December 29 - Morning"Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." — 1 Samuel 7:12
The word "hitherto" seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past.
Twenty years or seventy, and yet, "hitherto the Lord hath helped!"
Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health, at
home, abroad, on the land, on the sea, in honour, in dishonour, in
perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation, "hitherto
hath the Lord helped us!" We delight to look down a long avenue of trees.
It is delightful to gaze from end to end of the long vista, a sort of verdant
temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves; even so look
down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead,
and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up
your joys. Are there no birds in yonder branches singing? Surely there
must be many, and they all sing of mercy received "hitherto."
But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain
mark and writes "hitherto," he is not yet at the end, there is still a distance
to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs;
more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more
victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease, death. Is it over now?
No! there is more yet-awakening in Jesu's likeness, thrones, harps, songs,
psalms, white raiment, the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of
God, the fulness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. O be of good courage,
believer, and with grateful confidence raise thy "Ebenezer," for —
He who hath helped thee hitherto December 29 - Evening"What think ye of Christ?" — Matthew 22:42
The great test of your soul's health is, What think you of Christ? Is He to
you "fairer than the children of men" — "the chief among ten thousand"
— the "altogether lovely"? Wherever Christ is thus esteemed, all the
faculties of the spiritual man exercise themselves with energy. I will judge
of your piety by this barometer: does Christ stand high or low with you?
If you have thought little of Christ, if you have been content to live
without His presence, if you have cared little for His honour, if you have
been neglectful of His laws, then I know that your soul is sick — God
grant that it may not be sick unto death!
But if the first thought of your
spirit has been, How can I honour Jesus? If the daily desire of your soul
has been, "O that I knew where I might find Him!" I tell you that you may
have a thousand infirmities, and even scarcely know whether you are a
child of God at all, and yet I am persuaded, beyond a doubt, that you are
safe, since Jesus is great in your esteem. I care not for thy rags, what
thinkest thou of His royal apparel? I care not for thy wounds, though they
bleed in torrents, what thinkest thou of His wounds? are they like
glittering rubies in thine esteem?
I think none the less of thee, though thou
liest like Lazarus on the dunghill, and the dogs do lick thee — I judge thee
not by thy poverty: what thinkest thou of the King in His beauty? Has He
a glorious high throne in thy heart? Wouldst thou set Him higher if thou
couldst? Wouldst thou be willing to die if thou couldst but add another
trumpet to the strain which proclaims His praise? Ah! then it is well with
thee. Whatever thou mayst think of thyself, if Christ be great to thee, thou
shalt be with Him ere long.
"Though all the world my choice deride, December 29 |