March 11 Daily Devotional

Forever in my great Taskmaster's sight

The whole of [Matthew] chapter 6, I suggest, relates to the Christian as living his life in the presence of God, in active submission to Him, and in entire dependence upon Him.... Take, for instance, the first verse: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven."

It continues like that from beginning to end.... "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? ... or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ... Your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." There, I say, is a description of the Christian as a man who knows he is always in the presence of God, so that what he is interested in is not the impression he makes on other men but his relationship to God.

Thus, when he prays, he is not interested in what other people are thinking, whether they are praising his prayers or criticizing them; he knows he is in the presence of the Father, and he is praying to God. Also, when he does his alms, it is God he has in mind all along. Furthermore, as he meets problems in life, his need of food and clothing, his reaction to external events, all are viewed in the light of this relationship which he bears to the Father. This is a very important principle with regard to the Christian life.

Then chapter 7 can be regarded in general as an account of the Christian as one who lives always under the judgment of God and in the fear of God. "Judge not, that ye be not judged." "Enter ye in at the straight gate." "Beware of false prophets." "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Moreover, the Christian is likened to a man who builds a house which he knows is going to be tested.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, i, pp. 25-6

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“Text reproduced from ‘A First Book of Daily Readings’ by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, published by Epworth Press 1970 & 1977 © Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. Used with permission.”

Comments on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A First Book of Daily Readings

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