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it understand its hidden harmonies, and spread our souls out to receive its trans forming power.—Alexander Maclaren. 22. A Love Gift “And Jesus sat over against the treas ury . . . and there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which made a farthing” (Mk. 12:41, 42), There came to the manse on a certain Christmas, many gifts, some few of considerable value. But the one most esteemed was a penny post card. Thy servant admits he laughed and wept when he read it: “Dear Brother: We wish you to know we have never been turned ‘empty away when we have come to worship at your church. We thank God for your ministry and pray for you.” Ah, but that was a penny from heaven! Now this poor widow . . . it was her love that pleased Jesus. Give Him—thy heart!* —Richard Ellsworth Day. 23. “ Committed Unto Him” "I know . . . that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him” (2 Tim. 1:12). A child that hath any precious thing given him cannot better secure it than by putting it into his father’s hand to keep. So neither can we better provide for our souls’ safety than by commit ting them to God.—John Trapp. They so nestled themselves in Him, as a child would in a nurse’s arms, that He was around them, and all the diffi cult circumstances were round Him. —William Tyndall. 24. Altogether Lovely “Whom having not seen, ye love” (1 Pet. 1:8) v Beloved, I commend Jesus to you! He is lovely in that He is absolutely suit able to every single need that you have. Are you tired? or discouraged? or beaten? Are you afraid? Your con science has been quickened, your mem ory has been very troublesome to you. Are you such an one? I want to tell you the most lovely thing I can about the Lord Jesus, and it is this—He is just exactly what you need. • —Colin C. Kerr. 25. . Our Guarantee “Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my foot stool” (Isa. 66:1). The Lord Himself is upon the throne. Here is the guarantee that the clouds, however black and menacing, will pass away before the shining of the ever- glorious Day. . . . We think too little of the thrpne, and too much of the foot stool. He is the Ruler of both. Let us [ Continued on Page 79] * ( Reprinted from Filled With the Spirit by special permission of Zonder- van Pub. House,. Grand Rapids, M ich.)
Abraham believed in a Saviour to come. In his seed God had promised to bless all the nations of the earth, and that seed was Christ . . . Through the sacrifice of the child of all his hope and faith, Abraham glimpsed thé love of God who would not withhold His Son, His only Son. The offering up of Isaac was the window through which Abra ham saw Christ.—William C. Robinson. 18. Magnifying God “And Mary saicfc My '"Soul doth mag nify the Lord” (Lk. 1:46). How can we magnify God who is so great? We cannot make Him greater. No; but when we use a pair of binocu lars or a telescope to look, say, at the moon, we do not expect to make the moon any bigger than it is, but to bring it nearer. And when we magnify God, we' do not make Him greater, but we bring Him nearer to thousands from whom He seems very far off. —J. Hudson Taylor. 19. Redeeming Love “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (John 15:9). All that Jesus did for His church was but the expansion and unfolding of His love. Traveling to Bethlehem, I see Love incarnate. Tracking His steps as He went about doing good, I see Love laboring. Visiting the house of Bethany, I see Love sympathizing. Standing by the grave of Lazarus, I see Love sor rowing. Passing on to Calvary, I see Love suffering, bleeding, dying. The whole scene of His life was but an un folding of .the deep, wonderful, and precious mystery of Redeeming Love. —Robert Murray McCheyne. 20. Troubled “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled” (Matt. 2:3). There were four kingdoms congre gated at the Christian dawn. The king dom of nature came in a star, the king dom of knowledge in the Magi, the kingdom of worthiness in Herod, and the kingdom of unworldliness in the child-Christ. Only one of the kingdoms was troubled by the Child. . . . My soul, art thou afraid of the coming of Christ into thy life?‘ Dost thou fear that He will narrow thee? Nay, but He will narrow that which narrows thee. . . . He will expel from thy heart the Herod that imprisons thee.—George Matheson. 21. She Pondered Them “Mary kept all these things, and pon dered them in her heart” (Lk. 2:19). We have this same duty to the truth, and it will never disclose its inmost sweetness to us, nor take so sovereign a grip of our very selves as to mould our lives, unless we too treasure it in our hearts, and by patient brooding on
through his human talents, but through Christ in him.—J. Oswald Sanders. 18. Power of the Word “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” (Psa. 119:105). Take up this Book, O friend, and read, not with a hurried glance but let thine eyes rest upon some single word. And if thou art patient it will blossom and bloom and grow unto thee as a tree of life: and the leaves shall be as medicine for the healing of thy hurt. It will speak and say, “Peace—be still,” and in that driven life of yours shall be a great and holy calm.—-I. M. Haldeman. 14. When to Rejoice “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Lk. 10 : 20 ). The snare in Christian work is to re joice in successful service . . . You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him and whatever or whoever you meet day by day He is pouring rivers of living water through you, and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it . . . It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.—Oswald Chambers. 15. All-Sufficient Guide - “He led them on safely, so that they feared not” (Psa. 78:53). Leave God to order all thy ways, And hope in Him, whate’er betide, Thou wilt find Him in the evil days Thy all-sufficient Strength and Guide; Who trusts in God’s unchanging love, Builds on the Rock that naught can move. Sing, pray, and swerve not from His ways, But do thine own part faithfully. Trust His rich promises of grace, So shall they be fulfilled in thee; God never yet forsook at need The soul that trusted Him indeed. —G. Neumarck. 16. Sharing Our Humanity “We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15). Lord Jesus, we thank Thee that Thou dost not come alongside of us to say, “In My omniscient power I understand you,” but Thou dost in reality say, “I walked the earth; I was weary, hungry, thirsty, homeless, slandered, misunder stood, denied, betrayed, forsaken. I know how you feel, and I can help you; only come to Me.” We have come, and Thou art helping . . . Touch us, Lord, that we may reflect Thy compassion, echo Thy love.—Anna J. Lindgren. 17. Abraham Saw Christ “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day” {John 8:56).
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