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T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
divided into twenty-two sections, cor responding to th e le tte rs of th e Hebrew alphabet, each of th e eigh t subdivisions beginning w ith th e same le tte r, a pos sible expedient to aid th e memory. It may also suggest the fact th a t all the resources of language cannot fully ex press th e perfection of God’s law. Of th e one hundred and seventy-six verses of th is psalm, every verse h u t four has a reference to th e Word of God. The chief titles used again and again, are commandments, precepts, statu tes, and judgm ents. FRIDAY, F eb ru ary 14. P sa. 119:97- 104. How Love I Thy Law. Law is an enactm ent proceeding from au tho rity . A m an’s a ttitu d e toward th e law is determ ined by his relation to th e law-giver. A p atrio tic citizen does no t find th e laws of his country irk- . some. The commands of Christ are not grievous to those who love Him. The P salm ist declares in th e 54th verse, “Thy sta tu te s have been my songs in th e house of my pilgrim age.” Law does no t readily lend itself to music. Duty set to music by love, ceases to be drudgery and becomes a delight. When we love God, we love His law, because we recognize it to be the expression of His w ill.' To do th a t will and obey th a t law, becomes the suprem e desire. SATURDAY, F eb ru ary i5 . Rom 13:8- 14. The Law Fulfilled. Love is th e fulfilling or th e filling fu ll of th e law. If a man cherishes and seeks to promote th e well-being of his neighbor w ith pu re benevolence, he can do his neighbor no harm . Love is no t sentim ent b u t disposition, no t a mode of th e sensibility b u t an a ttitu d e of th e will. It is th erefo re possible to love even th e unlovely and striv e to fu rth e r th e ir well-being w ith a moral impulse th a t is passionate and pure. Nothing is requ ired of man th a t is not first in God. Because God is love, man is commanded to love— to love God w ith all his h e a rt and his neighbor as himself. SUNDAY, F eb ru ary 16. M ark 12:28- 34. The Sum of th e Commandments. The g reatest commandment is the one enjoining love to God. Therefore th e g reatest sin m ust be its violation. Many a man who prides him self upon
his m orality and good works and on th a t account refuses to recognize his need of Christ, can easily be shown to be th e g reatest sinner in the world, because he has broken th e g reatest commandm ent in th e world. Even a self-righteous P harisee would h ard jy dare to affirm th a t he had always loved God w ith all his h eart, soul, m ind and streng th . Unless he lias done so, he stands convicted and condemned before th e law as one of th e g reatest sinners in th e world. MONDAY, F eb ru ary 17. Ex. 32:7-14. Moses P ray ing fo r Israel. The intercession of Moses was timely, unselfish and successful. H is h ea rt was in th e work to which God had called him. He could no t see Israel fail and he prayed th a t they m ight be spared to accomplish th e purpose for which God had raised them up. He made a four fold plea. Israel was God’s people. God had w rought wonders in delivering the nation. The Egyptians would rejoice over th e ir destruction. God had prom ised Canaan to th e ir fathers. In ter cession is a duty and a privilege. Through its humble and faith fu l exer cise man rises to th e g reatest heights of spiritu ality . TUESDAY, F eb ru ary 18. Ex. 32:30-35. Moses’ P ra y e r Answered. In answer to th e prayer of his ser v an t Moses, th e Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do. Scripture frequently attrib u te s to God th e feel ings th a t belong to men. His app aren t change of purpose or course of action is dependent upon th e course th a t men take. If man repents, th e th reaten ed penalty is w ithdrawn. If man retu rn s to evil, th e prom ised blessing is w ith drawn. Through th e intercession of Moses, God changed his course tow ard Israel. P ray er changes things. Is. 64:7. P ray er brings us into th e place where it will be consistent for God to bless us and do fo r us w h at he desired and intended to do from th e beginning. WEDNESDAY, F eb ru ary 19. Deut. 9:11-19. Moses F astin g an d P raying. Moses rank s w ith Samuel as .one of the g reat intercessors of th e Old Testa ment. Je r. 15:1. Moses fasted in o rder th a t he m ight give him self unin te rru p te d ly and un restrained ly to prayer. In th e New Testam ent fasting is not commanded as a duty b u t per m itted, and sometimes recommended as
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