October 22 - Morning"I will love them freely." — Hosea 14:4
This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. He who understands its
meaning is a theologian, and he who can dive into its fulness is a true
master in Israel. It is a condensation of the glorious message of salvation
which was delivered to us in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. The sense hinges
upon the word "freely." This is the glorious, the suitable, the divine way
by which love streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous love flowing
forth to those who neither deserved it, purchased it, nor sought after it. It
is, indeed, the only way in which God can love such as we are.
The text is
a death-blow to all sorts of fitness: "I will love them freely." Now, if there
were any fitness necessary in us, then He would not love us freely, at
least, this would be a mitigation and a drawback to the freeness of it. But it
stands, "I will love you freely."We complain, "Lord, my heart is so hard."
"I will love you freely." "But I do not feel my need of Christ as I could
wish." "I will not love you because you feel your need; I will love you
freely."
"But I do not feel that softening of spirit which I could desire."
Remember, the softening of spirit is not a condition, for there are no
conditions; the covenant of grace has no conditionality whatever; so that
we without any fitness may venture upon the promise of God which was
made to us in Christ Jesus, when He said, "He that believeth on Him is not
condemned." It is blessed to know that the grace of God is free to us at all
times, without preparation, without fitness, without money, and without
price! "I will love them freely." These words invite backsliders to return:
indeed, the text was specially written for such — "I will heal their
backsliding; I will love them freely." Backslider! surely the generosity of
the promise will at once break your heart, and you will return, and seek
your injured Father's face. October 22 - Evening"He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you." — John 16:15
There are times when all the promises and a doctrines of the Bible are of
no avail, unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are thirsty, but
too faint to crawl to the water- brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle
it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who
can bind up his wounds, and medicines there to ease all the pains which he
now suffers: what he needs is to be carried thither, and to have the
remedies applied. It is thus with our souls, and to meet this need there is
one, even the Spirit of truth, who takes of the things of Jesus, and applies
them to us. Think not that Christ hath placed His joys on heavenly
shelves that we may climb up to them for ourselves, but He draws near,
and sheds His peace abroad in our hearts.
O Christian, if thou art to-night
labouring under deep distresses, thy Father does not give thee promises
and then leave thee to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a
well, but the promises He has written in the Word He will write anew on
your heart. He will manifest His love to you, and by His blessed Spirit,
dispel your cares and troubles. Be it known unto thee, O mourner, that it
is God's prerogative to wipe every tear from the eye of His people. The
good Samaritan did not say, "Here is the wine, and here is the oil for you";
he actually poured in the oil and the wine.
So Jesus not only gives you the
sweet wine of the promise, but holds the golden chalice to your lips, and
pours the life-blood into your mouth. The poor, sick, way-worn pilgrim is
not merely strengthened to walk, but he is borne on eagles' wings.
Glorious gospel! which provides everything for the helpless, which draws
nigh to us when we cannot reach after it — brings us grace before we seek
for grace! Here is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people
who have the Holy Ghost to bring Jesus to them. October 22 |