KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF THY EYE

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 22
 
-Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of thy eye,
hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

 

Through another day the Lord has shielded us, and we should to-night record his faithful love.

 

But while we record his past kindness, we should pray for protection for the future.

 

What a beautiful expressive, striking prayer this is!

 

Keep me, for thou art omnipotent, omniscient, and all-wise.

 

Keep me, for I am exposed to enemies and storms;

   I am in danger from various quarters;

      I am weak and inexperienced as the newly fledged bird;

          I fear I shall fall! I have no one on whom I can repose but thee.

 

Keep me as the apple of the eye, carefully—constantly—tenderly—graciously.

 

Keep me in Christ my head, watching, expecting, and enjoying thy presence and thy blessing.

 

Keep me, for I see many fall into sin, and I feel I am as liable as they.

 

Keep me, for such numbers decline, grow lukewarm, and leave the world under a cloud.

 

Keep me by night and by day; and may I realize thy preserving goodness, that I may with confidence say, “The Lord is my keeper; the Lord is my shade upon my right hand.

 

The Lord will preserve my coming in from this time forth.”

 
Jehovah, by his ceaseless care,
Whose eye can never sleep,
From earthly foes, from Satan’s snare,
My soul shall safely keep.
 

James Smith

 

TRULY I AM THY SERVANT.

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 21

 

O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant,

and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed

my bonds. -Psalm 116:16

 
Yes, we are the Lord’s servant, created for his glory, redeemed to show forth his praise, regenerated to exhibit his virtues: we are his by the strongest ties.
 
Jesus is our Master, his will is our law, and his pleasure should be our delight.
 
Our Master is also our example; as the servant of the Father he appeared in our world. 

Consulted the Father’s will in all that he did, and suffered without complaining, all the Father saw fit to inflict. 

He humbled himself and became obedient, and now he is exalted, and extolled, and is very high; and to us he says, “If any man serve me, let him imitate me: and where I am there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me him will me father honour.”
 
Obedience to Christ may sink us in the eyes of men, but it exalts us in the sight of God; it may expose us to suffering and contempt before the world, but God will honour us with his presence and smiles, and will afterwards receive us to glory.
 
Well, whose servant have we been to-day? Whom have we been seeking to please?
 
Whose cause have we been endeavoring to promote?
 
Can we retire to rest as the servants of Christ, willing to go to him whenever he calls us?
 

Jesus, how great thy servants are!

What dignity on man bestow’d!

We, who rejoice thy yoke to bear,

Are honour’d with the esteem of God.

 
James Smith
 
 

FOR THE LORD GIVETH WISDOM.

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 20

 

Proverbs 2:6

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth

cometh knowledge and understanding.

 
In order to this he gives is to feel that we need it, ardently to long for it, and earnestly to seek it as his throne.
 
We need wisdom to walk circumspectly, to overcome temptations, to work consistently in the Lord’s vineyard, and to glorify God in our bodies, souls, and spirits which are his.
 
The wisdom we need we may have; not by labour, but by prayer; we cannot produce it, but God has promised to bestow it.
 
Hear his own word, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, not wavering.”
 
God is willing to bestow it, he promises to impart it; we ought therefore to believe his word, ask him for it, as though he really meant what he said in his promise.
 
“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
 
Would you be wise unto salvation?
 
Wise to win souls?
 
Wise to avoid evil, and secure all possible good?
 
Then seek wisdom of God, seek it instantly, seek it earnestly, seek it in faith, and “it shall be given you.”
 

That wisdom, Lord, on me bestow,

Gentle, and peaceable, and pure;

That I may walk with thee below,

And make my own salvation sure.

 
James Smith
 

JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST .

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 19
 
-Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

Related to Jesus now, we shall inherit with him by and by; not only as brethren of the same family, but as the bride inherits with her bridegroom.

 

Jesus is constituted heir of all things, we are one with him and as such are

   “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.”

 

What dignity!

 

What an unspeakable privilege is this!

 

We are heirs of salvation.

 

The heirs of promise.

 

Connection with Adam involved us in guilt, ruin, and misery;

   connection with Jesus,

       brings us righteousness,

            peace, and

                 everlasting salvation.

 

Now we suffer with him, but we shall soon be glorified together.

 

Now we taste the cup of his sorrow, but we shall soon drink of the cups of his joys.

 

But we are indeed joint-heirs?

 

Are we children of God by faith in Jesus Christ?

 

Do we love our heavenly Father?

 

Are we jealous for his honour and glory?

 

Is sin the object of our hatred, and holiness our desire and delight?

 

If so, Jesus calls us brethren, Jehovah calls us children, and in Jesus, “we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

 
 
Children of God, through Jesu’s love
We rise undoubted heirs;
His rich inheritance above,
He with his brethren shares.
 

James Smith

 

YE THAT LOVE THE LORD.

 EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 18

 

Psalm 97:10

Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls

of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

 
Exhortations to the plainest duties are necessary, for sometimes we forget, but more often sink into a lukewarm, indifferent frame of soul.
 
Do we love the Lord?
 
If so, we love his people,
   his ordinances,
      his gospel, and
          his law.
 
We love his prohibitions as well as his promises, knowing that he only prohibits what would do us an injury.
 
Can we to-night join with David, and say
    “O how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day!”
 
 The law prohibits all evil.
 
Let us hate evil thoughts, and strive against them.
 
Let us hate evil words, and keep the mouth as with a bridle.
 
Let us hate evil works and abstain from all appearance of evil.
 
The evils of the heart are the worst, as all other evils flow from them: especially let us beware of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
 
Would you hate evil?
 
Then walk close with God, be in much fellowship with him,
   and so will holiness become your element,
         and every species of evil your abhorrence.
 
Lovers of God, set your hearts, set your fears against evil;
 “follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.”
 

Lord, whom I love, to thee I give

My soul, my life, my all:

To thee would I devoted live.

And ne’er the gift recall.

 
James Smith
 

THY PEOPLE SHALL BE WILLING .

 EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 17

Psalm 110:3 

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,

 in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the 

morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

 
No man by nature is willing to come to Christ for salvation, or to be saved by free and sovereign grace alone.
 
Human nature is too blind, obstinate, and proud: if we are willing God has made us so.
 
Nor is any one desirous, or even willing, to be made truly holy, expect he is taught of God.
 
If therefore we would do good, if we are heartily desiring and earnestly seeking to be made holy in heart and life, it is because we are under the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
 
What a mercy to know this!
 
How often do we give human nature credit for being better than it is, and fancy that what we feel, desire, and do, is merely from an enlightened mind, and not from a sanctified heart.
 
The Lord’s people are made willing by the Lord’s power; but that power works so secretly, so silently, in such strict accordance with our nature and facultilies, that we do not perceive it.
 
Are you in doubt, whether God hath really called you by grace or no? 

Enquire, am I willing to be saved by Jesus as a poor lost sinner?
 
Am I concerned to be made holy, as well as to be made happy?
 
If so, you are one of the Lord’s people.
 

Willing to be saved by grace,

Let me see thy glorious face;

Willing to be holy too,

Work in me to will and do.

 
James Smith
 

IT IS WELL .

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 16

 

2 Kings 4:26

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her,

Is it will with thee? Is it well with thy husband?

Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

 

What a mercy to be able to say so!

 

Still if we are in Christ, if clothed with his righteousness, if living upon him as the bread of life, “it is well.”

 

For all our sins are blotted out, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, and God looks down upon us and loves us with an infinite love.

 

It is well,

   for our names are in the book of life,

      our cause is in the Saviour’s hands, and

          our peace with God is made.

 

It may be a day of darkness with us, but the Lord is our everlasting light, and the days of our mourning will soon be ended.

 

Providence may frown upon us, but temporal trials are only intended to endear spiritual blessings.

 

We may feel weak, very weak, but the strength of Jesus shall be made perfect in our weakness.

 

Satan may sorely harass and hunt us like the partridge upon the mountains, but God will bruise Satan under our feet shortly.

 

Our hearts may appear barren, and all within may wear a wintry aspect; but this is only permitted to drive us out of self, to prevent spiritual pride, and to render Jesus and his finished work more precious.

 

It is well with them that fear the Lord, let outward things be as they may; he watches over them to do them good.

 

Though you may trials sharp endure,

From sin, or death, or hell;

Your heavenly Father’s love is sure,

And therefore, “It is well.”

 

James Smith