M&E Tuesday

Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
by C. H. Spurgeon
Tuesday Morning, October 11

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Lamentations 3:41

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us favours without constraining us to pray for them we should never know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty. While it is an application to divine wealth, it is a confession of human emptiness. The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits; and hence the use of prayer, because, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be, in the very dust. Prayer is in itself, apart from the answer which it brings, a great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise, so for the great race of life we acquire energy by the hallowed labour of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eaglets, that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer girds the loins of God's warriors, and sends them forth to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An earnest pleader cometh out of his closet, even as the sun ariseth from the chambers of the east, rejoicing like a strong man to run his race. Prayer is that uplifted hand of Moses which routs the Amalekites more than the sword of Joshua; it is the arrow shot from the chamber of the prophet foreboding defeat to the Syrians. Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the peace of God. We know not what prayer cannot do! We thank thee, great God, for the mercy-seat, a choice proof of thy marvellous lovingkindness. Help us to use it aright throughout this day!

Evening, October 11

Whom he did predestinate, them he also called.

Romans 8:30

In the second epistle to Timothy, first chapter, and ninth verse, are these words--Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling. Now, here is a touchstone by which we may try our calling. It is an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace. This calling forbids all trust in our own doings, and conducts us to Christ alone for salvation, but it afterwards purges us from dead works to serve the living and true God. As he that hath called you is holy, so must you be holy. If you are living in sin, you are not called, but if you are truly Christ's, you can say, Nothing pains me so much as sin; I desire to be rid of it; Lord, help me to be holy. Is this the panting of thy heart? Is this the tenor of thy life towards God, and his divine will? Again, in Philippians, 3:13, 14, we are told of The high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Is then your calling a high calling? Has it ennobled your heart, and set it upon heavenly things? Has it elevated your hopes, your tastes, your desires? Has it upraised the constant tenor of your life, so that you spend it with God and for God? Another test we find in Hebrews 3:1--Partakers of the heavenly calling. Heavenly calling means a call from heaven. If man alone call thee, thou art uncalled. Is thy calling of God? Is it a call to heaven as well as from heaven? Unless thou art a stranger here, and heaven thy home, thou hast not been called with a heavenly calling; for those who have been so called, declare that they look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, and they themselves are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. Is thy calling thus holy, high, heavenly? Then, beloved, thou hast been called of God, for such is the calling wherewith God doth call his people.

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Finding Help at the Throne of Grace James McAlister

Do you have a significant need that has not been met, or an urgent prayer that hasn't been answered? If so, I'm right there with you—and I bring good news. God has made provision for such times: "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16, NASB). And isn't that exactly what we need, help from the throne of grace, offered and granted by the omnipotent King upon that throne?

Since this throne of grace exists in heaven where we can't physically observe it, its provisions and operations are necessarily somewhat veiled. History is our friend, however, for the book of Esther affords us a remarkable glimpse at an actual throne, the desperate petition laid before it, and the king's gracious judgment. The Persian king Ahasuerus occupied that throne, and Esther, of Jewish heritage, was his queen. When the king promoted Haman, this man of immense wickedness quickly initiated a plan to destroy all the Jewish people. Greatly distressed, Mordecai, Esther's cousin and guardian, urged her to employ her position to supplicate the king on behalf of the Jews (Est. 3-4). Thus she did with marvelous and providential success (Est. 5). While this vignette beautifully illustrates God's provision and love for His people, we enjoy at least three undeniable advantages at our throne of grace that even a queen didn't have. We have an invitation. When Esther stood outside the king's throne room, she had not been invited in 30 days. And for all who dared appear uninvited, the king had but one law: death. Even Esther's position did not assure acceptance and admittance. But such is not our case, for the throne of grace stands open day, night, weekends, and holidays. As heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, we are literally part of the family of the One upon the throne—invited to come with boldness and confidence to make our petitions (Heb. 4:16). What a privilege that Esther never knew! We have advocates
Though queen, Esther had no friend at court to stand beside the king and whisper in his ear, "Oh, King! Esther has come uninvited, so her need must be urgent! Please show favor and hear her request!" And even when summoned into the royal presence, she stood alone before the king to make her appeal. But we have advocates, two faithful friends at court. At the Father's right hand sits Jesus the Son, our great High Priest who has passed through the heavens. He ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25), and like His Father, He never sleeps, never slumbers, and never grows weary or tired. Life has often riddled my peace with situations that rendered me unable to arrange jumbled, disjointed thoughts into meaningful prayers. But in such circumstances that other Advocate, the Holy Spirit, intercedes for me with groanings which cannot be uttered, conforming and presenting my feeble petitions to align with the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27). We have confidence Esther's confession to Mordecai, "If I perish I perish," verbalized her intense uncertainty of life or death, favor or denial. Not so with us. We approach the throne of grace with boldness, confidence and expectation—for the express purpose of receiving mercy and finding grace to help in times of need (Heb. 416). The word help in this verse is used in just one other place (Acts 27:17). Those aboard the ship transporting Paul to Rome ran helps (ropes and cables) under the vessel to keep it from being destroyed by the ferocity of the wind and waves relentlessly pounding it to pieces. Isn't that comforting? When the storms of life pummel me with devastating blows, help from the throne of grace undergirds me and holds me together until I reach my destination. What inner confidence that inspires! One final thought. Notice that Esther received far beyond what she had requested or could have even conceived! She sought deliverance for her people, but the king gave more: Haman's punishment, Mordecai's promotion and the establishment of the Feast of Purim, a celebration still observed 2,500 years later! And as a final expression of favor, the king asked her, "And what is your further request? It shall also be done" (Est. 9:12). When we go to the throne of grace, can't we expect our loving, compassionate, merciful King to likewise render unto us "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think"? (Eph. 3:20). And though I may long persist before the throne of grace without visible evidence of answer, I must remember: delay is not denial. My invitation, advocates and confidence all tell me that I will eventually reap if I do not grow weary and lose heart (Gal. 6:9).

 

Copyright 2011 James McAlister (Note: an audio message on this subject is available on the author's web site www.james-mc.com.) Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in exact form including copyright. Other uses require written permission. www.BulletinInserts.org

 

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