"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
(continued)
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."
"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!
© 2025 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church