April 15 Daily Devotional

"Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: that which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more."
     "Job 34: 31-32.

Devotional

Every child of God knows that the Lord is good, and His mercy endureth forever. For it is to the goodness of God that we owe our salvation. Did not God choose us in infinite love through Christ Jesus? "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world." Apart from Divine favor we would still be in our sins. The Lord does not cease to be good to His children, yet under the smiles of Providence our hearts are wont to grow hard. How delightful it is to see a soul humble and constantly walking with God, even though blest with worldly prosperity. But, alas, how otherwise it is with many of God's children 1 They have relapsed into a state of carnal security. Then God's correcting hand is called forth.

When the storm breaks in upon the slumbering and lukewarm professor he sinks beneath the waves. They are too much for him. No earthly solace will alleviate his grief. As a true child of God lie approaches his Father in heaven with shame and pain of conscience and finds his way to the throne of grace obstructed. Alas! It is not with him as in days that are past, when he walked in the light of God's countenance. His faith has languished and like Samson he is aware of strength departed and defilement with sin.

The day of God's visitation is hard to bear for him who has wandered into by-paths. Nevertheless, it will be used of God for his good. Months of ordinary self-examination and stated means of grace have not shown him his sins nor humbled him in penitence. Now in his suffering he learns how evil and hitter a thing it is to forsake the Lord, and depart from His fear. At the thought of his ingratitude to a kind Father in heaven his heart will break and tears will flow. He has never seen his sinful heart in such glaring light before. He never bowed so low before God.

Oh, backslider, is it not good that God's hand is heavy upon you? Have not you often sought to know your sins as you hastily read the Scriptures and attended upon the Lord's table? But somehow you have not seen your inordinate self-love and never felt your imperfect sanctification until this affliction which is now upon you. You do not complain for you see that it is by such measures as God has used that He is bringing you truly to seek and know Him.

"Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou .hast not pardoned. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission, till the Lord look down and behold from heaven."

The child of God is led to a godly sorrow which is not to be repented of. Smarting under the rod, he knows that the Lord hath not dealt with him after his sin, nor rewarded him according to his iniquities; and because of His mercies he is not consumed.

Bitter as the bud may be, the flower is sweet. The tears of repentance, brought about through chastisement, are sweet. To this multitudes of God's saints have testified. In coming truly abased to God as a forgiving God, and hearing Him say, "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction," is no ordinary delight. And

"If I still hold closely to Him,

What hath He at last?

Sorrow vanquished, labor ended,

Jordan past."