December 6

Morning

As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. — 1 Cor 15:48

The head and members are of one nature, and not like that monstrous image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head was of fine gold but the belly and thighs were of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet, part of iron and part of clay. Christ’s mystical body is no absurd combination of opposites; the members were mortal, and therefore Jesus died; the glorified head is immortal, and therefore the body is immortal too, for thus the record stands, “Because I live, you shall live also.” As is our loving Head, such is the body, and every member in particular. A chosen Head and chosen members; an accepted Head, and accepted members; a living Head, and living members. If the head is pure gold, all the parts of the body are of pure gold also. Thus is there a double union of nature as a basis for the closest communion.

Pause here, devout reader, and see if you can without ecstatic amazement, contemplate the infinite condescension of the Son of God in thus exalting your wretchedness into blessed union with His glory. You are so low, that in remembrance of your mortality, you may say to corruption, “You are my father,” and to the worm, “You are my sister!” And yet in Christ you are so honored that you can say to the Almighty, “Abba, Father!” and to the Incarnate God, “You are my brother and my husband!” Surely if relationships to ancient and noble families make men think highly of themselves, we have something to glory over the heads of them all. Let the poorest and most despised believer lay hold upon this privilege; let not a senseless indolence make him negligent to trace his pedigree, and let him allow no foolish attachment to present vanities to occupy his thoughts to the exclusion of this glorious, this heavenly honor of union with Christ!

Evening

Girt about the paps with a golden girdle. — Rev 1:13

“One like unto the Son of Man” appeared to John in Patmos, and the beloved disciple marked that He wore a golden belt. A belt, for Jesus never was ungirt while upon earth, but stood always ready for service, and now before the eternal throne He stays not His holy ministry, but as a priest is girt about with “the fine belt of the ephod.” Well it is for us, that He has not ceased to fulfill His offices of love for us, since this is one of our choicest safeguards, that He ever lives to make intercession for us. Jesus is never an idler; His garments are never loose as though His offices were ended; He diligently carries on the cause of His people.

A golden belt, to manifest the superiority of His service, the royalty of His person, the dignity of His state, the glory of His reward. No longer does He cry out of the dust, but He pleads with authority, a King as well as a Priest. Safe enough is our cause in the hands of our enthroned Melchizedek.

Our Lord presents all His people with an example. We must never unbind our belts. This is not the time for lying down at ease, it is the season of service and warfare. We need to bind the belt of truth more and more tightly around our loins. It is a golden belt, and so will be our richest ornament, and we greatly need it, for a heart that is not well braced up with the truth as it is in Jesus, and with the fidelity which is wrought of the Spirit, will be easily entangled with the things of this life, and tripped up by the snares of temptation. It is in vain that we possess the Scriptures unless we bind them around us like a belt, surrounding our entire nature, keeping each part of our character in order, and giving compactness to our whole man. If in heaven Jesus does not loosen His belt, much less may we upon earth. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with the belt of truth!