September 19 - Morning"The liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." — Galatians 5:1
This "liberty" makes us free to heaven's charter — the Bible. Here is a
choice passage, believer, "When thou passest through the rivers, I will be
with thee." You are free to that. Here is another: "The mountains shall
depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from
thee"; you are free to that. You are a welcome guest at the table of the
promises. Scripture is a never-failing treasury filled with boundless stores
of grace. It is the bank of heaven; you may draw from it as much as you
please, without let or hindrance. Come in faith and you are welcome to all
covenant blessings.
There is not a promise in the Word which shall be
withheld. In the depths of tribulations let this freedom comfort you;
amidst waves of distress let it cheer you; when sorrows surround thee let
it be thy solace. This is thy Father's love-token; thou art free to it at all
times. Thou art also free to the throne of grace. It is the believer's privilege
to have access at all times to His heavenly Father. Whatever our desires,
our difficulties, our wants, we are at liberty to spread all before Him. It
matters not how much we may have sinned, we may ask and expect pardon.
It signifies nothing how poor we are, we may plead His promise
that He will provide all things needful. We have permission to approach
His throne at all times — in midnight's darkest hour, or in noontide's most
burning heat. Exercise thy right, O believer, and live up to thy privilege.
Thou art free to all that is treasured up in Christ — wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. It matters not what thy need
is, for there is fulness of supply in Christ, and it is there for thee. O what a
"freedom" is thine! freedom from condemnation, freedom to the promises,
freedom to the throne of grace, and at last freedom to enter heaven! September 19 - Evening"For this child I prayed." — 1 Samuel 1:27
Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained
in answer to supplication, for they can see God's especial love in them.
When we can name our blessings Samuel, that is, "asked of God," they will
be as dear to us as her child was to Hannah. Peninnah had many children,
but they came as common blessings unsought in prayer: Hannah's one
heaven-given child was dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest
pleadings.
How sweet was that water to Samson which he found at "the
well of him that prayed!" Quassia cups turn all waters bitter, but the cup
of prayer puts a sweetness into the draughts it brings. Did we pray for the
conversion of our children? How doubly sweet, when they are saved, to
see in them our own petitions fulfilled! Better to rejoice over them as the
fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our bodies. Have we sought of the
Lord some choice spiritual gift? When it comes to us it will be wrapped up
in the gold cloth of God's faithfulness and truth, and so be doubly
precious. Have we petitioned for success in the Lord's work? How joyful
is the prosperity which comes flying upon the wings of prayer!
It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the
door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. Even
when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; the
child Jesus was all the more lovely in the eyes of Mary when she found
Him after having sought Him sorrowing. That which we win by prayer we
should dedicate to God, as Hannah dedicated Samuel. The gift came from
heaven, let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let
devotion consecrate it. Here will be a special occasion for saying, "Of
Thine own have I given unto Thee." Reader, is prayer your element or
your weariness? Which? September 19 |