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daily devotional
"The eternal God is thy refuge."
- Deuteronomy 33:27
The word refuge may be translated "mansion," or "abiding-
place," which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a
fulness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home,
although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far is
our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. It is at home
that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security.
So when we are with our God we "fear no evil." He is our
shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, we take our rest; it is there
we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day.
And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's
conflict, we turn to him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we let
our hearts loose; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words
being misconstrued. So when we are with God we can commune freely with him,
laying open all our hidden desires; f or if the "secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him," the secrets of them that fear him ought to be, and must
be, with their Lord.
Home, too, is the place of our truest and purest happiness:
and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in him
which far surpasses all other joy. It is also for home that we work and labour.
The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden,
and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say
that God is our home. Love to him strengthens us. We think of him in the person
of his dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains
us to labour in his cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet
to be saved, and we have our Father's heart to make glad by bringing home his
wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family among whom we
dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!
Evening Devotion
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master."
- Matthew 10:25
No one will dispute this statement, for it would be unseemly
for the servant to be exalted above his Master. When our Lord was on earth,
what was the treatment he received? Were his claims acknowledged, his
instructions followed, his perfections worshipped, by those whom he came to
bless? No; "He was despised and rejected of men." Outside the camp was his
place: cross-bearing was his occupation.
Did the world yield him solace and rest? "Foxes have holes,
and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay
his head." This inhospitable country afforded him no shelter: it cast him out
and crucified him. Such-if you are a follower of Jesus, and maintain a
consistent, Christ-like walk and conversation-you must expect to be the lot of
that part of your spiritual life which, in its outward development, comes under
the observation of men.
They will treat it as they treated the Saviour-they will
despise it. Dream not that worl dlings will admire you, or that the more holy
and the more Christ-like you are, the more peaceably people will act towards
you. They prized not the polished gem, how should they value the jewel in the
rough? "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more
shall they call them of his household?" If we were more like Christ, we should
be more hated by his enemies.
It were a sad dishonour to a child of God to be the world's
favourite. It is a very ill omen to hear a wicked world clap its hands and
shout "Well done" to the Christian man. He may begin to look to his character,
and wonder whether he has not been doing wrong, when the unrighteous give him
their approbation.
Let us be true to our Master, and have no friendship with a
blind and base world which scorns and rejects him. Far be it from us to seek a
crown of honour where our Lord found a coronet of thorn.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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