1 $ Dailj) Devotional Home Readings m m Connected with International Sunday) School Lessons W Bj> FREDERIC W . FARR, D. D. 8
was brave to the point of foolhardiness in th e face of overwhelm ing odds, but when he saw his Master a betrayed and helpless prisoner, he did no t have moral courage to stand beside Him. He fol lowed Him afar off and even sat down among His foes. It is easy to be a hero when surrounded by cheering comrades and inspired by m artial music. I t is h ard to stand alone upon th e b attle field when th e others panic stricken have fled away. It is one th ing to fight v aliantly for th e tru th , when she sits w ith face rad ia n t as th e morning, upon a stately throne, receiving th e homage of rejoicing m ultitudes. I t is quite an other th ing to stand stoutly by her side when she is clothed in rag s and hissed and hooted in th e streets. THURSDAY, Dec. 4. Acts 26:19-23. Obedience To Jesus It was th e vision of th e glorified Christ th a t transform ed Saul the perse cutor into P au l the m issionary and it was obedience to th e commands of Christ th a t laid th e foundation of use fulness and blessing. “Lord, w hat wilt Thou have me to do?” The heavenly vision demanded a yielded will and a devoted life w ith all th a t it m ight in volve of suffering and sacrifice. P au l’s testimony whenever he referred to his conversion, was “ I was not disobedient unto th e heavenly vision.” Obedience is th e condition under which the will of God is accomplished in our lives and our sp iritu al prosperity secured. “ If ye be .willing and obedient, ye shall ea t the good of the land.” FRIDAY, Dec. 5. 2 Cor. 11:23-28. Suffering F o r Jesu s’ Sake We marvel th a t one could go through th is catalogue of d isaster and survive.
MONDAY, Dec. 1. M ark 14:32-42. P e te r and Jo h n Asleep in Gethsemane Jesus came to His disciples in th e gar den th a t He m ight receive th e sympathy and com fort which th e ir presence prom ised, b u t He found them asleep. Had they realized th e full significance of th e hour, surely they would have resisted th e tendency to-slumber a t any cost and would have rendered th e service to th eir Master th a t He expected and desired. Can we not discover something more th a n physical weariness in th is unseem ly slumber, even the work of Satan w ith whom th e Savior was now coming into imm ediate and personal conflict? The fact of the disciples sleeping a t th is crit ical tim e w arns us of our duty to be con stan tly awake and aggressive in th e in terests and cause of our Divine Lord. TUESDAY, Dec. 2. M ark 14:43-54. Jesu s B etrayed And A rrested. A b itter drop in th e cup th a t the Savior had to drink was th e fact th a t one of His own tru ste d friends and fol lowers betrayed Him. Psalm 41:9. The betrayal was aggravated by using th e kiss of love as its instrum ent. The greatest sin in the world is a sin against love. Jesu s allowed H imself to be ar rested for a t His first u tteran ce the crowd “w ent backward and fell to the ground,” H is hou r had come and He was not rebellious n eith er tu rn ed away back. Isaiah 50:5-6. He was ready to face th e mob and to go w ith those th a t sought His life. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 8 . Jo h n 18:1-11. M istaken Zeal. P eter undertook to defend his Master w ith a sword by cutting off th e righ t ear of th e H igh P rie st’s servant. He
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