September 3 - Morning"Thou whom my soul loveth." — Song of Solomon 1:7 It is well to be able, without any "if" or "but," to say of the Lord Jesus — "Thou whom my soul loveth." Many can only say of Jesus that they hope they love Him; they trust they love Him; but only a poor and shallow experience will be content to stay here. No one ought to give any rest to his spirit till he feels quite sure about a matter of such vital importance. We ought not to be satisfied with a superficial hope that Jesus loves us, and with a bare trust that we love Him.
The old saints did not generally speak with "buts," and "ifs," and "hopes," and "trusts," but they spoke positively and plainly. "I know whom I have believed," saith Paul. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," saith Job. Get positive knowledge of your love of Jesus, and be not satisfied till you can speak of your interest
in Him as a reality, which you have made sure by having received the
witness of the Holy Spirit, and His seal upon your soul by faith.
True love to Christ is in every case the Holy Spirit's work, and must be
wrought in the heart by Him. He is the efficient cause of it; but the logical
reason why we love Jesus lies in Himself. Why do we love Jesus? Because
He first loved us. Why do we love Jesus? Because He "gave Himself for
us." We have life through His death; we have peace through His blood.
Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. Why do we love
Jesus? Because of the excellency of His person. We are filled with a sense
of His beauty! an admiration of His charms! a consciousness of His
infinite perfection! His greatness, goodness, and loveliness, in one
resplendent ray, combine to enchant the soul till it is so ravished that it
exclaims, "Yea, He is altogether lovely." Blessed love this — a love which
binds the heart with chains more soft than silk, and yet more firm than
adamant! September 3 - Evening"The Lord trieth the righteous." — Psalm 11:5 All events are under the control of Providence;
consequently all the trials of our outward life are traceable at once to the great First
Cause. Out of the golden gate of God's ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad
in their iron armour, and armed with weapons of war. All providences are
doors to trial. Even our mercies, like roses, have their thorns. Men may be
drowned in seas of prosperity as well as in rivers of affliction. Our
mountains are not too high, and our valleys are not too low for
temptations: trials lurk on all roads. Everywhere, above and beneath, we
are beset and surrounded with dangers.
Yet no shower falls unpermitted
from the threatening cloud; every drop has its order ere it hastens to the
earth. The trials which come from God are sent to prove and strengthen
our graces, and so at once to illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the
genuineness of our virtues, and to add to their energy. Our Lord in His
infinite wisdom and superabundant love, sets so high a value upon His
people's faith that He will not screen them from those trials by which
faith is strengthened. You would never have possessed the precious faith
which now supports you if the trial of your faith had not been like unto
fire.
You are a tree that never would have rooted so well if the wind had
not rocked you to and fro, and made you take firm hold upon the precious
truths of the covenant grace. Worldly ease is a great foe to faith; it loosens
the joints of holy valour, and snaps the sinews of sacred courage. The
balloon never rises until the cords are cut; affliction doth this sharp service
for believing souls. While the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk it is
useless to man, it must be threshed out of its resting place before its value
can be known. Thus it is well that Jehovah trieth the righteous, for it
causeth them to grow rich towards God. September 3 |