chronicles 29:18
What was to be kept forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart ? Something that God had put there
; for you cannot keep a thing in any place till it is first put there.
The people had responded to the appeal of their king, "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?"
As the expression of this service they had offered willingly and rejoicingly to the Lord.
What they had offered was all His own : "Of Thine own have we given Thee." And David acknowledges that it was all of Him that they were enabled (margin, obtained strength) "to offer so willingly after this sort." Was all this consecration and joy to be a thing of a day? Nay! in his grand inspired prayer David, foreshadowing the Royal Intercessor by whom alone we offer up spiritual sacrifices, prays, "0 Lord God, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people."
My Lord, art Thou indeed remembering me?
Then let me not forget!
Oh, be Thy kindness all the way Thy everlasting love today.
In sweet perpetual remembrance set Before my view, to fill my marvelling gaze.
And stir my love, and lift my life to praise, Because Thou sayest, "I remember Thee."
March
THE KING NEEDS YOU
Loose him, and bring him .
. the Lord hath need of him.
Mark 11:2,3 Perhaps we have the dreary idea, "Nobody wants me!" We never need grope in that gloom again, when the King Himself desires us!
This desire is love active, love in glow, love going forth, love delighting and longing.
It is the strongest representation of the love of Jesus—something far beyond the love of pity or compassion ; it is the taking pleasure in His people ; delighting in them; willing (i.e., putting forth the grand force of His will) that they should be with Him where He is, with Him now, with Him always.
It is the love that does not end and will not endure separation—the love that cannot do without its object.
Why will you do without Him?
He calls and calls again "Come unto Me!
Come unto Me!"
Oh, shall He call in vain?
He wants to have you with Him; do you not want Him too?
You cannot do without Him, and He wants — even you.
March 12
CONSIDERATION
I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure.
Genesis 33:14
The story of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the children is a beautiful little picture.
He would not let them be overdriven even for one day. "My Lord," said he (verse 13), "knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die." He would not lead on according to what Esau could do and expected them to do, but only according to what they were able to endure.
"Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee"
(verse 12).
He had had so much to do with them that he knew exactly how far they could go in a day ; and he made that his only consideration in arranging the marches.
Perhaps his own halting thigh made him more considerate for "the foot of the cattle" and "the foot of the children"
(see margin).
Besides, he had gone the same wilderness journey before (29:1) when they were not yet in existence, and knew all about its roughness and heat
and length by personal experience. And so he said, "I will lead on softly."
Is it not restful to know that you are not answerable to any Esaus for how much you get through, or how far you are led on in the day!
'They" don't know, or, knowing, don't remember the weakness or drawbacks. Maybe they wonder you do not get on farther and faster, doing the work better, bearing up against the suffering or the sorrow more bravely.
And maybe you feel wounded without a word being said, simply because you know they don't know.
Then turn to the Good Shepherd in whose "feeble flock" you are, and remember that He remembers.
Talk to Him about it for "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do"
(Hebrews 4:13).
Our Father, Thou carest; Thou knowest indeed Our inmost desires, our manifold need; The fount of Thy mercies shall never be dry.
For Thy riches in glory shall mete the supply; Our bread shall be given, our water be sure.
And nothing shall fail, for Thy word shall endure, And Thine is the power.
March 13
"IN THEM-
IS not the Lord in Zion?
Is not her king in her?
Jeremiah 8:19
Waiting for a royal coming—what expectation, what preparation, what tension ! A glimpse for many, a full view for some, a word for a favored few, and the pageant is over like a dream.
The Sovereign may come, but does not stay.
Our King comes not thus : He comes not to pass, but to "dwell in the midst of thee"
; not only in His church collectively, but in each believer individually. We pray, "Abide with us," and He answers in the sublime plural of Godhead, "We will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
Even this grand abiding with us does not extend to the full marvels of His condescension and His nearness, for the next time He speaks of it He changes the "with" to "in," and thenceforth only speaks of "I in you,"
"I in him," "I in them."
Certainly I will be with thee!
Let me feel it, Saviour dear.
Let me know that Thou art with me, very precious, very near.
On this day of solemn pausing, with Thyself all longing still, Let Thy pardon, let Thy presence, let Thy peace my spirit fill.
March 14
BANNERS UNFURLED
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee.
Psalm 60:4
Then what is your banner, and what are you doing with it?
For if you are among them that fear God, He has given you a banner that it may be displayed.
Carrying a banner means something.
First, it means that you belong to or have to do with those whose banner you carry, and that you are not ashamed of them. Secondly, it means that we are ready to fight, and ready to encourage others to fight under the same banner.
Thirdly, it means rejoicing. You know how flags are hung out on special days, and carried in triumphal processions.
Then, in the name of our God we will set up our banners novl The Master hath called us. the children who fear Him, Who march 'neath Christ's banner, His own little band; We love Him, and seek Him; we long to be near Him,
And rest in the light of His beautiful land.
March D
THE WAY TO PROSPERITY
The first of the firstfrults of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God.
Exodus 34:26
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:;?,'?
Firstfruits should be specially set apart.
This we find running all through the Bible.
There is a tacit appeal to our gratitude in the suggestion of them—the very word implies bounty received and bounty in prospect.
Bringing "the first of the firstfi'uits into the house of the Lord thy God" was like saying grace for all the plenty He was going to bestow on the faithful
Israelite.
Something of gladness, too, seems always implied.
"The day of the firstfruits" was to be a day of rejoicing (compare Numbers 28:26 with Deuteronomy
16:10-11).
There is also an appeal to loyalty: we are commanded to honor the Lord with the firstfruits of all our increase. And that is the way to prosper, for the next word is, "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty."
The friend who first called my attention to this command, said that the setting apart firstfruits — making a proportion for God's work a first charge upon the income—always seemed to bring a blessing on the rest, and that since this had
been systematically done, it actually seemed to go farther than when not thus lessened.
Presenting our firstfruits should be a peculiarly delightful act, as they are themselves the emblem of our consecrated relationship to God.
For of His own will begat He us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
How sweet and hallowed and richly emblematic our little acts of obedience in this matter become, when we throw this light upon them !
And how blessedly they may remind us of the heavenly company, singing, as it were, a new song before the throne; for they are the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Set apart to praise Him, set apart for this!
Have the blessed angels any truer bliss?
Soft the prelude, though so clear; Isolated tones are trembling; But the chosen choir, assembling.
Soon shall sing together, while the universe shall hear.
March 16
TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD
The people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
2 Chronicles 32:8
We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.
2 Chronicles 14:11
If we have an entire and present belief in "My grace is sufficient for thee," or "Lo, I am with you alway," should we feel nervous at anything He calls us to do for Him?
Would not that word be indeed for rest in the moment of need — rest from the hard bondage of service to which we feel unequal?
Have we not sometimes found it so; and if so, why not always?
I see nothing about "sometimes" in any of His promises.
If we have an entire and present belief that "all things work together for good," or that He leads us forth by the right way, should we feel worried when some one thing seems to work wrong, and some one yard of the way is not what we think straightest? We lean upon the Word of the King for everlasting life, why not for daily life also?
When He says perfect peace, He cannot mean imperfect peace. Just as the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah, so simply let us rest upon the words of our King, Jesus.
If some things were omitted or altered as we would.
The whole might be unfitted to work for perfect good.
Our plans may be disjointed, but we may calmly rest; What Ood has once appointed is better than our best.
March 17
LOVE THAT MOVES
For the love of Christ constraineth us.
2 Corinthians 5:14
Do you love Him?
If you I'eally do, there can surely be neither hesitation about yielding your hands to Him, nor about entrustingthem to Him to be kept.
Does He love you?
That is the truer way of putting it; for it is not our love to Christ, but the love of Christ to us which constraineth us. And this is the impulse of the motion and the mode of the keeping.
The steamengine does not move when the fire is not kindled, nor when it is gone out; no matter how complete the machinery and abundant the fuel, cold coals will neither set it going nor keep it working.
Let us ask Him so to shed abroad His love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, that it may be the perpetual and only impulse of every action of our daily life.
He loves the little children so; does darling Eric love Him?
I think the angels must have smiled a rainbow-smile above him.
Yet hardly brighter than his own, that lit the answer true, Jesus, the kind good Jesus!
Me do. oh yes. me do!
March 18
HIS ETERNITY FOR THEE
For your sakes he became poor.
Corinthians 8:9
For their sakes I sanctify myself.
John 17:19
For their sakes therefore return thou on high.
Psalm 7:7
All we can ask Him to take are days and moments — the little span given us as it is given, and of this only the present in deed and the future in will.
As for the past insofar as we did not give it to Him it is too late; we can never give it now.
But His past was given to us, though ours was not given to Him.
Oh, what a tremendous debt does this show us!
Away back in the dim depths of past eternity, "or ever the efirth and the world were made," His divine existence in the bosom of His Father was all for thee, purposing and planning for thee, receiving and holding the promise of eternal life for thee.
Then the thirty-three years among sinners on this sinful earth ; do we think enough of the slow-wearing days and nights,
the heavy-footed hours, the never-hastening minutes, that went to make up those thirty-three years of trial and humiliation?
We all knou^ how slowly time passes when suffering and sorrow are near, and there is no reason to suppose that our Master was exempted from this part of our infirmities.
Then His present is for thee.
Even now He liveth to make intercession ; even now He "thinketh upon me"
; even now He "knoweth," He "careth," He "loveth."
Then, only to think that His whole eternity will be "for thee."
Millions of ages of unfoldings of all His love and of ever new declarings of His Father's names to His brethren.
Think of it ! and can we ever hesitate to give all our poor little hours to His service?
All His work is ended, joyfully we sing, Jesus hath ascended!
Glory to our King!
Praying for His children, in that blessed place, Calling them to glory, sending them His grace; His bright home preparing, faithful ones, for you; Jesus ever liveth, ever loveth too.
March 19
CONTINUALLY CLEAN
Let thy garments be always white.
Ecclesiastes 9:8
Always?
Oh, how can that be? They are soiled again directly after they have been washed clean !
Yet God says, "Let them be ahcays white"
; and He would not tell you to do what was impossible.
You could not keep your gannents white for five minutes; careless thoughts would come like dust upon them and wrong words would make great dark stains, and before long some unexpected deed would be like a sad fall into the mire, and you would feel sad and ashamed.
But why should all this happen over and over again, till anybody but our own loving, long-suffering Saviour would be tired of us, and give up doing any more for us? Why should it be, when His precious blood cleanseth us from all sin, and "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Perhaps you never thought of this.
Trust Him today to do this, and see if it is not the happiest day j^ou ever spent!
And He can do all this for me, because in sorrow, on the tree.
He once for sinners hung; and, having washed (heir sin away, He now rejoices, day by day, to cleanse His trusting one.
March 20
HOW TO FILL AN ACHING VOID
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.
John 4:13-14 First, you see j^ou are quite sure to thirst again; it is no use expecting to find anything earthly that will satisfy you.
Secondly, Jesus has something to give you which will make you satisfied and glad.
Thirdly, as long as you go on drinking this, you will be aJii'ays satisfied and glad.
Fourthly, you cannot get it from anyone or anything else.
Jesus gives it, and Jesus only.
Fifthly, it must be meant for you, because He says, "whosoever," and that means anyone. And He says,
"Ho everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!" and "if any man thirst, let Him come unto Me and drink."
And, "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."
Ye shall find in Him the filling of the "aching void" within; In Him the instant antidote for anguish and for sin; In Him the conscious meeting of the soul's unuttered need; In Him the ALL that ye have sought, the goal of life indeed.
March 21
SEVENFOLD JUSTIFICATION
The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24
This glorious justification by faith is sevenfold.
We are justified:
"By His grace"—the grace of God the Father, one of whose most wonderful titles is "The Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
"By His blood"—that precious blood which has to do with every stage of our redemption and effectuated salvation from the writing of our names in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, till the chorus of the "new song" is full in Heaven.
"By the righteousness of One"
(of the One), "by the obedience of One"; by which the free gift, the unspeakable gift of eternal life—nay, of Christ Himself to be our life
"came upon all men unto justification of life."
By the resurrection of Jesus our Lord who was raised again for our justification, the grand token that our Substitute had indeed fulfilled all righteousness for us.
"By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities."
For true faith is founded upon the knowledge of Him and "this is life eternal."
"By faith"; just only believing God's Word and accepting God's way about it.
By works; because these are the necessary and inseparable evidence that faith is not mere fancy or talk.
By the grace of God the Father, thou art freely justified, Thro' the great redemption purchased by the blood of Him who died; By His life, for thee fulfilling God's command exceeding broad.
By His glorious resurrection, seal and signet of our God.
March 22
THE KEY TO GOD'S TREASURE HOUSE
Thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures.
Jeremiah 48:7
It is only the continual drawing from His good treasure that will profit us, even "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
"And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."
It is only with God-given treasure that we can enrich others.
When we want to give a word to another, it generally seems to come with more power if, instead of casting about for what we think likely to suit them, we simply hand over to them any treasure word which He has freshly given to us.
When He opens to us some shining bit of treasure, let us not forget, "Freely ye have received, freely give."
Also, let us not stand idly waiting for some further opening of treasure but "let there be search made in the king's treasure house," in the house of the rolls where the treasures are laid up, where the decrees and records of our King are to be found.
They are truly hidden riches.
Neither must we trust in our own store of spiritual treasures, whether of memory, experience, or even grace.
His love is the key and His glory the measure Of grace all-abounding and knowledge and light; To thee shall be opened this infinite treasure.
To thee, the unsearchable riches of Christ.
March 23
WORDS WHICH WORK
This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
Isaiah 28:29
Do not quarrel with the invisible dew because it is not a visible shower.
The Lord would send a shower if that was the true need to be supplied to His vineyard ; but as He is sending His speech in another form, you may be quite sure it is because He is supplying your true need thereby.
You cannot see why it is so, and I do not pretend to explain ; but what does that matter!
He knows which way to water His vineyard.
These words of His, which you are remembering so feebly, or reading without being able to grasp, are not going to return void. They are doing His own work on your soul, only in a quite different way to what you would choose.
By and by they will sparkle out in the light of a new morning, and you will find yourself starting fresh, and perhaps wondering how it is that the leaves of life which hung so limp and drooping are so fresh and firm again on their stems.
Tho' all is silencp in my heart.
I know thnt Thon hast heard.
I lay my prayer before Thee, and, trusting in Thy word, To that blest City lead me. Lord (still choosing all my way).
Where faith melts into vision as the starlight into day.
March 24
KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that .
Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Philippians 1:20
Consecration is not a religiously selfish thing.
If it sinks into that, it ceases to be consecration.
We want our lives kept, not that we may feel happy and be saved the distress conse- (luent on wandering and get the power with God and man. and all the other privileges linked with it. We shall have all this, because the lower is included in the higher; but our true aim, if the love of Christ constraineth us, will be far beyond this.
Not "for me" at all but "for Jesus"
; not for my safety, but for His glory; not foi* my comfort, but for His joy; not that I may find rest, but that He may see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied !
Yes, for Him I want to be kept.
Kept
for His sake; kept for His use; kept to be His witness; kept for His joy!
Kept for Him, that in me He may show forth some tiny sparkle of His light and beauty; kept to do His will and His work in His own way; kept, it may be, to suffer for His sake; kept for Him, that He may do just what seemeth
Him good with me; kept, so that no other lord shall have any more dominion over me, but that Jesus shall have all there is to have—little enough, indeed, but not divided or diminished by any other claim.
Is not this, you who love the Lord— is not this worth living for, worth asking for, worth trusting for?
"He is thy Lord!"
Oh, mine! though other lords Have had dominion, now I know Thy name, And its great music is the only key To which my soul vibrates in full accord.
Blending with other notes but as they blend With this.
Oh, mine!
But dare I say it, I, Who fail and wander, mourning oftentimes Some sin-made discord, or some tuneless string?
It would be greater daring to deny To say, "Not mine," when Thou hast proved to me
That I am Thine, by promise sealed with blood.
March 2^
A RACE TO RUN
Let us lay aside every weight.
Hebrews 12:1
If you were going to run a race, you would first put down all the parcels you might have been carrying.
You have a race to run today, a little piece of the great race that is set before you.
God has set a splendid prize before you, "the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," a crown that is incorruptible.
What are you going to do about the weights, the things that hinder you from running this race?
You know some things do seem to hinder you ; will you keep them or lay them aside?
Will you only lay aside something that every one can see is hindering you, so that you will get a little credit for putting it down, and keep something that your own conscience knows is a real hindrance, though no one else knows anything at all about it?
It may seem hard to lay our pet weight down; but oh! if you only knew how light we feel when it is laid down, and how much easier it is to run the race which God has set before us Unfurl the Christian Standard, with firm and fearless hands!
Foino pale flag ot compromise with Error's legion bands.
And no faint-hearted flag of truce with Mischief and with Wrong, Should lead the soldiers of the Cross, the faithful and the strong.
March 26
WHEN DUTY BECOMES PLEASURE
That he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2 Timothy 2:4
Here is something worth aiming at, worth trying for!
The Lord Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, is He who has chosen us to be His soldiers; and now, does He only tell us that we may do our duty—serve, obey, and fight?
No; He tells us something more, gives us a hope and an aim so bright and pleasant, that it is like sunshine upon everything.
He says we "may please Him."
Only one who knows what it is to mourn for having grieved the dear Saviour, can quite understand what a happy word this is!
That we, who have been cold, and careless, and sinful, grieving His love over and over again, should be told after all that we may please Him !
Oh. if we love Him, our hearts will just leap at the hope of it!
Perhaps we thought this could not be till we reached Heaven but His own Word says we "may please Him."
Then eveiy little service, of hand, or pen, or voice, Become.s. if He has asked it. the service of my choice, And from my own desires 'tis not so hard to part.
If once I know I follow so.
His wiser will and heart.
March 21
EVERYTHING FOR YOU!
Is it nothing to you?
Lamentations 1:12
This was said of a great sorrow, which should have touched the heart of every one who passed by and saw it, the terrible troubles that came upon Jerusalem and her children.
But this was also a type of the far more terrible cup of sorrow which the Lord Jesus drank for us, drank it willingly, so that we might drink of the river of His pleasures.
Listen ! for it is as if He said to you and me, "Is it nothing to you, al) ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto My sorrow !"
Behold and see how all His life He was a Man of Sorrows, not having where to lay His head; His own brethren refusing to believe in Him, the wicked Jews hating Him, and over and over again trying to kill Him, and He knowing all the while that awful suffering was before Him.
Behold and see Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, being in an agony and saying, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."
Behold and see Him, scourged and spit upon, led as a lamb to the slaughter, and then nailed to the cross; suffering even unto death, thirsting in the terrible pain, and yet not drinking to still it, and saying in the midst of it all, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Was ever any sorrow like unto the sorrow that our Lord Jesus Christ went through for love of us?
Is it nothing to you?
Can you look at it and not care about it?
Can you pass by and go on just the same as if He had never loved and suffered?
Oh, instead of nothing, let it be henceforth everything to you !
Let it be your peace and joy, your strength and your song; let it fill your heart with love and gratitude; let it make you determined to live for Him who suffered and died for you.
For me that full and fearful cup to drink Because Thou lovedst even to the end!
"He suffered!"
Saviour, was Thy love so vast That mysteries of unknown agony.
Even unto death, its only gauge could be.
Unmeasured as the fiery depths it passed?
Lord, by the sorrows of Gethsemane Seal Thou my quivering love for ever unto Thee.
March 28
NO WITHHOLDINGS
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32
All that I have is thine.
Luke 15:31
He holds nothing back, reserves nothing from His dear children, and what we cannot receive now He is keeping for us.
He gives us "hidden riches of secret places" now, but by and by He will give us more, and the glorified intellect will be filled continually out of His treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
But the sanctified intellect will be, must be, used for Him, and only for Him, now!
For only work that is for God alone Hath an unceasing guerdon of delight, A guerdon unaffected by the sight Of great success, nor by its loss o'erthrown.
All else is vanity beneath the sun.
There may be joy in doing, but it palls when done.
For there are few who care to analyze The mingled motives, in their complex force, Of some apparently quite simple course; One disentangled skein might well surprise.
Perhaps a "single heart" is never known.
Save in a yielded life that lives for God alone.
March 29
MY GOD AND
I .
He performeth the thing that is appointed for me.
Job 23:14
This is wonderfully inclusive; one should read over all the Epistles to get a view of the things present and future, seen and unseen, the grace and the glory that He has appointed for us.
It includes also all the "good works which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them."
It will not be our performance of them, but His; for He "worketh in you to will and to do," and "Thou also hast wrought all our works in us."
The beautiful old translation says. He "shall perform the cause which I have in hand."
Does not that make it very real to us today?
Just the very thing that "I have in hand," my own particular bit of work today—this cause that I cannot manage, this thing that I undertook in miscalculation of my own powers—this is what I may ask Him to do "for me," and rest assured that He will perform it.
"The wise and their works are in the hand of God!"
Thro' the whole of life's long way, outward, inward need we trace; Need arising day by day, patience, wisdom, strength, and grace.
Needing Jesus most of all. full of need, on Him we call:
Then how gracious His reply, God shall all your need supply!
March 30
FAITHFULNESS
Faithful over a few things.
Matthew 2.5:21.23
The servant who had only two talents to trade with, but traded faithfully with them, had just the same glorious words spoken to him as the servant who had five talents: "Well done, good and faithful servant : thou hast been faithful over a few things
. enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
Think what it would be to hear the Lord Jesus saying that to you, really to you Oh, how sweet! how blessed!
How you would listen to that gracious voice saying those wonderfully gracious words to you
But could He say them to you?
Are you "faithful over a few things"?
He has given every one a few things to be faithful over, and so He has to you.
Your "few things" may be very few, and very small things, but He expects you to be faithful over them. What is being faithful over them?
It means doing
the very best you can with them ; doing as much for Jesus as you can with your money, even if you have very little; doing as much as you can for Him with your time.
You sigh over this and think of how unfaithful you have been.
You know you do not deserve for Him to call you "good and faithful servant." But come at once to your gracious Lord, and ask Him to forgive you for all the unfaithfulness and to make you faithful today.
And then, even in small matters you will find it helpful to recollect, "Faithful over a few things."
Only, Lord, in Thy dear love fit us for perfect rest above; And help us, this and every day, to live more nearly as we pray.
In the service royal let us not gro^%' cold; Let us be right, loyal, noble, true and bold, Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine.
Always on the Lord's side.
Saviour, always Thine!
March 31
READY TO DO WHAT
IS MOST NEEDED
What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?
Luke 18:41
Let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6
Only a blind beggar by the wayside!
But Jesus of Nazareth stood still when he cried to Him. He could not grope his way among the crowd, but Jesus commanded him to be brought near to Him.
He knew why the poor man had cried out, but He would have him tell it to Himself.
So He said, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?"
Wonderful question, with a wonderful promise wrapped up in it!
For it meant that the mighty Son of God was ready to do whatever this poor blind beggar asked.
What did he ask?
First, just what he most wanted !
Not what he supposed he ought to ask, nor what anyone had taught him to ask, nor what other people asked; but simply what he wanted.
Secondly, he asked straight off for a miracle!
He never stopped to question whether it was likely or not, nor how Jesus of Nazareth would do it, nor whether it was too much to ask all at once, nor whether the people would think him too bold.
He knew what he wanted, and he believed that Jesus of Nazareth could do it, and so he asked, and that was enough.
O Tender One, O Mighty One. who never sent away The sinner or the sufferer. Thou art the same today!
The same in love, the same in power, and Thou art waiting still.
To heal the multitudes that come. yea. "whosoever will"!