Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.—PROV. 21:3.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?—Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.—To love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.—Mary . . . sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Mic. 6:8. -I Sam. 15:22. -Mark 12:33.Hos. 12:6. -Luke 10:39,42.Phi. 2:13.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you.”
Isaiah 30:18
God often delays in answering prayer. We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day—he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophoenicia was answered not a word for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that “the thorn in the flesh” might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it should be taken away, but instead thereof a promise that God’s grace should be sufficient for him. If thou hast been knocking at the gate of mercy, and hast received no answer, shall I tell thee why the mighty Maker hath not opened the door and let thee in? Our Father has reasons peculiar to himself for thus keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show his power and his sovereignty, that men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold. More frequently the delay is for our profit. Thou art perhaps kept waiting in order that thy desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase desire, and that if he keeps thee waiting thou wilt see thy necessity more clearly, and wilt seek more earnestly; and that thou wilt prize the mercy all the more for its long tarrying. There may also be something wrong in thee which has need to be removed, before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps thy views of the Gospel plan are confused, or thou mayest be placing some little reliance on thyself, instead of trusting simply and entirely to the Lord Jesus. Or, God makes thee tarry awhile that he may the more fully display the riches of his grace to thee at last. Thy prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while shall be fulfilled to thy delight and satisfaction. Let not despair make thee silent, but continue instant in earnest supplication.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Kings 17
17. Elijah Fed by Ravens
Elijah Predicts a Drought
17
Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”2The word of the Lord came to him, saying,3“Go from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.4You shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”5So he went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and lived by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the wadi.7But after a while the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
The Widow of Zarephath
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,9“Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”10So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.”11As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”12But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”13Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son.14For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.”15She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days.16The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Elijah Revives the Widow’s Son
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.18She then said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!”19But he said to her, “Give me your son.” He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed.20He cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?”21Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.”22The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.23Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.”24So the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
New Testament in Four Years - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5
3. Timothy's Encouraging Report
3
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens;2and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith,3so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for.4In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know.5For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 119:33-48
119. Psalm 119
33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
and I will observe it to the end.
34
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
36
Turn my heart to your decrees,
and not to selfish gain.
37
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
give me life in your ways.
38
Confirm to your servant your promise,
which is for those who fear you.
39
Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
for your ordinances are good.
40
See, I have longed for your precepts;
in your righteousness give me life.
41
Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation according to your promise.
42
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
for I trust in your word.
43
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in your ordinances.
44
I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever.
45
I shall walk at liberty,
for I have sought your precepts.
46
I will also speak of your decrees before kings,
and shall not be put to shame;
47
I find my delight in your commandments,
because I love them.
48
I revere your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.