October 1

Morning

Pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. — Song 7:13

The spouse desires to give to Jesus all that she produces. Our heart has “all kinds of pleasant fruits,” both “old and new,” and they are laid up for our Beloved. At this rich autumnal season of fruit—let us survey our stores.

We have new fruits. We desire to feel new life, new joy, new gratitude; we wish to make new resolves and carry them out by new labors; our heart blossoms with new prayers, and our soul is pledging herself to new efforts.

But we have some old fruits too. There is our first love—a choice fruit and Jesus delights in it. There is our first faith—that simple faith by which, having nothing—we became possessors of all things. There is our joy when first we knew the Lord—let us revive it. We have our old remembrances of the promises. How faithful has God been! In sickness, how softly did He make our bed! In deep waters, how soothingly did He buoy us up! In the flaming furnace, how graciously did He deliver us. Old fruits, indeed! We have many of them—for His mercies have been more than the hairs of our head. Old sins we must regret but then we have had repentances which He has given us, by which we have wept our way to the cross, and learned the merit of His blood.

We have fruits, this morning, both new and old; but here is the point—they are all laid up for Jesus. Truly, those are the best and most acceptable services, in which Jesus is the solitary aim of the soul; and His glory, without any admixture whatever, the end of all our efforts. Let our many fruits be laid up only for our Beloved; let us display them when He is with us, and not hold them up before the gaze of men.

Jesus, we will turn the key in our garden door, and none shall enter to rob You of one good fruit from the soil which You have watered with Your bloody sweat. Our all shall be Yours, Yours only, O Jesus, our Beloved!

Evening

He will give grace and glory. — Ps 84:11

Jehovah is bounteous in His nature, to give is His delight. His gifts are precious beyond measure, and are as freely given as the light of the sun!

He freely gives grace in all its forms, to His people: saving grace, comforting grace, preserving grace, sanctifying grace, directing grace, instructing grace, assisting grace!

He doubly enhances the value of His grace, by the manner of its bestowal. He generously pours into their souls without ceasing, and He always will do so, whatever may occur. Sickness may befall but the Lord will give grace. Poverty may happen to us but grace will surely be afforded. Death must come but grace will light a candle at the darkest hour. Reader, how blessed it is as years roll along, to enjoy such an unfading promise as this, “The Lord will give grace!”

The little conjunction “and” in this verse is the diamond rivet binding the present with the future! Grace and glory always go together. God has married them and none can divorce them. The Lord will never deny a soul glory to whom He has freely given to live upon His grace. Indeed, glory is nothing more than grace in its heavenly dress; grace in full bloom; grace like autumn fruit—mellow and perfected.

How soon we may have glory—none can tell! It may be before this month has run out—that we shall see the Holy City. But be the interval longer or shorter—we shall be glorified before long. The Lord will surely give glory to all His chosen ones: the glory of heaven, the glory of eternity, the glory of Jesus! Oh, rare promise of a faithful God!

Two golden links of one celestial chain!
Whoever has grace shall surely glory gain!