January 9

Morning

I will be their God. — Jer 31:33

Christian! here is all you can require. To make you happy—you need something that shall satisfy you and is not this enough? If you can pour this promise into your cup—you will say, with David, “My cup runs over! I have more than heart can wish!” When this is fulfilled, “I am your God,” —are you not possessor of all things? Desire is insatiable as death but He who fills all in all, can fill it. The capacity of our desires—who can measure? but the immeasurable wealth of God can more than overflow it. I ask you—if you are not complete—when God is yours? Do you need anything but God? Is not His all-sufficiency enough to satisfy you—if all else should fail?

But you want more than quiet satisfaction; you desire rapturous delight. Come, soul, here is music fit for heaven in this your portion, for God is the Maker of Heaven. Not all the music blown from sweet instruments, or drawn from living strings—can yield such melody as this sweet promise, “I will be their God!” Here is a deep sea of bliss, a shoreless ocean of delight; come—bathe your spirit in it; swim an age and you shall find no shore; dive throughout eternity and you shall find no bottom.

“I will be their God!” If this does not make your eyes sparkle, and your heart beat high with bliss—then assuredly your soul is not in a healthy state.

But you need more than present delights—you crave something concerning which you may exercise hope; and what more can you hope for than the fulfillment of this great promise, “I will be their God!” This is the masterpiece of all the promises; its enjoyment makes a heaven below and will make a heaven above. Dwell in the light of your Lord, and let your soul be always ravished with His love. Get out the marrow and fatness which this portion yields you. Live up to your privileges, and rejoice with unspeakable joy.

Evening

Serve the Lord with gladness. — Ps 100:2

Delight in divine service is a sign of acceptance with God. Those who serve God with a sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving Him at all; they bring the form of homage but the life is absent. Our God requires no slaves to grace His throne; He is the Lord of the empire of love, and would have His servants dressed in the livery of joy. The angels of God serve Him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks.

That obedience which is not voluntary—is disobedience, for the Lord looks at the heart, and if He sees that we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him—He will reject our offering. Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service, and therefore true service. Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man is forced to battle, he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye and beaming face, singing, “It is sweet for one’s country to die,” proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism.

Cheerfulness is the support of our strength; in the joy of the Lord, we are strong. Joy acts as the remover of difficulties. It is to our service—what oil is to the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur; and if there is not a holy cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness. The man who is cheerful in his service of God, proves that obedience is his element; he can sing, “Make me to walk in Your commands—it is a delightful road.” Reader, let us put this question—do you serve the Lord with gladness? Let us show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery—that it is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.