Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
The fruit of the Spirit is love.—GAL. 5:22.
God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.—The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.—Unto you . . . which believe he is precious.—We love him, because he first loved us.—The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.—This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.—Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.—Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
I John 4:16. -Rom. 5:5. -I Pet. 2:7. -I John 4:19. -II Cor. 5:14,15.I Thes. 4:9. -John 15:12. -I Pet. 4:8. -Eph. 5:2.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.”
Song of Solomon 4:16
Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Our souls may wisely desire the north wind of trouble if that alone can be sanctified to the drawing forth of the perfume of our graces. So long as it cannot be said, “The Lord was not in the wind,” we will not shrink from the most wintry blast that ever blew upon plants of grace. Did not the spouse in this verse humbly submit herself to the reproofs of her Beloved; only entreating him to send forth his grace in some form, and making no stipulation as to the peculiar manner in which it should come? Did she not, like ourselves, become so utterly weary of deadness and unholy calm that she sighed for any visitation which would brace her to action? Yet she desires the warm south wind of comfort, too, the smiles of divine love, the joy of the Redeemer’s presence; these are often mightily effectual to arouse our sluggish life. She desires either one or the other, or both; so that she may but be able to delight her Beloved with the spices of her garden. She cannot endure to be unprofitable, nor can we. How cheering a thought that Jesus can find comfort in our poor feeble graces. Can it be? It seems far too good to be true. Well may we court trial or even death itself if we shall thereby be aided to make glad Immanuel’s heart. O that our heart were crushed to atoms if only by such bruising our sweet Lord Jesus could be glorified. Graces unexercised are as sweet perfumes slumbering in the cups of the flowers: the wisdom of the great Husbandman overrules diverse and opposite causes to produce the one desired result, and makes both affliction and consolation draw forth the grateful odours of faith, love, patience, hope, resignation, joy, and the other fair flowers of the garden. May we know by sweet experience, what this means.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Chronicles 22
22. Ahaziah King of Judah
Ahaziah’s Reign
22
The inhabitants of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king as his successor; for the troops who came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah.2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly.4He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done; for after the death of his father they were his counselors, to his ruin.5He even followed their advice, and went with Jehoram son of King Ahab of Israel to make war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram,6and he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that he had received at Ramah, when he fought King Hazael of Aram. And Ahaziah son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
7 But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.8When Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them.9He searched for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria and was brought to Jehu, and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.
Athaliah Seizes the Throne
10 Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family of the house of Judah.11But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada—because she was a sister of Ahaziah—hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not kill him;12he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
New Testament in Four Years - Hebrews 4:12-13
4. A Sabbath Rest for God's People
12 Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.13And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 37:1-20
37. Psalm 37
Psalm 37
Exhortation to Patience and Trust
Of David.
1
Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2
for they will soon fade like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.
3
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6
He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
8
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9
For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10
Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
11
But the meek shall inherit the land,
and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
12
The wicked plot against the righteous,
and gnash their teeth at them;
13
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that their day is coming.
14
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to kill those who walk uprightly;
15
their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16
Better is a little that the righteous person has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18
The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will abide forever;
19
they are not put to shame in evil times,
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20
But the wicked perish,
and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.