December 12 - Morning"His ways are everlasting." — Habakkuk 3:6
What He hath done at one time, He will do yet again. Man's ways are
variable, but God's ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this
most comforting truth: among them are the following — the Lord's ways
are the result of wise deliberation; He ordereth all things according to the
counsel of His own will. Human action is frequently the hasty result of
passion, or fear, and is followed by regret and alteration; but nothing can
take the Almighty by surprise, or happen otherwise than He has foreseen.
His ways are the outgrowth of an immutable character, and in them the
fixed and settled attributes of God are clearly to be seen. Unless the
Eternal One Himself can undergo change, His ways, which are Himself in
action, must remain for ever the same. Is He eternally just, gracious,
faithful, wise, tender? — then His ways must ever be distinguished for the
same excellences. Beings act according to their nature: when those natures
change, their conduct varies also; but since God cannot know the shadow
of a turning, His ways will abide everlastingly the same.
Moreover there is
no reason from without which could reverse the divine ways, since they
are the embodiment of irresistible might. The earth is said, by the prophet,
to be cleft with rivers, mountains tremble, the deep lifts up its hands, and
sun and moon stand still, when Jehovah marches forth for the salvation of
His people. Who can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?
But it is not might alone which gives stability; God's ways are the
manifestation of the eternal principles of right, and therefore can never pass
away. Wrong breeds decay and involves ruin, but the true and the good
have about them a vitality which ages cannot diminish.
This morning let us go to our heavenly Father with confidence,
remembering that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,
and in Him the Lord is ever gracious to His people. December 12 - Evening"They have dealt treacherously against the Lord." — Hosea 5:7
Believer, here is a sorrowful truth! Thou art the beloved of the Lord,
redeemed by blood, called by grace, preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in
the Beloved, on thy way to heaven, and yet, "thou hast dealt
treacherously" with God, thy best friend; treacherously with Jesus, whose
thou art; treacherously with the Holy Spirit, by whom thou hast been
quickened unto life eternal! How treacherous you have been in the matter
of vows and promises.
Do you remember the love of your espousals, that
happy time — the springtide of your spiritual life? Oh, how closely did
you cling to your Master then! saying, "He shall never charge me with
indifference; my feet shall never grow slow in the way of His service; I will
not suffer my heart to wander after other loves; in Him is every store of
sweetness ineffable. I give all up for my Lord Jesus' sake." Has it been so?
Alas! if conscience speak, it will say, "He who promised so well has
performed most ill. Prayer has oftentimes been slurred — it has been
short, but not sweet; brief, but not fervent. Communion with Christ has
been forgotten.
Instead of a heavenly mind, there have been carnal cares,
worldly vanities and thoughts of evil. Instead of service, there has been
disobedience; instead of fervency, lukewarmness; instead of patience,
petulance; instead of faith, confidence in an arm of flesh; and as a soldier of
the cross there has been cowardice, disobedience, and desertion, to a very
shameful degree." "Thou hast dealt treacherously." Treachery to Jesus!
what words shall be used in denouncing it? Words little avail: let our
penitent thoughts execrate the sin which is so surely in us. Treacherous to
Thy wounds, O Jesus! Forgive us, and let us not sin again! How shameful
to be treacherous to Him who never forgets us, but who this day stands
with our names engraven on His breastplate before the eternal throne. December 12 |