DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 25; Ezekiel 42; John 18:28 to 19:16
And sitting down they watched him there. Matthew 27:36
In the lovely hymn, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, the author thinks about the Saviour on that cross and the work that was accomplished there. As we survey the cross we try, in failing fashion, to estimate its extent and value. We see that the work of Calvary extends from eternity to eternity—our sin removed “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). In value, there is no measuring the worth of Christ’s finished work there. —M. Robins
When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Lord of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. —Isaac Watts
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 23:1-24:27; Ezekiel 41:1-26; John 18:1-27
And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 7:51
David and Solomon picture two aspects of Christ’s work. The former was a soldier who vanquished God’s enemies, sometimes becoming a weak instrument confounding the mighty; the latter, reigned in glory and brought the temple to completion. David’s conflicts made him “a man of blood”; likewise, Christ shed His blood to make new creatures who would one day adorn the temple as living stones. The Lord’s true temple is comprised of believers fashioned by the glorified Saviour who once suffered. —Keith Keyser
The Church’s pilgrim-lot; her lot until her absent Lord shall come, And the long homeless here, shall find a home. —Horatius Bonar
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 21:1-22:1-12; Ezekiel 40:1-49; John 17:1-26
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. Luke 19:13-14
The master was gone establishing a kingdom and he left his servants to manage his affairs while he was away. He gave them the necessary provisions, but the environment was hostile. Would they be diligent about the master’s business in spite of opposition, in spite of not knowing the date of his return? Would they faithfully uphold the master’s honour, or would they seek their own? Will we occupy until He returns? Yes, even so, come Lord Jesus. —D. Pickup
Have we been true to the trust He left us? Do we seek to do our best? If in our hearts there is naught condemns us, we shall have a glorious rest. —Fanny J. Crosby
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 20:1-37; Ezekiel 39:1-29; John 16:16-33
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
This verse should not be restricted to a funeral where grief is expressed over the death of a loved one. This has much more to do with sorrow over the needs of a fallen world as we see the devastation caused by sin. Also it is sorrowing over the condition of our own lives as we develop a sensitive awareness of our own sinfulness. The result is comfort, just as Lazarus in the story of the rich man was “comforted” (Luke 16), so do we find comfort in Christ. —Paul Young
Death brought the saint release from want, disease and scorn; And to the land of peace, his soul, by angels borne, In Abraham’s bosom safely placed, enjoys an everlasting feast. —J. Newton
“This inspiring book relates how one man, with the heart of a true evangelist, reached out to seafarers from around the world on the many ships docked at Glasgow. In the Foreword, Alan Gamble tells how Sam Laughlin “of Ulster stock … spent most of his working life in the Clyde shipyards.” After his retirement at 65, he continued to visit the docks on a regular basis for 16 years. Together with his wife Wilma they opened their hearts and their home, welcoming strangers from all corners of the globe. Alan Gamble states that “God’s work today needs many more servants like Sam.”
The Introduction sets the scene, with Sam driving through the empty Glasgow city streets early one Christmas morning to visit the ships. This was his yearly custom, and “the ships that were in dock welcomed [him] with open arms.” Each seaman received a bag containing biscuits, a hand-knitted hat, a calendar, and a New Testament. Christian literature in their own language was also included where possible.
During his many visits to the docks as Port Missionary, with permission from Clyde Port Authority, hundreds of men and women were brought under the influence of the Gospel, and many visited Sam and Wilma’s home for supper after responding to his invitation to hear the Gospel preached on a Sunday evening at the Gospel Hall in Linthouse.
The book is divided into short chapters, with titles such as “Fire in the Galley”, “The Brave Aberdonian”, and “The Bottle Thrower”, and includes many illustrations and photographs, enabling the reader to enter into the atmosphere of Sam’s experiences, and the colourful characters that he encountered on the ships over the years.”
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 18:1-19:34; Ezekiel 38:1-23; John 15:17-16:15
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. Philippians 1:12
Paul is again in prison—this time in Rome—chained between two soldiers, yet the verses following this one tell us that as a result, all the palace soldiers were hearing the gospel; many timid believers were becoming bold witnesses for Christ and even those who were jealous of Paul began to preach the gospel. As believers living in an increasingly godless society, if we are called upon to suffer for proclaiming God’s truth we can be sure that He will use it in some way to further His work and encourage our souls. —David Croudace
Cast thou thy care upon the Lord, the care that loads thy heart; Take Him this moment at His word and let Him do His part. —H. Moule
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 16:1-17:19; Ezekiel 37:1-28; John 15:1-16
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3
These words of the Lord were spoken to Jeremiah while He was in prison. Are you facing a difficult trial at present? If so take these words to heart. First we note that prayer is commanded. God desires that all His children communicate with Him. Share with Him your deep concerns. Next we notice that His answer is promised. It may be immediate, or He may require us to wait, but He will answer. Finally we see that, through it all, our faith will be encouraged. He is able to do anything and delights to do the unexpected! —Pete Smith
The need is deep, the care is great, the burden hard to bear; Roll it on Him with all its weight, and leave it resting there. —H. M. Moule
“Behold, I come, in the scroll of the book it is written of Me.” Psalm 40:7, NKJV
In 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped out of a lunar modular and placed a human foot for the first time ever on the moon. He went down in history as saying, “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” Never before had mankind reached such a milestone in space exploration. For the first time ever we had breached the lunar world. We had come a long, long way.
God had come a long way, too. Stepping out of His own lunar module called Mary’s womb, after taking His first look at planet Earth, He too could say, “That’s one small step for God, one infant step, but one giant leap for mankind.” That one small step jumped the galaxies in order to breach one giant divide. Timely and eternal, small and colossal, that one infant step provided the only Mediator for all mankind. That “one small child in a land of a thousand” bridged a chasm so vast no mere human being could ever have hoped to cross it alone. That one small step forever forged a union of fragile humanity with iron divinity, creating a God-Man who would totally obliterate the sins of this world. “Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary” (At Calvary, William Reed Newell).
But that first manger step was only the beginning of a long journey that lay ahead of Him. After a brief stay in Bethlehem, the little Saviour travelled to Egypt to escape the first of the hostilities He faced on this planet, for the power hungry Herod killed every infant in Bethlehem in a vain attempt to kill Him. Then for thirty years He lived in Nazareth working as a humble carpenter, though He was the architect of the whole planet. He served in the local synagogue in appearance as a worshipper, but in reality the object of their worship. Lastly, His journey took Him through the streets and hamlets of Galilee, unknown to men but known and adored by all heaven. At the end of the line, He eventually came to Judea and to Jerusalem where He would be crucified. His visit to planet Earth would indeed be a hostile one.
Yet that first peaceful night, when the angels of heaven told the shepherds of His soft, soft landing, it was just the beginning. Just as Neil Armstrong planted the American flag on the moon’s surface declaring the beginning of space exploration, so too the Saviour planted His flag on planet Earth, declaring He would one day redeem it in His own time. And His banner over us was love.
One tiny step is all He took
but O the gulf He spanned!
For us He donned those peasant rags
and left Immanuel’s Land.
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 14:1-15:19; Ezekiel 36:16-38; John 14:15-31
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Psalm 84:3
A sparrow and a swallow are used in this psalm to represent us in our restlessness. In a beautiful image, their restlessness finds a house, a nest, a family and a rest in the Lord’s house. Jesus said, “Come unto me…and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). We find rest for our souls when we rest in Him. —Rex Trogdon
My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed; I trust the ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me. —Lidie H. Edmunds
DAILY READINGS: 2 Chron. 12:1-13:22; Ezekiel 35:1-36:15; John 13:31-14:14
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 10:17
God emphatically does not remember the sins of the one who trusts in Christ. Omniscience has chosen to exclude them. Never again will they be mentioned (Ezek. 18:22). Therefore, we who are saved will always remember Him who took our sins away! We remember His great work every day, and especially every Lord’s day in the breaking of bread. We do it in remembrance of Him. But this is only the beginning. In heaven we will sing with the multitude of the redeemed, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:12). Blessed eternal memory! —Carl Knott
Saviour, we remember Thee! Thy deep woe and agony, All Thy suff’ring on the tree: Saviour, we adore Thee. —Samuel T. Francis
