PREFACE
Older sheep need better feeding than younger ones ( Hebrews 5:12-14 ) ; we cannot live on milk all of our life ( although many attempt it ). The old disciples are fast approaching a time when they shall almost be in view of Home, and their concern is to be ' ready to depart ' ( Philipp.1:23 ). The old are aware of a decline in many areas of their life, but there is no necessity for spiritual decline. These Readings are written to encourage elderly believers, to help lift the mind onward and upward, - a comfort which only God can give with His Word. May the Spirit work with His Word in us.
None of us knows if we are on the last page of the last chapter of our life in this world, and from that perspective these readings are profitable for all ages.
Rev J.Clark. BA(hons.) MA. BSc(hons) MSc. MEd. MTh.
AUGUST 1
" To you who believe He is precious." 1 Peter 2:7.
We read here of how the attitude of sinners to Christ divides the world ; Christ is either regarded as the only gain that matters ( Philipp.1:21) or He is seen as an obstacle to the world's views on freedom and happiness. People either build their lives on the foundation of trusting Him or they despise Him as a barrier to their self-will. One thing is certain, Christ cannot be ignored in life - each person has a view of Him. Even to say. ' He is not worth giving a thought about ! ' is an attitude. The world also ignores the fact that this negative attitude to Christ was predicted centuries before ( eg. in Isaiah 53 ). But to attempt to live without Christ is nothing but loss, there is no gain. Only He can deliver us from the guilt and blindness caused by sin ie. from ourselves, from despair and from death.
As we grow older we have to remind ourselves that many are on the ' broad way ' to destruction. There is always the temptation to think that there is hope for the ' nice people ' we meet as we journey towards heaven. But the reality portrayed in God's Word emphasizes their hopelessness if they do not regard Christ as precious and essential. Their attitude shows a friendliness towards us but a contempt for God. We shall not be faithful witnesses to God and to them if we forget the coming Judgement. Without Christ the world has nothing but condemnation. What a contrast ! ( Rom.8:1)
AUGUST 2
" If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.
If there is a problem with our prayer life, as there often is, we must do the equivalent of a ' diagnostic assessment.' Harbouring sin in the heart does restrain prayer, as David knew from experience. There is a reluctance by the disobedient to come too near the searchlight ; they prefer the shadows. Repentance alone shall clear the air and bring us back sincerely to the throne of grace. Prayer is also obstructed when God's directions for prayer are not followed ( 1 John 5:14), or when we forget the Mediator who is necessary for God to hear us ( John 14:13). We may not pray for the right purpose ( James 4:3) or when we pray we show no interest in what we pray for ( Ps.27:4),when it's just a formality. Are we praying in faith ( James 1:6) or is prayer a substitute for practice ( Luke 18:1) ? Or does our practice contradict what we pray for ? Do we pray, ' Lead us not into temptation ' and then walk into it ?
Prayer is a struggle, because the devil does not want to see us on our knees to God. The great mark of Paul's genuine conversion was, " Behold he prayeth." ( Acts 9:11). Whatever the difficulty, keep on praying !
AUGUST 3
" And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them." John 6:17.
They were afraid, felt they were on their own, and how they missed the comforting sense of His presence ! He had stayed behind on the mountain and they had gone to their little ship, in obedience to Him. But now they entered into darkness, and He could not be seen ( Job 30:26). Sometimes, like Mary Magdalene ( John 20:1), we have to seek Christ in the dark. When we enter into such lonely darkness we are commanded to trust Him ( Isaiah 50:10). The fact that he commands strengthens our confidence and expectation of Him.It will not be long before He comes ( vs.19) and ' makes light to arise in the darkness ' ( Ps.112:4). Sometimes we have to go forward in darkness. Christ has His reasons for this, and although unseen He can still hear our prayers. Indeed, He is already praying for us. Meanwhile, we must struggle on with this sense of our loneliness, row on and keep our course. Where there is trust there is patience, endurance and a waiting for God's time. It is cold in the dark, but soon the winter will be past, and the far shore beckons us.We are not a people without hope.
AUGUST 4
" Your adversary the devil." 1 Peter 5:8.
Satan ( which word means ' adversary ') will always attack us where he sees we are vulnerable. Our weak spots tend to vary with our age. What might have been a temptation when young is not so dangerous when old, but the opposite is also true. We are to resist him by faith ( vs.9). This means that we must be aware and discern his working in order to take steps to disarm or quench his' flaming arrows '. He will often lull us to lower our guard and retire from sentry duty, as if we can now stroll the rest of the way. But we must continue to ' walk by faith ' and not settle down as if the spiritual warfare was at an end ( which the devil would like to persuade us is true ) but it is not ! Just as he tried to tempt Jesus to avoid the cross, so he will attempt to persuade us or pressurise us to avoid taking up our personal cross. He wants us to go with the flow, " to identify with the standards and assumptions that we find dominating the culture around us. " ( J.Packer) Retirement is seen as an invitation to relax, and give up swimming against the stream of media atheism. We must resist to the end. This means we do not give up ' fighting the good fight.' Happily we do not fight on our own, God is our strength ( Ps.46:1).
AUGUST 5
" When shall I come and appear before God ? " Psalm 42:2.
David was prevented from coming to the appointed public worship. It may have been because of having to fight a war against enemies, it may have been because he was on the run from enemies, Saul or Absalom. It may also have been because of illness, or perhaps because of old age. Whatever the reason, he felt the loss. He talks to himself about his deprivation. As we grow old there are some things we cannot do, perhaps because we are now housebound or have a prolonged and debilitating illness ; perhaps we have fallen and broken a limb. He missed this appearing before God at worship, the gathering with others at the appointed means of grace. Instead of listening to himself, to the complaining discontent within, David spoke to himself, and emphasized his hope. The appearing at worship here is a preparation and foretaste of appearing before God in a better place and a higher state, a state of glory. Whether it be at Christ's second coming or at our death, " When Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." ( Coloss.3:4) If we are going to talk to ourselves encouragingly, we must use, repeat the Word of God to ourselves. The echo of God's words within us is the ' key of promise ' ( Bunyan) to free us from the dungeon of Giant Despair.
" Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him." ( Ps.43:5)
AUGUST 6
" Can two walk together unless they be agreed ? " Amos 3:3.
Amos and God were in harmony ( unlike many ) and could walk together. You can often recognise a person from a distance by the way they walk. Christians have a distinctive walk. They walk by faith, which indicates that they are reconciled to God ( compare Gen.5:24 with Heb. 11:5&6). They walk " in the fear of the Lord " ( Acts 9:31) ; they are aware of His presence in this world and it has a calming effect on them. They prefer ( and miss the most ) His company to all others. They may be in good physical health but inside they ' lean upon the Beloved ' - it is the only way to get through this world. To walk with God is to be led by Him, by what He says. We are afraid of going our own way - this is what He delivered us from ! ( Is.53:6).
" I'd rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light.
I'd rather walk by faith with Him than go alone with sight." ( M.Brainard)
Some days we see no-one, some days we cannot go outside the house. But we can always walk with God inside. One day we shall step across the divide between time and eternity. We hope those we leave behind will remember the way we walked. And may we ourselves remember each day to walk with God.
AUGUST 7
" Now these be the last words of David. " 2 Samuel 23:1.
The last words of a person just before he or she leaves earth are always regarded as important. They also show what was important to that person when she died. In this passage, in his last words, David recounted what God had done for Him and what He had promised to him. He died with thanksgiving and praise on his lips. The atheist dies speaking of this world; what he has done, of others he knows, achievements etc. He puts on a brave face to hide his fears or he dies despairingly in silence. Sometimes we will struggle to concentrate, " Bring me the BOOK ," said Sir Walter Scott on his deathbed. If we had time to compose our last words, what would be the contents of that message ? David has given us an example, as did Paul and Peter in the words of their last Epistles. John Knox and others had their favourite chapter in the Bible read out to them. Augustine had Psalm 51 written on the wall across from his bed. Sometimes we shall not be able to say anything just before we depart, but the words are spoken in the heart. Thoughts are unspoken words, and God hears these also ( Ps.139:2,4). The most important words in this sphere are those of Christ from the cross. " This is my Beloved Son, hear Him." said the Father.
AUGUST 8
" Truly my soul waiteth upon God." Psalm 62:1.
It can be a silent waiting, waiting for ' a word in season ' to suit our condition. But it is always waiting upon Him alone (vs.5) as only He can help us. Waiting is a test of our patience, and faith needs patience if it is going to grow. Usually faith does not grow in a calm environment but in a stormy one. It must grow as the tree roots in winter, taking a firmer grip on the foundation as the wind grows stronger.Without Christ we do not have anything that we really need. Waiting involves trusting Him to provide, trusting Him to fulfil His promises despite all appearances to the contrary. Rarely is there an instant answer to prayer. To be mature means waiting ( James 1:4). The child " Passion, wants everything now ! But Patience is willing to wait." ( John Bunyan ) When everything cries out within you that you must do something, the voice of faith says " wait upon God.' Looking back, most of our mistakes happened because we rushed into some decision. Emotion does cloud the judgements we make. Rarely are we pressed for time to make some choice. We must stand back, consider the priorities God has given us first of all, and then consider the consequences of making decision A or decision B. Always consult God first, otherwise self will get in the way.
AUGUST 9
" He Himself knew what He would do. " John 6:6.
But nobody else did ! There was always an unexpectedness about what Jesus did. There seemed to be insufficient resources to feed the multitude, but Jesus was calm about the supply. What Jesus did or said often surprised people. A man was brought to Him who was paralyzed and He spoke to him about forgiveness. He also chose to be born in the opposite of a palace ! " Never man spoke like this man," said the officers sent to arrest Him. " We have seen strange things today," said the crowd ( Luke 5:26). Again, they were not expecting what happened. Have we not seen this in our own lives ? The Ruler over all, the mover in Providence, has done expected things in our lives. Things did not happen as we expected, and we were disappointed, shocked. Sometimes we suffered dreadfully, and wondered afterwards how we came through it ! Many say they would like to live their lives again and do what they thought was better. But they forget that God knows what He will do, no matter what we plan or expect. Often the reverse of what would be logically expected happens. While we may have regrets about our past, we would, if afforded the opportunity of reliving our life (which the world sighs for), be afraid that we would have made it worse ! But we should wonder in ourselves at this - at the unxpected choice of Jesus as to who would be His friends !
AUGUST 10
" If a man die, shall he live again ? " Job 14:14.
This is a question which everyone thinks about, either to deny,doubt or affirm. Job looked forward to God rectifying the wrongs and distresses of this world, but more important to Him was to ' see His Redeemer ' after death ' with these eyes ' ( ch.19). Only the certainty of this eternal happiness with Christ can comfort the people on earth amid their losses and sorrows. God breathed the soul into the body and at death, with our last breath, our soul is breathed out into His hands. Science, with all its boasting, cannot disprove this, cannot prove otherwise. Death cannot prevent the soul returning to God for eternal disposal. It is significant that in Romans 8:38,39 death is the first power to be overcome by God for His people, it cannot separate from God's love for them. If they are His, and He knows who they are, He will have them beside Himself forever. Christ really died and really lived on, He is the ' firstfruit ', the pattern for believers, they shall follow Him through death. But He may come again before they die and they will come to heaven as Enoch and Elijah did; changed on the way ( 1 Cor.15:51), adapted for the heavenly life. and science cannot disprove this also !
AUGUST 11
" Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me." Psalm 103:1.
' If you cannot pray, praise. And if you cannot praise, pray ! ' said an old preacher. Psalm 103 combines both. David asks for nothing, he is happy with memories and thoughts of thanksgiving for what God ( LORD,Trinity ) has done for him. This spiritual activity will rectify our self-centred or worldly thinking, and put our souls in a better frame to delight and serve." David is carried out of himself as far as heaven. " ( T.Beza) This Psalm is often sung at the Lord's Supper as we rise from the table as we remember the great things the Lord has done for us, and made us glad ( Ps.126:3). It is also a Psalm on the lips of many as they die. Up till this point there has been time for others, now there is only eternity for God. There are no petitions in this Psalm, there is only the overflowing of gratitude for blessings received and cherished. It is only the ' vessels of mercy ' who are fitted for such gratitude, only they know what Christ has done for them, and in them. There is to be no reserve, ' all that is within me.' But we know that this is yet imperfect while we are on earth ; God is not yet in all our thoughts. Nevertheless, He has the highest place in them. We 'bless ' God, we speak well of Him, to ourselves and to others. Can there be any better way of spending our time, our eternity ?
AUGUST 12
" But he seemed as one that mocked to his sons in law." Genesis 19:14.
Lot tried to warn his family that God meant what He said about destruction and eternal punishment for sin. But they did not believe him and ridiculed his childish fears. They had no sense of danger ( 1 Thess.5:3). " They have very little notion of what the wrath of God is, and so it doesn't appear very terrible to them. They have but a faint, dull idea of the misery of the damned...It doesn't terrify them. To them it seems like a fable...They haven't a lively, sensible idea of the greatness of the punishment...They haven't experienced it themselves not have seen anyone who has...They don't imagine how it will be when they come to be in hell, to think with themselves 'Here I must be forever and ever ; there is no escape ; there is no help, there is no comfort.' " ( Jonathan Edwards ). Many will agree that they deserve punishment for their sins, but not the punishment which God intends and reveals in advance. Sadly, many church leaders agree with them and either explain away hell or amend Scripture to give it a different meaning from what it plainly says. Burying one's head in ecclesiastical sand, like the ostrich, will not make the reality of hell go away. We must expect the same reaction as Lot received, but hopefully we will be more faithful and credible than he was.
AUGUST 13
" Strive to enter in." Luke 13:24.
The Lord here reminds us that there has to be a personal individual struggle, in the life of grace, to reach heaven. The end is not in doubt, but neither are the means appointed. Some set out thinking it will be easy but when they experience that it is not they go their own way. It is not so much that they turn back ( visibly) but rather turn aside, to one of the many varieties of Antinomian teaching. Every genuine believer has a weakness ( which they will find out after a while) and this gives them more trouble than other griefs. But to give up ' the good fight of faith ' to remain on the path, is to be among those who " shall not be able to enter in." ( vs.14). This is because only one path leads to the door of heaven, not two. " If wishing, desiring, longing for it, would see men through the door, multitudes would be inside ! " ( J.D.Jones) But it is not enough to seek, we must ' strive.' God's grace in forgiving us is the motive to strive forward. Those who give up show that they do not really want heaven, not on God's terms anyway. The end for believers is certain, and the means to that end are also certain - ' Strive ', He says.
AUGUST 14
" But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God." Galatians 4:9.
The Apostle writes that we escaped idolatry by coming to know Christ. But we cannot come to Christ unless we first know Him, and this saving knowledge, he says, is because He first knew us ( as He did Jeremiah ch.1:5). Our confidence lies in the passive verbs used by God in our salvation. We are loved, saved, drawn, kept, glorified etc. The work of salvation is not done by us but for us, a work which comes to us, to be in us forever. The work of God is permanent, the work of man is not. The whole emphasis nowadays is on human effort in salvation, but this emphasis cannot give us a healthy assurance ; it produces doubts about our standing before God. Salvation is not the reward for all our efforts, it is the gift of God, including the faith to receive it ( Ephes.2:8). Paul is often criticised for his ' theology ', that he overemphasizes the work of God in our salvation. But Paul was nearer to God, and accomplished more than his critics ! You cannot argue with Inspiration, it produces Infallibility. Paul followed his Master in doctrine. who taught that no man can come to Him unless the Father draws him. ( John 6:44) - the same doctrine He taught in the Old Testament ( Jeremiah 31:3). Let us therefore be confident in God's work and not our own. We can only rest in God's work and God's word in Christ Jesus.
AUGUST 15
" For Thou hast been a shelter for me." Psalm 61:3.
Usually in this world we have to go from shelter to shelter, as each new need arises, but this Shelter abides with us, goes with us as we go through the world. It is constant and sufficient to cover us, especially from the ' enemy ' ( vs.3). There may be trouble,sickness, loneliness or death. We call upon Him in the day of trouble, and find that He is here already. It is a spiritual shelter when all others fail or are inadequate. Even when we are ' at the end of the earth, overwhelmed,' He abides constant. He has made a lifelong commitment. There will always be mercy in His faithfulness, the ' pity of a Father.' There will always be devotion in His love as a Husband. There will always be comfort in the abiding of the Holy spirit. We pray we will be faithful in return, and also pray to draw strength from Him. Hope and help are found in His promises. " To whom [else] shall we go ? " said Peter. What can the world offer for comfort in life and death ?
" Our only comfort in life and death is that I in body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ."
( Heidelberg Catechism Qu.1)
AUGUST 16.
" But rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20.
The disciples were rejoicing in the wrong things ; in this case they rejoiced in their achievements. Rather, they were to rejoice that God had written their names in the heavenly register ( Heb.12:23), not for their merit but in His mercy. There could be no entrance to heaven without this ( Rev.20:15 & 21:27). Their joy had a taint of pride in it. Jesus tells them to rejoice, not in what they had been able to do for others, or for God, but in the remembrance of what God had done for them. " This is the one solid and satisfying ground for human rejoicing...that God in His great mercy has written his name in that Book, that he counts him among His children, that He gives him a name and a place among His ransomed and redeemed people." ( J.D.Jones)
Many find this a startling saying. This is because the church has lost its grasp of the sovereignty of God over all, especially in salvation. This has led to a decline in reverence, an emphasis on human activities and less emphasis on eternity. Grace and not merit is the only solid reason for gladness. Let us flee from all our works, good and bad, to Christ. Only then shall we find peace, and not be ' cast out.' ( John 6:37)
AUGUST 17
" Thy brother...was lost and is found." Luke 15:32.
And what of our children who are still lost and wandering in the " far country " ? They are a source of anxiety, and we can do no better than to prayerfully commit them into God's care.They are trying to live without God, and failing. They do not lack knowledge, they know the way home, but do not have the strength of will, to change their mind and come home ( John 5:40). The whole emphasis in this chapter is on God seeking and finding the lost, not on their natural ability to come home by themselves. The emphasis is on the grace of God in salvation, not human works.We must remember that it is God who brings them home. Moreover, to come home is to come home to God and not first of all to their family. The prodigal, when awakened by the Spirit to his true condition, began to think of returning, but was not aware that his father had already begun to move towards him ( vs.20). The Father saw the beginning of His work in him and moved to meet him consciously.We cannot predict God's times or methods to bring our children home to God. The prodigal was brought down in God's Providence to dismal emptiness, to have all his hopes destroyed...until he was left with only one, " Christ our Hope "( 1 Tim.1:1).
AUGUST 18
" Do ye not remember ? " Mark 8:18.
Memory exercises a kind of ministry to us, to deliver us from hardening our hearts in forgetfulness. Certainly, memory can accuse us ( and drive us to repentance ) but it can also encourage us in difficult days. Moses and Nehemiah encouraged the flagging church by telling them to remember what God had done for them. Samuel also reminded them that ' Hitherto has the Lord helped us ', and the Lord does not change ! The message of Psalm 107 throughout is not to forget what deliverances God has accomplished for us, especially when it seemed hopeless, but to remember with thanksgiving. Fears are often the result of forgetfulness. The disciples then, as now, needed to be stirred up to remember what the Lord has already done for us. It is questionable whether we really forget anything, but rather that the problem is in retrieving the memory. When we are distracted by troubles, personal or ecclesiastical, we forget to focus on God. We doubt and fear because we forget.
" His love in times past forbids me to think
He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink."
Psalm 18,103 and 107, among others, stir us to remember what God has done for us. Two Psalms have the Inscription " To bring to remembrance "
( Psalm 38 and 70 ). We have also been given a Sacrament to help us remember the Lord. Let us pray not to forget Him.
AUGUST 19
" And now abide faith, hope and love." 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Unlike what this world gives, what God gives is permanent. " Christ abides forever." ( John 12:34). The Comforter ' abides with you.' ( John 14:16). " The Word of God...abides forever." ( 1 Peter 1:23) " He that doeth the will of God abides forever." ( 1 John 2:17). The fruit of the Spirit abides ( John 15:16). We are so used to experiencing temporary things, with the expectation that they will not last, that God has to teach us the permanency of His work of grace through Christ Jesus. To doubt Him is to distrust and insult Him. He is eminently and eternally worthy of our trust. What God puts in us cannot be taken out, despite the efforts of indwelling sin, the world and the devil. There is an order : Without faith there can be no hope or love. Even in heaven
faith, hope and love are inseparable companions ; they abide together. There is still a trusting in Christ, a hope rejoicing in Him and a love perfected towards Him. Even in this world, if one weakens, the other two will come in on either side to hold her up until she recovers strength ; and so we endure to the end.
AUGUST 20
" Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth." Psalm 71:9.
" Though a prayer, it is also a promise. For when God Himself dictates a petitionand so to speak puts it into our mouths, it assures us that what He thus prompts us to ask, He is ready to bestow. These words may therefore be considered as revealing the basis of comfort and support offered to an aged Christian. It is as though He said,' Man may cast me off, society may cast me off, friends, helpers, even children may abandon me ; but O my God, cast not Thou me off in the time of old age ! ' It is a lawful, an urgent, a comprehensive prayer, and may be studied in its several meanings with edification...Submission has here a large part to perform. We must leave ourselves in His hands as to the whole colour of our latter days. Competence and poverty are at His disposal... The prayer further implies,' Be Thou a Friend to me under the loss of friends.' He who has made God his Friend, who has walked with Him during a lifetime, is prepared to endure with calmness the loss of friends. When he begins to find himself alone in this world he is greatly thankful that he has not this divine friendship to seek. ' The Lord is my Helper.' " ( J.W.Alexander )
AUGUST 21
" The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31.
Such old men and women shall inherit glory, but how many are still on the path which leads to it ? One danger in old age is to become ' acclimatized ' to this world and lose spiritual sensitivity. To get a person to be taken over by everyday things is a tactic of the devil to keep our thoughts away from eternal things ( 2 Corinth.4:17). Is there still spiritual fruit in old age ? ( Ps.92) Are they still good examples for the younger generation ? Time is running out for the opportunities. " What dishonours Christ is distasteful to us." ( G.Lawson) Is our witness clear or vague ? Does our community know where we stand ? Is it still the faith which was given to the saints in the New Testament.The promise to true believers is that ' the righteous shall hold on his way.' ( Prov.) If they are led by the Spirit they shall keep to the path of righteousness marked out by His Word. The danger in old age is to give up being guided by the Word alone. It is like the driver taking his eyes off the road because he is so familiar with it - but is he still on it now ? " There is a way that seems right to a man," (Prov. 14:12) but it does not lead to heaven. Repentance will correct us and restore us to this one way of righteousness. This is a matter for every day.
AUGUST 22
" Be not far from me, make haste to help me. " Psalm 38:21,22.
We are looking for protection within Providence, especially when we know that death is near. A heavy affliction needs strong support, and for this we have to look away from ourselves for strength. We pray for an increase of faith and patience. This requires knowledge, it is the ignorant who are often careless. Ignorance is destructive of devotion. David knew the One before whom he stood, and He knew what power He had in any circumstance. While God is always near His people, it is the sense of His nearness which is desired to comfort us ; especially when we sense that the devil is near. The temptation is to panic, as if there were no help for him and he must fall. But ( and this is something we hear little about nowadays) there is a Covenant made by God with His people, and He is true and faithful to His word. He shall keep His promises. and one of these is, " I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." We are still learning what it is to be patient !Make haste to help me. " Now is the time I need Thee most. When sickness, slander and sin all beset a saint, he needs the special aid of heaven, and he shall have it too ! " ( Spurgeon) David was limping along like Jacob after Peniel ( vs.17). His faith is tried and trembling, but like Jacob he holds on to Someone stronger.
AUGUST 23
" To show that the LORD is upright ; He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him. " Psalm 92:15.
" Blessed be God for this good word of His grace, that He has given us such encouragement against all the decays and temptations of old age which we have to conflict with. Consider the oppositions which lie against the flourishing of believers in old age (vs.12-14) ; the difficulties of it, the temptations which must be conquered, the actings of the mind above its natural abilities which are in decay, the weariness which is apt to befall us in a long spiritual conflict, the cries of the flesh to be spared,..and we shall see it to be an evidence of the faithfulness,power and righteousness of God in covenant. Nothing else could produce this mighty effect ! Those graces which were active and vigorous for God at conversion ie. spirituality, heavenly mindedness, weaned-ness from the world, readiness for the cross and death - these are necessary even in old age, to evidence that we have a living principle of grace...The constitution of spiritual life is marked by growth. By this it is distinguished from temporary faith and temporary fruit."
( John Owen )
AUGUST 24
" O spare me that I may recover strength, before I go hence and be ( here ) no more. Psalm 39:13.
David is either recovering from illness or from sin ( vs.10,11). In either case, he prays for strength to meet death. ( Usually the recovery of peace of conscience after committing sin is not instantaneous.) He has probably never felt as frail as this before (vs.4) and feels himself slipping away. However, only the Lord Jesus could send his spirit away from His body, at a time of death which He chose for Himself. And only He can decide when our own soul shall go. It is natural to desire a little more strength in order to meet death, but this is not within our power or decision. We need to trust that as we feel ourselves falling He will catch us. William Jay taught his little daughter how to trust by placing her on a height above him, and told her to " Jump ! I will catch you." - and she did. Something like this happens to the believer at death. Like all else in this life of faith, it is a matter of trust in death also.
" I have a sin of fear ,that when I have spun
My last thread,I shall perish on the shore ;
But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as He shines now, and heretofore ;
And, having done that, Thou hast done - I fear no more. ( John Donne)
AUGUST 25
" The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him...he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12.
They say that old age is like a second childhood, and certainly the old need a s much care as children when they come to a certain stage. God's care for His ( old) children does not change, it is always mained at the same level ie. " infinite, eternal and unchangeable." ( George Gillespie) This promise to Benjamin applies to all the beloved of the Lord ( 1 Thess.1:4). The character of these people is that they love the Lord in return ( 1 John 4:19). They are not exempt from trials and suffering, but " they shall dwell in safety, as a child is carried on the shoulders of her father. " Those who are the lovers of the Lord Jesus shall dwell safely with God on earth and eternally with Him in heaven. "( G.Whitefield)." Those are safe whom God loves. Benjamin was covered all the day long under God's protection." ( M.Henry). We are protected from the Law's accusations because we are " accepted in the Beloved ( Son of God)," Ephesians 1:6. We are loved in Christ. Whatever happens to us, we are remembered, and we are safe. We are carried along during the long pilgrimage of life on earth, carried by a strength not our own, and cared for by the tender strength of a Father. Because of our position ' between His shoulders ' we cannot yet see His Face, but when the journey is over He will set us down, and then we shall.
AUGUST 26
" I acknowledged my sin unto Thee...and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." Psalm 32:5.
Confession and forgiveness of sin, although both acts are done daily, still has an element of mystery in it. The former we are conscious of, the latter is done silently with a power which is beyond our control. But the effect of it is consciously acknowledged also, with thanksgiving. The Bible uses many words for sin, so that we know what it is and know also what is not sin. The Law is given by God so that we might recognise sin. We must be wary of being told that something is sin when God does not say so ; it is sin that God defines and forgives, not anything else. David confesses sins which are truly sins.The devil delights to see a hardened heart which does not acknowledge sin, but he is also attracted to cause havoc in a soul which is tender but overscrupulous. Such a soul sees sin in everything and can easily be driven into despair if God does not prevent it ; we are not ignorant of Satan's strategies ( 2 Corinth.2:11). [ Thomas Brooks has an excellent book on " Precious Remedies against Satan's devices." ]
" An over tender conscience may call things sins which are not, and so be afraid of things that never were. So may it also be afraid of things that were but are not now ; of such sins as were truly sins but are now dead, dead by a true repentance and buried in the sea of the blood of Christ Jesus...Yet they may rise sometimes in this tender conscience, with suspicion that God hath not truly, not fully forgiven them - this is the devil's lie." ( John Donne)
AUGUST 27
" There talked with Him two men, Moses and Elijah..and spoke of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." Luke 9:30,31.
The word ' decease ' here is literally ' Exodus '. He would make His way to death, and make His way through it, leading out His people behind Him. It is wrong to speak of the ' death of God ', it was the human nature of Christ which died. But it is the Son of God who took that nature, in which He experienced death. Death is not a word which the world likes to use, they prefer euphemisms to disguise the truth, the finality of our time on earth. Death is certain and yet no-one thinks it will happen to them - such is the numbing, blinding power of sin to reality. And of course, although they see it happen, they do not take its warning seriously, and so do not prepare. But in this passage the Lord discussed it, with the representatives of the Law and the Prophets ; both had spoken of Him, and now they see him and talk with Him of the fulfilment of the Law and the prophecies concerning Him ( Luke 24:44). Moses and Elijah spoke of His glory and of the benefits which sinners would receive, the benefits of His death. " Discourses about Christ should not be for curiosity but for edification.. There we leave you in that blessed dependency, to hang upon Him who hung on the cross...promising you a resurrection and an ascension into the Kingdom which He has purchased for you with the inestimable price of His incorruptible blood." ( John Donne, the last words of his last sermon, 1631)
AUGUST 28
" Tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience." Romans 5:3,4.
Tribulation means ' pressure ', patience means ' endurance ', and experience is' proof of character ', a character tested and approved by God.( Job 23;10). Many things in this world happen to us, but what is happening in us as a result ? " If afflictions refine some, they consume others." ( Thomas Fuller). Suffering, by itself, cannot produce a good character ; the Holy Spirit must work with it in the heart. The demands of this life help us to develop patience and self-discipline. It should be noted that some people find prosperity a harder test ; ' it is not easy to carry a full cup.' Not every ' good experience ' is profitable to us ; likewise, not every ' bad experience ' is unprofitable." Character does not come cheaply. The trials of life can be God's tools for engraving His image on our character. [ The Greek word 'character ' means 'imprint' ] The experiences may not be enjoyable, but they can be profitable. A suffering woman asked her Pastor, ' Why has God made me like this ? ' The Pastor wisely replied, ' God has not made you - He is making you ! ' " ( C.Swindoll)
AUGUST 29
" Our God is the God of salvation,and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." Psalm 68:20.
In the context this applies to the ' God of salvation ' and promises a happy deliverance to believers at death. In a general sense, for all that go through death, the issue that comes forth from death, belongs to Him to dispose of in eternity. He has the right to do what He wills with His creatures. This deliverance from death calms the believer's fears ; it is a promise He will fulfil, and it calls for trust. This prerogative of God includes the manner of our death, whether we have an indication of its approach or whether it comes suddenly. It does not mean that He will deliver us from dying ( unless He comes first ) but will care for our soul and for our body at their temporary separation. it is good to belong to Christ, to commit ourselves into His care ; His care will last.It belongs to God alone to pass judgement upon us when we die ( Heb.9:27). Men's adverse opinions or flattering eulogies make no impression on Him, He has already made up His mind. We may be insensible at death, or faith may be accompanied with some fear yet, but it is the life inside that matters. Just before the point of death there may be no visible movement of life seen, but the unseen soul is in readiness to enter the unseen world. The ' enabled choice ' of Christ was made long before, and abides for ever. ( Ps.48:14).
" The Lord redeems His servants' souls, None perish that Him trust." Psalm 34:22 ( Scottish Metrical version )
AUGUST 30
" Till He come." 1 Corinthians 11:26
As the years go by, these words at the Sacrament focus our attention more and more. We have been remembering the Lord's death, how His blood sealed our salvation. But we must now prepare to see Him coming in His exaltation. He has triumphed over death, is crowned with glory and honour. We must be careful not to think of Him only in a historical sense. He is active in heaven and on earth, He is present in time and in eternity. He is glorious but condescends to help us, accompany us and bear with us all the way into His heavenly kingdom.We ought to meditate more on His Person, and then on His work. It is because of His work for us that we shall see His person, face to Face. There shall then be communion without ordinances, means of grace, without failures. While we remember the saving benefits of His death here, especially at the Lord's Supper. But in heaven we shall be so taken up with the glory manifested from Him that we shall scarcely think of ourselves. We shall be so lost in admiration and adoration. Some say after the ordinance here, " It is good to be here. " But Paul goes further, ' It is far better to be there.' he says. Let us think forward.
" I will not look at glory but on my King of grace,
Not at the crown He gifteth, but on His pierced hands ;
The Lamb is all the glory in Immanuel's Land. " ( Rutherford)
AUGUST 31
" Fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow." Psalm 90:10.
" Is the will there to get up today ? Is there any motion other than slow ?
Will the cloud remain to fog the way ? Will the gears be always in low ?
Noise is hurtful, quiet corners are best. Why always hurry and never rest ?
Can I, must I be left alone ? So fragile, to go further on my own.
They mean well, but response costs energy, and I have none to spare,
To keep the way, to get through the day, until I reach there.
The past speaks only of changes, can I hope to wake up stronger ?
No upward ladder is seen, and the road stretches out longer.
Yet He has spoken, His Word remains, written on pages and on heart ;
Faith without comfort is a rational love, but is all I need to get above.
But this world is not heaven, cannot fulfil all my desires ;
While the body fails, press on, my soul,
Christ thy Love shall soon make thee whole." ( Anon.)