Daily devotionals - October 18th

[AY Angel Bot]

Morning Meditation

"Thy paths drop fatness."
Psalms 65:11

Many are "the paths ofthe Lord" which "drop fatness," but an especial one is the path ofprayer. No believer, who is much in the closet, will have need to cry,"My leanness, my leanness; woe unto me." Starving souls live at adistance from the mercy- seat, and become like the parched fields intimes of drought. Prevalence with God in wrestling prayer is sure tomake the believer strong-if not happy. The nearest place to the gate ofheaven is the throne of the heavenly grace. Much alone, and you willhave much assurance; little alone with Jesus, your religion will beshallow, polluted with many doubts and fears, and not sparkling withthe joy of the Lord. Since the soul-enriching path of prayer is open tothe very weakest saint; since no high attainments are required; sinceyou are not bidden to come because you are an advanced saint, butfreely invited if you be a saint at all; see to it, dear reader, thatyou are often in the way of private devotion. Be much on your knees,for so Elijah drew the rain upon famished Israel's fields.
There is another especial pathdropping with fatness to those who walk therein, it is the secret walkof communion. Oh! the delights of fellowship with Jesus! Earth hath nowords which can set forth the holy calm of a soul leaning on Jesus'bosom. Few Christians understand it, they live in the lowlands andseldom climb to the top of Nebo: they live in the outer court, theyenter not the holy place, they take not up the privilege of priesthood.At a distance they see the sacrifice, but they sit not down with thepriest to eat thereof, and to enjoy the fat of the burnt offering. But,reader, sit thou ever under the shadow of Jesus; come up to that palmtree, and take hold of the branches thereof; let thy beloved be untothee as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, and thou shalt besatisfied as with marrow and fatness. O Jesus, visit us with thysalvation!
Evening Meditation

"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice."
1 Samuel 15:22

Saul had been commandedto slay utterly all the Amalekites and their cattle. Instead of doingso, he preserved the king, and suffered his people to take the best ofthe oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he declaredthat he did it with a view of offering sacrifice to God; but Samuel methim at once with the assurance that sacrifices were no excuse for anact of direct rebellion. The sentence before us is worthy to be printedin letters of gold, and to be hung up before the eyes of the presentidolatrous generation, who are very fond of the fineries ofwill-worship, but utterly neglect the laws of God. Be it ever in yourremembrance, that to keep strictly in the path of your Saviour'scommand is better than any outward form of religion; and to hearken tohis precept with an attentive ear is better than to bring the fat oframs, or any other precious thing to lay upon his altar. If you arefailing to keep the least of Christ's commands to his disciples, I prayyou be disobedient no longer. All the pretensions you make ofattachment to your Master, and all the devout actions which you mayperform, are no recompense for disobedience. "To obey," even in theslightest and smallest thing, "is better than sacrifice," howeverpompous. Talk not of Gregorian chants, sumptuous robes, incense, andbanners; the first thing which God requires of his child is obedience;and though you should give your body to be burned, and all your goodsto feed the poor, yet if you do not hearken to the Lord's precepts, allyour formalities shall profit you nothing. It is a blessed thing to beteachable as a little child, but it is a much more blessed thing whenone has been taught the lesson, to carry it out to the letter. How manyadorn their temples and decorate their priests, but refuse to obey theword of the Lord! My soul, come not thou into their secret.


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