October 16

Morning

Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. — John 21:12

In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. “Come and dine!” implies the same table, the same food; and sometimes it means to sit by His side, and lean our head upon the Savior’s bosom! It is being brought into the banqueting-house, where the banner of redeeming love waves!

“Come and dine!” implies union with Jesus, because the only food that we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus—is Himself. Oh, what union is this! It is a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus. “He who eats My flesh, and drinks My blood—dwells in Me, and I in him.”

It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians may differ on a variety of points but they all have one spiritual appetite. If we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus—we partake of one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes around—we pledge one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who like yourself, are supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were more near to Jesus—we would be more near to one another.

We likewise see in these words—the source of strength for every Christian. To look at Christ is to live but for strength to serve Him you must “come and dine!” We labor under much unnecessary weakness, on account of neglecting this percept of the Master. None of us need to put ourselves on a spiritual diet! On the contrary, we should fatten on the marrow and fatness of the gospel—that we may accumulate strength therein, and use every power to its full extent in the Master’s service. Thus, then, if you would realize nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus, love to His people and strength from Jesus, “come and dine” with Him by faith!

Evening

With thee is the fountain of life. — Ps 36:9

There are times in our spiritual experience, when human counsel or sympathy, or religious ordinances, fail to comfort or help us. Why does our gracious God permit this? Perhaps it is because we have been living too much without Him and therefore He takes away every prop upon which we have been in the habit of depending, that He may drive us to Himself! It is a blessed thing to live at the fountain-head. While our water-bottles are full, we are content, like Hagar and Ishmael, to go into the wilderness; but when those are dry—nothing will serve us but our God.

We are like the prodigal, we love the swine-troughs and forget our Father’s house! Remember, we can make swine-troughs and husks—even out of the forms of religion. They are blessed things but we may put them in God’s place, and then they are of no value. Anything becomes an IDOL—when it keeps us away from God! Even the brazen serpent is to be despised as “Nehushtan!” if we worship it instead of God. The prodigal was never safer—than when he was driven to his father’s bosom, because he could find sustenance nowhere else.

Our Lord favors us with a famine—that it may make us seek after Himself the more. The best position for a Christian—is living wholly and directly on God’s grace—still abiding where he stood at first, “Having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” Let us never for a moment think that our acceptance with God—is in our sanctification, our mortification, our graces, or our feelings. But know that because Christ offered a full atonement, therefore we are saved; for we are complete in Him. Having nothing of our own to trust to but resting solely upon the merits of Jesus—His passion and holy life furnish us with the only sure ground of confidence. Beloved, when we are brought to a thirsting condition—we are sure to turn to the fountain of life with eagerness!