He giveth quietness. Job 34:29
The calm sea says more to the thoughtful soul than the same sea in a storm and tumult. But we need the understanding of eternal things, and the sentiment of the Infinite to be able to feel this. People of passionate temperament never understand this. Amiel's Journal.
"The lovely things are quiet things - soft falling snow,
And feathers dropped from flying wings make no sound as they go.
A petal loosened from a rose, quietly seeks the ground,
And love, if lovely, when it goes, goes without sound."
The silent seasons of life are imperative. The winter is the mother of spring; the night is the fountain of the physical forces of the day; the silent soil is the womb where vegetable life is born. The greatest things in our spiritual life come out of our waiting hours, when all activity is suspended, and the soul learns to be "silent unto God" while He shapes us for future activities and fruitful years.
The greatest forces in nature are quiet ones. The law of gravitation is silent, yet invincible. So, back of all our activities and actions the law of faith is the mightiest force of the spiritual world, and mightiest when quietest and least demonstrative. When the soul is anchored to the will of God and His exceeding great and precious promises, with the calm unwavering confidence that His power and love are behind us and can never fail us until all His will for us is accomplished, our life must be victorious. Springs in the Valley
In the center of the whirlpool, while the waters rush around,
There's a space of perfect stillness, though with turmoil it is bound:
All is calm, and all is quiet, scarcely e'en a sense of sound.
So with us--despite the conflict--when in Christ His peace is found."
N.J. Hiebert - 10141
November 29
O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. Daniel 10:19
God reminded Daniel three times that he was "greatly beloved." This enabled him to overcome the many trials that he faced. So also with the Bride, in the days of separation from her Beloved. The thing that sustains her until she is forever with Him, is this knowledge, "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved, is mine." (Song of Solomon 6:3) He lives for us, and is coming back for us. Surely this quells the anxious fears that rise within our hearts, as we face the challenges of time. W.H. Burnett
Loved with everlasting love, drawn by grace, that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above, who hast taught me it is so.
Oh, this full and perfect peace! Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen:
Birds with gladder songs o'erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
Oh, to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
His forever, only His: who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heaven and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine. G. W.Robinson
N.J. Hiebert - 10142
November 30
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalm 23:5
The ordinary interpretation of Psalm 23 is that it brings before us a three-fold picture-- the Shepherd and His sheep in verse 1; the traveller and his Guide in verse 4; and the Host and His guest in verse 5. But, while that may be true by application, it is not the primary significance of this portion of scripture. From start to finish Psalm 23 sings of shepherd life.
"The valley of the shadow of death" of which it speaks refers to those places of deadly peril through which the flocks have sometimes to pass, and in which they are cast entirely on the guidance and protection of the shepherd. This symbolizes the darker and more difficult portions of the path over which the flock of God travels to the heavenly land.
Then, as regards the "preparing of a table before me in the presence of mine enemies", it has been said by one who is familiar with shepherd-life in oriental lands, that "There is no higher task of the shepherd in Eastern countries than to go from time to time to study places, and examine the grass, and find a good and safe feeding-place for his sheep. There are many poisonous plants in the grass, and the shepherd must find and avoid them."
Then there are viper's holes, and the reptiles bite the noses of the sheep if they are not driven away. And round the feeding place, which the shepherd thus prepares, in holes and caves in the hill-sides, there are jackals, wolves, hyenas and tigers; and the bravery and skill of the shepherd are at the highest point in closing up the dens with stones, or slaying the wild beasts with his long-bladed knife. Of nothing do you hear the shepherds boasting more proudly than of their achievements in this part of their care of their flocks.
The Pearl of Psalm - George Henderson.
N.J. Hiebert - 10143
December 1
HIS DESIRED DESIRE
With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.
Luke 22:15
With Gethsemane and Calvary in fullest view, His heart's desire was to spend those few last hours in closest fellowship with His disciples. Now, if we take the King at His word, and really believe that He thus desires us, can we possibly remain cold hearted and indifferent to Him?
Can we bear the idea of disappointing His love--such love--and meeting it with any such pale, cool response as would wound any human heart, "I do not know whether I love your or not!"
Oh, do let us leave off morbidly looking to see exactly how much we love (which is just like trying to warm ourselves with a thermometer, and perhaps only ends in doubting whether we love at all), and look straight away at His love and His desire!
Think of Jesus actually wanting you, really desiring your love, not satisfied with all the love of all the angels and saints unless you love Him too--needing that little drop to fill His cup of joy! Is there no answering throb, no responsive glow?
Within an "upper room" are met a small, yet faithful band,
On whom a deep yet chastened grief hath laid its softening hand.
Among them there is One who wears a more than mortal mien,
'Tis He on whom in all distress the weary one may lean.
Opened Treasures - Frances Ridley Havergal
N.J. Hiebert - 10144
December 2
Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. John 13:23
The first time John is called the "disciple whom Jesus loved" is in the Upper Room. What a scene for the heart to contemplate! Jesus is there with a love that can never break down, for "having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." John 13:1
John is there delighting in the love of Christ, resting his head on the bosom of Jesus. He describes himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter is there with real, ardent love for the Lord, but trusting in his own love to the Lord rather than resting in the Lord's love to him. Lastly, Judas is there, with no love to the Lord--with the bag at his side and the devil in his heart, ready to betray the Lord and pass into the long dark night .
In Jesus we see how very near His love has brought Him to men like ourselves,
as John can rest his head on the bosom of the One who dwelt in the bosom of the Father. In John we see what the heart of the Saviour can do for a sinner, bringing him to perfect rest in perfect love. In Judas we see what the heart of a the sinner can do with the Saviour--betray Him, for thirty pieces of silver.
The feet washing is over and the time has come for the Lord to utter His farewell words; but His spirit is troubled by the presence of the betrayer. The Lord unburdens His heart to His disciples, "One of you shall betray Me" (John 13:21). Immediately they look one on another, doubting of whom He spoke.
Looking at others will never solve difficulties that arise among believers. We must look to the Lord, but looking to the Lord demands nearness to the Lord, and in the circle of the upper room, the disciple that was nearest to the Lord was the one whose feet had been in the hands of the Lord, whose head was resting on the bosom of the Lord and whose heart was delighting in the love of the Lord. H. Smith
N.J. Hiebert - 10145
December 3
The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. James 5:8
It is a good thing to understand prophecy; it is better to have the intended purpose for which it was given. Today more Christians have some idea of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ than two centuries ago. But that does not mean that the hearts of Christians long for Him more than they did then.
Whenever the coming and the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ are mentioned, there is a practical importance attached to it. In John 14 it is so that the disciples' hearts may not be troubled in view of His imminent departure. In Romans 13:12, so that we may cast away the works of darkness and walk becomingly. In 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, so that we may be firm, immovable, and abounding always in the work of the Lord.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, so as to know that we sorrow not as others who have no hope. In 2 Timothy 4:6-9, so that we may fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. In Titus 2:12, so that we may live soberly, justly, and piously.
In 1 John 3:2-3 we have this most precious promise that "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!"--a statement that should never cease to fill our hearts with joy and lead us always to worship Him. "every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure."
Finally, in Revelation 22:20. we are told this so that our hearts may respond to His, saying, "Amen. Even so. come, Lord Jesus." A. M. Behnam
We go to meet the Saviour, His glorious face to see;
What manner of behaviour doth with this hope agree?
May God's illumination guide heart and walk aright,
That so our preparation be pleasing in His sight. P. Gerhardt
N.J. Hiebert - 10146
December 4
THE POWER OF FAITH IN THE TIME OF DIFFICULTY
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? John 11:40
In our Lord's reply to Martha we have one of the most blessed utterances that ever fell on the human ear: "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" What living depth, what divine power, what freshness and comfort in these words! They present to us the very gist and marrow, the essential principle of the divine life. It is only the eye of faith that can see the glory of God. Unbelief sees only difficulties, darkness, and death. Faith looks above and beyond all these, and ever basks in the blessed beams of the divine glory.
Poor Martha saw nothing but a decomposed human body, simply because she was under a spirit of dark and depressing unbelief. Had she been swayed by simple faith she would have walked to the tomb in company with Him who is the resurrection and the life, assured that, instead of death and decomposition, she should see the glory of God.
This is a grand principle for the soul to grasp. It is utterly impossible for human language to overstate its value and importance. Faith never looks at difficulties, except indeed to feed on them. "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." (2 Corinthians 4:18) It "endures as seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). It takes hold of the living God. It leans on His arm; It makes use of His strength; it draws on His exhaustless treasury; it walks in the light of His blest countenance, and sees His glory shining forth over the darkest scenes of human life. C. H. Mackintosh
When sorrows assail us, or terrors draw nigh,
His love will not fail us, He'll guide with His eye;
And when we are fainting, and ready to fail,
He'll give what is wanting, and make us prevail. John Fawcett
N.J. Hiebert - 10147
December 5
Make thee an ark of gopher wood. Genesis 6:14
Come thou and all thy house into the ark. Genesis 7:1
Go forth of the ark. Genesis 8:16
When we think about Noah and the overwhelming task he carried out, we wonder how did he do it? It was simple. He just followed God's plan. God instructed him each step of the way. God said build, come, go and Noah responded in faithful obedience.
Note too that God was with him through it all. God had to go in the ark before Noah did or He couldn't say "Come." God had to have stayed with Noah or He couldn't have ended the journey by saying "Go." To us He says, "I am with you always" ( Matthew 28:20.) Ken Gross
All the way my Saviour leads me.
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Fanny J. Crosby
N.J. Hiebert - 10148
December 6
