April 10 Daily Devotional

The Providence and Goodness of God

the Rev. David Freeman

"The way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walkcth to direct his steps" up"
"Jeremiah 10:23.

Devotional

(continued)

God is sovereign, wise, just, and omnipotent. No part of our way is left to ourselves. Not merely the journey but every step of the journey is ordered by Him, Even our defects and offenses are so governed by the supreme Providence as to work out our greater salvation and display the greater glory of divine grace.

Do we not need God's rebuke for conducting our lives without reference to His providence? Shall we be as Israel, who "waited not for his counsel?" Shall we be as those who do not say as they ought, "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that?"

Cast yourself upon Him who is infinite in love and tenderness toward those who have been accepted in the Beloved One-Christ Jesus. Your resignation and faith will discern Cod's doings in the smallest hair that falls. Happy will be the life that binds together all the affairs of life, both great and small, and entrusts them to God. You are taking no chances when you have the assurance that He who loves you better than you love yourself will lay nothing upon you which is not for your good. Your future cannot be dark and uncertain when it is bright and gloriously certain to Him.

God's eye sees and His hand has marked out your path to the end.

It will be part of the happiness of the redeemed in heaven to look back upon all their winding track and see that every step has been ordered in infinite love. They shall see that their freest choices have been links in God's chain of purpose and that their very sins have been overruled for good.

Then shall be heard the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

"Lift Up Your Heart" is a series of devotionals by the late Rev. David Freeman, an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for most of his life. These devotionals, in fact, are part of the early history of our denomination. The first of them was published in The Presbyterian Guardian in 1935; the denomination now known as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church was officially formed in 1936. We believe that "the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8; see 1 Peter 1:25). Thus it is no surprise that meditations based on that Word have continued relevance today. Dr. Freeman's devotionals are proof of that fact.

David Freeman was a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.B., 1928; Th.M. , 1930) and of Dropsie Univiersity (Ph.D., 1951). He served as pastor at Grace (later New Covenant) Presbyterian Church (OPC), Philadelphia, PA (1936-1946), Knox Presbyterian Church (OPC), Philadelphia, PA (1949-1962), and Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Fall River, MA (1962-1967). He authored many articles and (along with his son, David H. Freeman) is the author of the book A Philosophical Study of Religion, which appeared in 1964. He went to be with the Lord in 1984.

There is one change from the way the daily devotional was handled in the past with John Skilton's Think On These Things: New devotionals for the new series appear on weekdays only (Monday through Saturday. It is suggested that you use your pastor's sermon text(s) as the basis for your mediations on the Lord's Day.

We trust that you will find these devotionals, once again made available seventy years after they first appeared, to be a personal help in your own Christian walk today!