September 1
Life's Great Lessons
We all fail in the life-lessons which
our great Teacher sets for us. The hardest school-tasks are
easily mastered—in comparison with the lessons of patience,
sweet temper, forgiveness, unselfishness, humility, gentleness,
purity, contentment. Even at best—we can learn these lessons but
slowly. And though but little seems to come from our yearnings
and strugglings after Christ-likeness—yet God honors the
yearning and the striving. While we sit in the shadows of
weariness, disheartened with our failures—he carries on the work
within us, and with his own hands produces the divine beauty in
our souls. "Learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in
heart." Matthew 11:29
September 2
Devotion and Service
He who neglects love's duties of service, in
Christ's name, to those who need the ministry of love—cannot
long enjoy the raptures of worship within the sanctuary. Devotion is
not the end of Christian life; we wait upon God—that we may
renew our strength for noble service.
In our eagerness to press within the temple to
look upon the face of God—we must not pass unheeding by the
suffering ones who lie with soliciting glance and voice, outside
the temple-gate. Visions of God which lead to no active service,
will soon die out.
September 3
Why Are we so Weak
Every Christian ought to be an apostle of
Christ, and ought to leave a shining record of blessed ministry
all along his path. But how is it with many of us? Is there
always power in our lives? Are we always victorious in
temptation? Does life flow out from our lives in perpetual
blessings to others whom we touch or on whom our shadow rests?
Is it not true of us that we continually fail to be, in the
largest and best sense, blessings to others? Do we not come to
Christ at the close of many of our days—to lament our failures
and to ask him why we could not do the things we ought to do? Do
we not all know what the answer is?—"Because of your little
faith."
September 4
The Sin of Thoughtlessness
We try to excuse crude things
or careless things
we do that hurt others by saying, "I didn't mean any
unkindness." Certainly we did not—it was not in our heart to be
crude or brusque, or to give pain in any way. It was only "lack
of thought." Yes—but "lack of thought" is "lack of heart"—lack
of a gentle heart; for a gentle heart should always be
thoughtful—love should never be thoughtless.
We have no right to forget our relations to others, and the
duties of love we owe to them. Nothing can ever excuse a
Christian for not being kindly, gentle, thoughtful, considerate.
September 5
God's Plan—Life's Ideal
People sometimes sentimentalize over the
constant changes and thwartings of plans and the disappointments
of life. They grow morbid over them, and sigh, "Vanity
of vanities!" Or
they ask, "Why is the Lord dealing so sorely with me?" The
success or non-success of our earthly plans, is of very little
consequence in comparison with the building up of
Christ-likeness in our souls. Do not be surprised if you fail to
have your own way at many a point. God would teach you that true
success lies in the doing of his will—not your own—and the
realizing of his plan for your life, not your plan.
September 6
What We Owe to Friendship
We do not know how much we owe to our true
and pure friends—how much they add to our joy, what they do
toward the formation and the adornment and enrichment of our
character. We know not what touches, delicate and beautiful, on
the canvas of our soul there will be forever—which the fingers
of a friend have left there. There will be a silver thread in
every life-web when finished, woven into the fabric by the pure
friendship of many days. How important that only the true, the
worthy, those with clean hands and good lives—be taken as
friends! For an evil companionship will put stained and soiled threads
into the web.
September 7
God's Love, Changeless
Most of us have times when we can say, "Oh, I
know that God loves me now;" but the feeling is transient, and
soon passes away. Tomorrow we are doubting and fearing as
before, and the joy has gone out of our heart. Does God's love,
then, change? Did he love me yesterday, and does he not love
me today? Has the divine heart unclasped its hold upon me? No!
The love of God is changeless and eternal. Heaven and earth may
pass away—but the kindness of the Lord shall never depart from
any of his children! Let us try to grasp this truth. Then, come
what may—joy or sorrow, prosperity or adversity—we shall know
always that the love of God abides unchanging—that we are held
in its clasp with a hold that never can be torn loose.
September 8
Brotherly Love
There is no true love to Christ—which does
not also kindle in our hearts a corresponding love to men. He
who loves not his brother whom he has seen—cannot love God whom
he has not seen. Brotherly love is the very proof and badge of
Christian discipleship. This love is not in name merely—but
is real. It is
a love that protects and helps; a love which keeps sacred watch
over the good name of a brother, and by a strong arm averts the
descending blow; a love which seeks every opportunity to bless
and cheer and comfort; a love which serves and forgets self in
loyal devotion even to death for a brother. In a word, it is,
"as I have loved you." And how does Christ love us? To answer
this—is to tell how he would have us love the brethren. We can
thus read the meaning of the lesson, in the blessed life of our
Lord.
September 9
Besetting Sins
The best things of life come to us wrapped up
in difficulties, obstacles, seeming hindrances and oppositions.
Unless we meet them heroically and victoriously, we shall miss
God's richest and best gifts and treasures. It is hard, for
example, to have a besetting sin, one specially weak point, one
temptation which comes perpetually up to us, stalking like a
Goliath before us. Some of us know what it is to have sins which
we do not overcome, which we do not even wrestle with—but which
we allow to overcome us again and again. But do we not know that
these very besetting sins are enemies, which can be made friends
to help us heavenward?
September
10
Silent Work
All the greatest work of this world goes on noiselessly.
Only little
workers clatter.
God, both in nature and in grace, works silently. The angels go
about noiselessly on their blessed ministries. So the best work
any of us do, is what we do without noise. Our words give forth
sound—but it is not the sounds which do good, which brighten
people's sad faces, which change tears to laughter, which
stimulate hope, which put courage into fainting hearts; it is
not the noise of our words—but
the thoughts which
the words carry. The best part of any good man's life is his influence—that
strange, impalpable something, which goes out evermore from his
character like fragrance from a flower, like light from a star;
andinfluence works
always in silence, without words
September
11
Taking Thought
There is one thing for which we are to take
thought—not anxious thought—but very deep and earnest thought.
We are to take thought about our duty, about our work, about
doing God's will, and filling our place in God's world, and
taking our part in advancing the heavenly kingdom. Too many
people worry far more about their food and clothing, lest they
shall be left to poverty; than they do about doing their whole
duty. That is, they are more anxious about God's part
in their lives than about their own part.
They fear that God may
not take care of them—but they do not seem to have any fear that they themselves
may fail in duty, or in fidelity to him.
September 12
The Beautiful Vision
"We know that when He appears—we will be like
Him!" 1 John 3:2. As the beauty of Christ's character glows
before us in the light of the Gospels—we should say, "That is
what I am to be some day! I am now very far from it—but I am to
reach it. That is my assured destiny!" Such a hope cherished in
the heart, has a wondrous uplifting power.
Since we are so soon to be like Christ—we
should seek to grow continually in grace and virtue. We should
daily be getting a little more like Christ in character, in
temper, in disposition, in affection. Our aim should be to bring
every thought, and every emotion, and every desire—into sweet
subjection to Christ. We should not only cherish the blessed
vision —but should seek daily to grow into its divine beauty!
September
13
Our Father's house
We are in the Father's house in this
world—though not in the best room of it—because sin has marred
everything here. Still we are in the Father's house. His care is
over us continually. His love pours
its brightness all about us. His hand provides
for our needs. Let us not think basely of earth—for it is part
of our Father's house. How near it brings heaven to us—to think
of it as but another room in our Father's house! The life in
heaven, is not a new life—but is simply the life we begin
here—which is continued there, with sintaken
out—and imperfection and
all pain and suffering left
forever behind.
September 14
Saying Good-Byes
Since any good-bye may
be for years or may be forever—should we not always part from
our friends tenderly, kindly, lovingly? We should never separate
in any angry mood, with bitterness in our hearts, with
unforgiveness or misunderstanding, as we may never again have an
opportunity to set things right. We should never say good-bye carelessly
or coldly—but with thoughtful love. We should strive to make our
every briefest good-bye,
as sweet and
kindly enough for a last
good-bye, should
it prove to be the last—as it may be.
September 15
Religion for All Days
Intense aspirations for holiness, sometimes
seem to unfit people for living in this world. Christ never
meant it to be so, however, and such religion is lacking
somewhere. You do not need a religion, which will lift you up
out of the weekday
world—into a seventh heaven of rapture, making you forget
your duties to those about you. You need a religion which will
bring God down to walk with you in all the hard paths of toil
and service, making even drudgery—divine, and routine and
commonplace toil—a joy. That is what Christ wants to be to us.
September
16
God's Thought for Us
God has a plan for our life—for each
individual life. There is something that he made us for; he has
a thought in his mind for us, something he wants us to be and
to do. Now
we can never be what God wants us to be—except by doing his will day
by day. Disobedience or lack of submission at any point,
will mar the perfectness of his plan for us. We know that
whatever he wills for us—is for us the highest possible good.
God's will for us, is always blessing. It will lead us at every
step—in the best way home. It will fashion in us each day—a
little more fully the image of Christ.
September 17
The Safest Place
The safest place in all this world—is ever
the place of duty.
God's wings are over it. God's peace guards it. It is said that
at the center of the cyclone, that there is a spot where there
is almost perfect calm. A leaf there is scarcely stirred, and a
baby could lie there unharmed. So at the center of every great
peril in life, is a spot of holy
calm where even
the feeblest would not be harmed. It is the place of duty, of
obedience, of the doing of God's will. He who stays there amid
peril and trial—is perfectly safe. No storm smites him, no
plague comes near his dwelling. The way of duty, is always a
place of absolute safety. But he who departs from this charmed
center, soon finds himself caught in the wild swirl and in
peril. None of sin's ways
are safe.
September 18
Dying Grace
Many people worry because they do not seem to
have "dying grace." They still fear death, and shrink from it.
But God has never promised dying grace,
when one's duty is to live.
Grace for duty, for toil, for love, for honesty, for earnest
service in every good cause, for brave struggle, for unselfish
ministry, for holy influence; grace for noble and beautiful
living, and for loyal devotion to Christ while the heart's
pulses are steady, and while God wants us still in this
world—but not yet grace for dying, since
death is far away. Then—grace for dying when the life's work is
done, its duty finished, and the call comes to leave this world
and go home. Will not that be soon enough for dying grace to be
bestowed?
September
19
The Touch of Christ
"Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out
his hand and touched the
man." Mark 1:41. No one can read the gospel story without being
impressed with the
marvelous power of Christ's touch. Wherever it was
felt—blessing came. We find ourselves sometimes mourning the
loss of this touch, and wishing that we could feel it and get
its blessing. But really we have not lost it. Christ has indeed
passed out of our sight into the heavens—but his hand is
stretched out still. It is laid just as of old upon sufferers,
and has lost none of its power to comfort, to heal, to open
blind eyes. Christ lays his hand upon our heads every time we
bow at his feet in prayer. When we are in trouble—he comes and
comforts us with his warm touch of sympathy. When we are sick or
in pain—he is by our bed, and his hand is laid on our fevered
brow to give rest and peace.
September 20
Serving Christ for Himself
We are ready for usefulness—just in the
measure in which we have learned the lesson of self-forgetfulness.
SELF stands in the way of many glorious possibilities of good.
Men drag their own personal interests into the cause they are
serving. They stickle for honor and place, and demand
recognition, appreciation, and reward. Appreciation and
gratitude are very sweet. Who does not love to receive words of
commendation? But if such words do not come—if, instead, wrong
and injustice come—our zeal for Christ should be no less
intense. Let us so sink ourselves in the cause of Christ—that
our loyalty, devotion, and fidelity shall in no way be affected
either by honor or neglect, by praise or blame.
September 21
To Make Men Better
Our mission as Christians in this world—is to
do good to the worst people—to comfort, to help, to bless, to
save. We are debtors to all men. We owe to everyone we meet,
some blessing. We have an errand to everyone. Where we can see
no beauty—we are to seek to put the beauty of holiness; where we
find only enmity and rage and wrong—we are to seek by patient
love, to overcome the evil with good. So, always forgetting
ourselves and our rights—we are to strive to save others for
heaven. If we go among men with this motive in our hearts—we
shall have great joy in doing good, even to the lowliest.
September
22
Peace Before Ministry
We are in no condition for good work of any
kind—when we are fretted and anxious in our minds. It is only
when the peace of God is in our heart, that we are ready for
true and helpful ministry. A feverish heart makes a worried
face, and a worried face casts shadows wherever the person goes.
A troubled spirit mars the temper and the disposition. It makes
the whole life less beautiful. It unfits one for giving cheer
and inspiration, for touching other lives with good and helpful
impulses. Peace must
come before ministry.
It was when Jesus had touched the sufferer's hand and the fever
had left her—that she arose and ministered unto her friends.
September
23
Beyond Pain's Valley
Many of the richest possibilities of prayer,
lie beyond valleys of pain and sorrow. The best things of life
cannot be gotten, except at great cost. When we pray for more
holiness, we do not know what we are asking for; at least we do
not know the price we
must pay to get that which we ask. Our "Nearer, my God, to you,"
must be conditioned by, and often can come only through, "even
though it be a cross, that raises me." Not only are the
spiritual things the best things—but many times the spiritual
things can be grasped only by letting go and losing out of our
hands, the earthly things we would love to keep. God loves us
too much to answer prayers for comfort and relief, even when we
make them, if he can do it only at spiritual loss to us. He
would rather let it be hard for us to live—if there is blessing
in the hardness, than make it easy for us, at the cost of the
blessing.
September
24
God's Dark Room
The noblest, richest, purest, and most
fruitful lives in this world—have always been lives of
sufferers. There are elements of loveliness in the depths of
every human soul which thefires of pain alone,
can bring out. The photographer carries his picture into a
darkened room to develop it. God often takes his children into
the chamber of pain, and draws the curtains, while he brings out
the features of his own image, which before had been there in
but dim and shadowy outlines.
September 25
The Human Not Enough
Sometimes we are in danger of putting our
trust in our human friends rather than in the divine Friend. God
comes to us still in human forms. He reveals his sympathy and
love through human hearts.
He speaks to us through human lips.
He guides us by human hands.
But if the human is all we get, if we do not learn to cling to
God, and lean upon the divine arm beneath the human arm, and
look to God for the blessings we need—dark for us will be the
hour when the human falls away—and we are left alone in the
darkness. Wherever,
in whatever form
and by whoever you
are led first to know God—be sure that it is God whom you know
and trust.
September
26
Misrepresentation
Life is full of misinterpretations. Many of
us have wrong opinions of others. We think they do not care for
us—when they really do. We imagine they are angry at us—when
there is not a shade of unkind feeling in their heart. We
misinterpret their acts.
Many a time things which offend us, if we but understood the
motive which prompted them and the true love which is in them,
would appear really beautiful in our eyes. We ought to guard
continually against these misinterpretations. They do wrong to
others. They rob our own hearts of peace. "Love thinks no evil."
Let us be sure always that we see an act in
its proper light.
September 27
Little White Lies
People talk about "little white lies"—little
deceptions, concealments, false appearances, subterfuges—as if
they were not particularly wrong. But he who would be true—must
be true through and through, in the innermost depths of his
being and in the smallest affairs—as well as the largest. He
must simply be true. Let your soul of truth be as pure and
unstained as the snowflakes when they fall from the cloud. There
really are no "little white lies;" all lies are black. Falsehood
is from the devil—no matter whether it is merely a look or
a silencewhich
deceives—or whether it is an uttered untruth. Let us learn to be
true for God's eye.
September 28
Such As We Have
We can do a great deal of the wisest, truest
good among men—without giving money. A strong hand reached out
to help a fallen one rise again—is better than money. New hope
and fresh courage put into a discouraged heart—are better than
money. True comfort, enabling one in sorrow to pass through it
sustained and victorious—is better than money. Let no one say he
cannot do anything for others, unless he has money to give. Use
what you have! Heart-coins and life-coins,
are better than coins from the mint. The things we do for men's souls—are
far more important to them—than the things we do merely for
their bodies.
Besides, all God asks us to give to others—is of such as we
have.
September 29
God Guiding Our Steps
"Direct my footsteps according to Your Word;
let no sin rule over me." Psalm 119:133. This is a prayer which
should always be on our lips. We should get our direction from
God, not once in our life only, when we first give ourselves to
Him; not at the opening of each day only, as we go forth to the
day's task; not merely at the beginning of each new piece of
work or of each fresh task—but every moment, for each step. That
is what "walking with God" means.
We may make this so real, that we shall look
up into God's face continually, asking, "What next, dear Lord?
What shall I do now? Which course shall I take today? How shall
I do this duty?" If we can but have God's guidance and help for
the little short steps—we need not fear for the long miles—the
great stretches of road. If each step is of His directing—the
long miles will be paths of His choosing. "Direct my footsteps
according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me." Psalm 119:133
September 30
Empty Hands
"Full hands" at the end of a life—do not
always tell of true
success. Earthly failure is ofttimes higher success in God's
eyes—than what men regard as "success". Scars of wounds gotten
in conflict and strife with sin—are more splendid marks of
honor, when the hands are held up before God—than diamonds and
gold and crowns gained by yielding in life's conflicts. Strive
to get your hands filled with the invisible things of God's
heavenly kingdom. Fight the battles of life heroically, and
never mind the scars. Better have wounded and empty hands which
are clean—than hands which are full, and yet are stained with
sin.
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