360 ELIJAH AND ELISHA. heaven was shut up; he prayed, and rain descended ; he prayed, and fire came down from heaven. And Elisha being virtually his son and successor, desires, through his power with God, a double portion. Let us covet earnestly the best gifts; and in obtaining them, let our chief anxiety be, that with them we may glorify God, and benefit our fellow-men. AUGUST 8. My Lord and my God. "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God."-John, XX. 28. THIS Confession implies that he believed in Christ's resurrection. He had the evidence of his senses. Before this he would not credit the testimony of the other disciples; but now he saw Jesus, he saw the print of the nails, and the pierced side, and he could no longer resist. Reader, wilt thou resist? There were other witnesses of the resurrection of Christ. The ten disciples and the women saw him often, and five hundred brethren saw him at one time, so that deception was impossible. All these gave their testimony on the very spot, where it would have been disproved, if this had been possible; and they gave their testimony, not gaining anything thereby, but suffering the loss of all things. This confession implies his faith in Christ's divinity. He calls him "Lord and God"-names exclusively belonging to Deity. He knew that Jesus was omniscient, because he had reproved him in the very words of unbelief which he had previously expressed to the other disciples. He knew that Jesus was a true prophet, because it was plain that his predicted resurrection was now accomplished, and accomplished by his own power. Well, MY LORD AND MY GOD. 361 then, might he confess, "My Lord and my God ❞—a confession which Jesus owned and approved. This confession expresses appropriating faith: "My, my." Faith is not a mere opinion about truth, or seeing a thing to be true; for many hold opinions and see truths that have no religion at all. Faith is not the belief of only one truth, otherwise so many divine truths would never have been revealed. But faith believes all that God has revealed, especially about Christ, and claims and appropriates the Saviour. That cannot be faith which does not take possession; hence every believer confesses, "My Lord and my God." Alas! how many, like the devils, believe the truth, or say that they do it, who never claim and possess Christ as their Saviour, and the embodiment of all truth! This confession is an open avowal of faith in Christ. The omniscient Saviour heard it, and knew it was from the heart. The ten disciples were present and heard it, and could not fail to observe the wonderful change come over their once unbelieving brother. Oh, how would this singular change gladden their hearts! Jesus was well satisfied with the confession of Thomas, and expressed his approbation of it in the presence of them all. "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." O my soul, hast thou felt and appropriated this blessedness ? AUGUST 9. An Antidote to Fear. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”—Psalm xxvii. 1. THE Christian's light-the Christian's salvation—and the Christian's confidence, are attractive subjects. The Christian's light.-"The Lord is my light." He 362 AN ANTIDOTE TO FEAR. gives me light by his word. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." It gives me light concerning the character of God, the existence of evil, the way of escape from it, and my future destiny. He gives me light by his Spirit. He convinces me of sin, its dreadful nature, and its ruinous consequences. He gives me such a view of Christ, his love and his work, as enlightens my mind, and enflames my heart, and fills my soul with peace, purity, and hope. I claim him as "my light." The word "my" expresses the appropriating act of faith. It is my taking hold of Christ, by whom I pass from nature to grace, from darkness to light, from sin to God; and what though he should be a light to others, if I do not claim him as my light? He is the ladder to glory; "my" seizes him and mounts. The Christian's salvation. "The Lord is my salvation." Salvation includes temporal deliverances, as well as spiritual blessings. It delivers from all evil, the guilt of sin, the dominion of sin, and the curse of sin. Procured by Jesus at a great price, it rescues the soul from Satan's grasp, and delivers it from merited wrath. It secures all good-pardon, peace, a blessed hope, and eternal life. So comprehensive a blessing is salvation, that it includes all the sinner needs to make him happy, and all the blessings for which Christ wrestled and died. Shall I not prize and claim this salvation as mine, since it is provided for me, needed by me, and presented to me in the gospel? shall I not gladly receive it? and how shall I escape if I neglect it ? The Christian's confidence.-"Whom shall I fear?" Shall I fear Satan? Jesus has virtually overcome him, and placed him under restraint, and he has no power over me without my consent; and should his dark shadow at any time pass over my spirit, let my faith in Christ resemble the diamond, which sparkles brightest in the AN ANTIDOTE TO FEAR. 363 dark. Shall I fear wicked men? "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell." But God shall restrain the wicked. Their passions may be like slumbering volcanic fires; but under the covering of blood, and the protection of an omnipotent arm, I am safe. Shall I fear He is my last enemy; but Jesus has vanquished him. Its sting is sin; but I am saved from sin, and shall I fear a shadow, or a serpent without a sting! Shall I not rather welcome this dreaded enemy as a smiling friend, that shall liberate my soul from its dusty prison. AUGUST 10. The Christian's Future. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."-Psalm xxiii. 6. THINK of the Christian's future on earth. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The Christian shall enjoy the goodness of God. He shall be fed from the table of providence. He who clothes the lilies with beauty, shall clothe him. He shall have kind and sympathizing friends, and he shall have comfort and support in trials. He shall enjoy the mercy of God. This mercy, flowing through Christ, shall secure to him all the privileges of God's children: a sense of pardoning mercy, exalted sonship, consolation in sorrow, and a good hope of heaven. He shall enjoy these blessings permanently: "All the days of my life." God will not forsake him, nor lessen, nor withdraw his love. He shall have all needed blessings in health, in trouble, in prosperity, and adversity. Thus goodness and mercy are inexhaustible fountains, from which he shall he supplied and refreshed as long as he lives. However old, and frail, and useless, he will not be 364 THE CHRISTIAN'S FUTURE. forgotten. He feels assured of all this: "Surely." Assurance is essential to the comfort and happiness of the Christian; and it arises from the witness of the Spirit, the promise and oath of God, and sincere and persevering obedience to the divine commands. The Christian's future in heaven." I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." His home is "the house of the Lord." This is the house not made with hands, Christ's Father's house, in which are many mansions. It is a house of vast extent, unrivalled splendour, unsullied purity, and endless duration. Its company is chosen and faithful, its enjoyments exquisite and exhaustless, and its employments elevating and delightful to the soul. His occupation of it shall be at death. As soon as the Christian leaves his home on earth, he enters on his home in heaven, where he shall dwell in bliss, with all evil absent, and all good present. The immediate presence of Christ shall complete his enjoyments. "In his presence is fulness of joy; at his right hand are pleasures for evermore." His possession of it shall be everlasting: “For Some have been Of all ever." Once in, he goes no more out. in for five thousand years; yet their possession of heaven is no nearer its termination than when it began. Though every drop of the ocean were to count one thousand years, its measureless waters would not exhaust eternity; for the finite cannot give an adequate idea of the infinite. this the Christian is assured, for he says, "I will dwell." He is sure of it from his own experience, the promise of God, and the testimony of all the saints; and this assurance grows with his growth, till it becomes certainty and reality. |