December 15 - Morning"Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her." — Ruth 1:14
Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her
upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi
most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them,
and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their
Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in
their lot with the Lord's people; but upon still further consideration Orpah
with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her
people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth
with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law.
It is one
thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to
cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of
outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to
the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is
not so small a matter. How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon
Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we
counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for
the Master's sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for
Egypt's treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed.
Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life
melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for
grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings.
Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ's sake can renounce
all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour
of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O
that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which
may be no better than Orpah's kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a
cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus. December 15 - Evening"And lay thy foundations with sapphires." — Isaiah 54:11
Not only that which is seen of the church of God, but that which is
unseen, is fair and precious. Foundations are out of sight, and so long as
they are firm it is not expected that they should be valuable; but in
Jehovah's work everything is of a piece, nothing slurred, nothing mean.
The deep foundations of the work of grace are as sapphires for
preciousness, no human mind is able to measure their glory. We build upon
the covenant of grace, which is firmer than adamant, and as enduring as
jewels upon which age spends itself in vain. Sapphire foundations are
eternal, and the covenant abides throughout the lifetime of the Almighty.
Another foundation is the person of the Lord Jesus, which is clear and
spotless, everlasting and beautiful as the sapphire; blending in one the deep
blue of earth's ever rolling ocean and the azure of its all embracing sky.
Once might our Lord have been likened to the ruby as He stood covered
with His own blood, but now we see Him radiant with the soft blue of
love, love abounding, deep, eternal. Our eternal hopes are built upon the
justice and the faithfulness of God, which are clear and cloudless as the
sapphire. We are not saved by a compromise, by mercy defeating justice,
or law suspending its operations; no, we defy the eagle's eye to detect a
flaw in the groundwork of our confidence — our foundation is of sapphire,
and will endure the fire.
The Lord Himself has laid the foundation of His people's hopes. It is
matter for grave enquiry whether our hopes are built upon such a basis.
Good works and ceremonies are not a foundation of sapphires, but of
wood, hay, and stubble; neither are they laid by God, but by our own
conceit. Foundations will all be tried ere long: woe unto him whose lofty
tower shall come down with a crash, because based on a quicksand. He
who is built on sapphires may await storm or fire with equanimity, for he
shall abide the test. December 15 |