177 covered. He must have climbed up in some other way since watchers were posted at every door. It is really harder to be lost than saved. Since God is al ways devising devices how His banished may not be expelled from Him, it re quires ingenuity and persistence on the part of the sinner to successfully evade them all. The opportunities for salva tion are so numerous, the provision of Divine grace is so abundant, it is amaz ing that anyone can live his life out in a Christian land and die unsaved. TUESDAY, Feb. 8. Matt. 11:20-30. The Discourtesy of Disobedience. In the parable of the marriage feast, a king gave a splendid feast in honor of his son’s marriage. Great prepara tions were made for the occasion. Long before the appointed time invitations had been sent out to those who presence was desired that they might have ample time and keep clear of other engage ments. Then when the day arrived other servants were sent to notify .them. They made light of the whole affair and treated it as if it were a matter of no consequence. Some added insult to in jury by doing despite unto the king’s messengers. The king could not pass this by with impunity. The historical counterpart is seen when the legions of Titus stormed the walls of Jerusalem and gave its gorgeous temple to the flames. It is a gratuitous insult to Di vine mercy on the part of the unsaved to treat the offer of salvation with con temptuous silence and turn from it with unfeeling and repeated refusal. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9. Isaiah 55:1-13. Divine Provision for Human Need. God was preparing the earth for the abode of man for ages before man ap peared upon its surface. Metals and minerals of every kind were being stored up in its fiery heart and every possible need of man was anticipated. Is it con ceivable that the Creator should make such ample provision for the physical well-being of mankind and pay no at tention to the higher and spiritual de mands? In proportion as the spiritual transcends the physical in importance, so the Almighty has lavished the re sources of heaven for their gratification. God’s supply always exceeds our capa cities. Our boldest prayers and loftiest claims can no more exhaust the fulness of that heavenly storehouse than our imagination can touch its measure.
THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S sinners. While this answer is true, it does not cover all the truth. It is glori ously true that He came to seek and save the lost, but this was the means to an end, the end being the glory of God and the coronation of the Eternal Son. The Lordship of Jesus is the heart of the redemptive plan, “For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might he Lord both of the dead and the living.” The great work will not be completed until every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:11. Evil is sometimes manifested that His power over it may be shown and lives are filled with suf fering that they may learn submission to His will. SUNDAY, Feb. 6. Matt. 22:1-10. The Marriage Feast. The parable of the marriage feast represents the plan of filling the king’s house with guests. The Father prepares the feast in honor of His Son and the Holy Spirit prepares the guests. A feast stands for provision of varied character of excellent quality and abundant quan tity at which a number of invited guests have fellowship and joy. The gospel is a spiritual banquet which presents for our appropriation, pardon of sin, favor with God, peace of conscience, the as surance of life eternal, the consolations of the Holy Spirit and the exceeding great and precious promises of Scrip ture. The Lord of hosts has made unto His people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well re fined. Is. 25:6. Surely an invitation to such a feast may well be described as a “gospel,” i. e. good news and therefore delivered and accepted with the utmost enthusiasm and grateful joy. MONDAY, Feb. 7. Matt. 22:11-14. The Difficulty of Being Lost. The wedding garment suggests the best robe of Luke 15:22. Both speak of God’s provision for those who sit at His table. One was worn in the king’s palace, the other in the Father’s house. The one was refused, the other was ac cepted. Both guest and prodigal were speechless, in the one case because of grace refused, in the other case because of grace accepted. Inasmuch as the servants outfitted each guest from the royal wardrobe before admission to the banquet hall, it was a mystery how this particular One ran the gauntlet undis-
Made with FlippingBook HTML5