October 3 - Morning"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" — Hebrews 1:14
Angels are the unseen attendants of the saints of God; they bear us up in
their hands, lest we dash our foot against a stone. Loyalty to their Lord
leads them to take a deep interest in the children of His love; they rejoice
over the return of the prodigal to his father's house below, and they
welcome the advent of the believer to the King's palace above. In olden
times the sons of God were favoured with their visible appearance, and at
this day, although unseen by us, heaven is still opened, and the angels of
God ascend and descend upon the Son of man, that they may visit the
heirs of salvation. Seraphim still fly with live coals from off the altar to
touch the lips of men greatly beloved. If our eyes could be opened, we
should see horses of fire and chariots of fire about the servants of the Lord;
for we have come to an innumerable company of angels, who are all
watchers and protectors of the seed-royal.
Spenser's line is no poetic fiction, where he sings — To what dignity are the chosen elevated when the brilliant courtiers of
heaven become their willing servitors! Into what communion are we raised
since we have intercourse with spotless celestials! How well are we
defended since all the twenty- thousand chariots of God are armed for our
deliverance! To whom do we owe all this? Let the Lord Jesus Christ be for
ever endeared to us, for through Him we are made to sit in heavenly places
far above principalities and powers. He it is whose camp is round about
them that fear Him; He is the true Michael whose foot is upon the dragon.
All hail, Jesus! thou Angel of Jehovah's presence, to Thee this family
offers its morning vows. October 3 - Evening"He Himself hath suffered being tempted." — Hebrews 2:18
It is a common-place thought, and yet it tastes like nectar to the weary
heart — Jesus I was tempted as I am. You have heard that truth many
times: have you grasped it? He was tempted to the very same sins into
which we fall. Do not dissociate Jesus from our common manhood. It is a
dark room which you are going through, but Jesus went through it before.
It is a sharp fight which you are waging, but Jesus has stood foot to foot
with the same enemy. Let us be of good cheer, Christ has borne the load
before us, and the blood-stained footsteps of the King of glory may be
seen along the road which we traverse at this hour.
There is something
sweeter yet — Jesus was tempted, but Jesus never sinned. Then, my soul,
it is not needful for thee to sin, for Jesus was a man, and if one man
endured these temptations and sinned not, then in His power His members
may also cease from sin. Some beginners in the divine life think that they
cannot be tempted without sinning, but they mistake; there is no sin in
being tempted, but there is sin in yielding to temptation. Herein is comfort
for the sorely tempted ones.
There is still more to encourage them if they
reflect that the Lord Jesus, though tempted, gloriously triumphed, and as
He overcame, so surely shall His followers also, for Jesus is the
representative man for His people; the Head has triumphed, and the
members share in the victory. Fears are needless, for Christ is with us,
armed for our defence. Our place of safety is the bosom of the Saviour.
Perhaps we are tempted just now, in order to drive us nearer to Him.
Blessed be any wind that blows us into the port of our Saviour's love!
Happy wounds, which make us seek the beloved Physician. Ye tempted
ones, come to your tempted Saviour, for He can be touched with a feeling
of your infirmities, and will succour every tried and tempted one. October 3 |