APRIL

Back to Miller's Year Book

A verse of Scripture in the morning, may become a blessing for all the day. It may sing in the heart as a sweet song, from morning until evening.
It may become a liturgy of prayer in which the soul shall voice its deepest needs and hungers—amid toils, struggles, and cares. It may be a guide through perplexing tangles, 'God's voice' whispering cheer, a comforter breathing peace in sorrow.

April 1.

"She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." Mark 14:8

Many people would have kept the jar of perfume until Jesus was dead, and would then have broken it to anoint his cold body. At least, that is the way too many of us do in these days. We wait until our friend dies—and then send our flowers and speak our words of appreciation. Should we not learn a lesson from Mary? The kind words we mean to speak when our friends are dead—let us speak while they can hear them! The flowers we mean to send for their coffin—let us send to brighten the rough paths for their feet. The epitaphs we mean to put upon white marble—let us carve in deeds of gentle love while our friends are with us. Words of cheer today—are what people crave.

"Withhold all eulogies when I am dead,
All noisy sorrow;
Give me the tender word today
Instead of tears tomorrow."

April 2.

"Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Isaiah 53:4

Whatever the cause of grief may be, there is rich comfort in the remembrance of the sorrows of Christ. It assures us that Christ understands our pain. In the garden he went a stone's cast farther than any of his disciples went. The picture is a parable to us. It is always so. Wherever you bow in the deep shadows of grief, you have but to lift up your eyes, and you will see Jesus in stilldeeper shadows—a stone's cast beyond you. His sorrow was sorer than yours.

There is comfort also in the remembrance that blessing comes out of suffering patiently endured. All the world's peace and hope, and all heaven's joy and glory—are fruits of a great sorrow—the sorrow of Christ. Blessing will come always out of sorrow, if we but accept it submissively and reverently.

While we think of the sufferings of Christ, we must remember also that he came from them all unharmed, his life shining in divine radiance, lifted to glory, too, as a fruit of his suffering. This reminds sorrowing believers, that they too shall pass through their time of tribulation, that no scars and no manner of hurt shall be upon their souls because of their sufferings—but that they shall shine in fairer beauty and diviner glory, and shall be lifted up to higher honour, because of what they have suffered with Christ.

April 3.

"Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures." I Corinthians 15:3

There have been great days in the history of the human race, days of triumph whose victories have enriched the world; days of honour whose brightness has made the world lighter; days of great deeds which have lifted man to loftier, diviner heights; days of heroic, self-forgetful love which has made the air sweeter with its odorous perfumes. But the day of all days in fruit of blessing and good in the world's story, was that holy Friday when the Son of man gave his life on the cross to save men!

There could have been no rising again, without the dying on the cross. Christ must die—before he could offer deathless life to every man. The touch of the cross is on every hope of Christian faith. The light that shines in soft lustre throughout all the world—streams from the cross. The sorrow of Calvary is that which is softening all human hearts, and making all life gentler and sweeter. The power that is drawing all men upward—is the Christ lifted up.

April 4.

"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!" Matthew 27:46

There is a picture which represents the after-scenes on that day of the crucifixion. It is all over. The crowds have gone away. The evening sun is shining out again on Calvary. The body of the Saviour has been borne to the sepulchre. The cross has been taken down, and lies on the ground. A company of little children, bright with the glow of childhood's innocence, led to the place by accident or curiosity, are seen bending over the signs of the day's terrible work. One of the children holds in his hand a nail which a little time before, had pierced a hand or a foot of the patient Sufferer, and stands spellbound with horror as he gazes at it. His gentle heart is shocked at sin's dreadful work! On all the children's faces, the same expression of horror is depicted.

No one with pure and gentle heart, can ever look at the death of Christ on the cross—with any but feelings of amazement and horror at sin's awfulness!

It was sin that nailed Jesus on the cross!

It was sin that wreathed the circlet of thorns for his brow!

We say the Jews crucified Christ; yes—but WE helped to do it!

Our sins drove the nails!

Would you see what sin is? Stand by the cross and ponder its terrible work, there in the death of the Redeemer. See what it cost the Lamb of God, to take away sin!

April 5.

"He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:4

If your faith stops at the cross—it misses the blessing of the fullest revealing of Christ!

You need a Saviour who not merely two thousand years ago went to death to redeem you—but one who also is alive to walk by your side in loving companionship.

You need a Saviour who can hear your prayers, to whose feet you can creep in penitence when you have sinned, to whom you can call for help when the battle is going against you.

You need a Saviour who is interested in all the affairs of your common life, and who can assist you in every time of need.

You need a Christ who can be a real friend—loving you, keeping close beside you, able to sympathize with your weaknesses.

You need a Saviour who will come into your life, and will save you, not by one great act of centuries past—but by a life warm and throbbing with love today, and living again in you.

It is for love that our hearts hunger. The bread that will satisfy us, is not the bread of memorial merely—the memory of a great devotion of love long, long since—but the bread of love—living, present, warm and throbbing! Nothing less than a LIVING Christ will do for us!

And that is the Christ the gospel brings to us: one who was dead—and is now alive for evermore!

"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!" Revelation 1:18

April 6.

"Why do you seek the living—among the dead?" Luke 24:5

A DYING Christ alone, will not satisfy your heart. While you praise the love that was crucified for you—you crave love from a Saviour who lives. Memories of a friend who has died, may be very sweet. The fragrance of 'departed love' stays in a home, like the perfume of sweet flowers, when the flowers have been borne away. But how unsatisfying are the mere memories of your friend—when your heart hungers for love's real presence, and touch and tenderness! No more will the mere memories of the Love that died on the cross for you—satisfy your cravings for Christ. You must have the living One for your friend!

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God!" cried the psalmist, and cries every redeemed soul. It is only as we realize the truth of a living Christ—that our hearts are satisfied. We crave love—a bosom to lean upon, a hand to touch ours, a heart whose beatings we can feel, a personal friendship that will come into our life with its sympathy, its inspiration, its companionship, its shelter, its life, its comfort. All this, the living Christ is to us, if we but learn the blessed truth of his resurrection. "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!" Revelation 1:18

April 7.

"Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb" Mark 16:2

The women did not find the body of Jesus in the grave. Suppose they had found it there, still held in the power of death; suppose that Jesus had never risen; what would have been the consequences? It would have been as if the sun and moon and stars were all to be blotted from the sky, or as if they had all set one day and never risen again.

Paul tells us in his immortal chapter on the resurrection, what our loss would be, should it be found that Christ did not rise. "If Christ has not been raised, then is our preaching vain; your faith also is vain. ... You are yet in your sins!" Paul had preached of a Savior who died for men's sins—and then rose for their justification; but if Christ yet lay in the power of death, his sacrifice for sin had not availed.

If you were imprisoned in some great fortress, and one who loved you went forth to try to rescue you, and fell and died fighting upon the walls, you would cherish the memory of your friend's valiant effort on your behalf—but you would still remain undelivered. So would it have been with those whom Christ came to save, if he had perished in death and had not risen. He would have been defeated in his great effort, and those for whom he died would have remained without deliverance!

April 8.

"But go, tell his disciples and Peter" Mark 16:7

The joyful news must not be kept—but must be carried to the other sorrowing friends of Jesus, and must be carried 'quickly'. There must not be a moment lost. The happy women must not sit down together in mere personal enjoyment of the blessed news; there were others in the darkness of sorrow—and to these they must hasten with the gladness. We must not forget in our joy of Christian faith, that there are others who have none of this joy; our mission is to carry the good news, and to rejoice as we go on our way.

"Tell his disciples and Peter." Why was Peter specially named? It was because he was the saddest of all, the one who most needed the comfort. He had sinned, and was weeping in penitence. This showed the tenderness of the heart of Christ toward all penitents. It must have given Peter unspeakable joy to get this message. Jesus then had not cast him off. He would now have an opportunity to weep on his Lord's bosom, confess his sin, and crave and obtain pardon.

"And Peter" has its gracious message for every penitent soul. Have you grieved Christ by sin, by denial, by any unfaithfulness, and are you weeping in sorrow over your sin? Those who have fallen are the very ones that lie most heavily on the heart of Jesus, just because they have fallen. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32

April 9.

"Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight!" Luke 24:31

Anniversary days always bring back the memories of those who have died. Out of what home, has not some beloved face vanished? You are thinking of these departed ones. If they died in Christ—the gospel of these Easter days lifts the veil, and shows them to you away beyond death, unhurt by death, living still, the same gentle friends they were when you knew them here and clasped them in your arms.

I had a letter the other day from Rome, written by a dear friend who is journeying abroad in search of health. The letter was full of bright words which reminded me of my friend's beautiful life. There was the same old warmth, the same eager interest in things and people, the same kindly thoughtfulness. "Just like my friend!" I said, as I read the letter. Being in Rome has made no change in his gentle spirit.

It is just so with our friends in heaven. My father and mother are there. If I were to go to my 'long home' today, I know I would see them unchanged. Of course the marks of care are gone, or have become transfigured, and are now marks of beauty. They have not their earthly bodies—but then, those worn and weary bodies were not my real father and mother. Death ended nothing beautiful in them. I would see them living in new and richer life, engaged, as they used to be on earth, in loving ministries.

April 10.

"Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?' But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away!" Mark 16:2-4

This stone had worried the women, as they hurried toward the grave. They knew it was there, that it was too heavy for them with their frail hands to roll away, and they wondered how they could get it removed. But now, when they came in sight of the tomb—they looked up and saw that the stone was rolled away!

This incident illustrates many experiences in our common life. We worry about difficulties and obstacles which lie in our path—and seem to block our progress. But when we move on obediently, and come to the place of the supposed hindrance or obstacle—it is gone, or it was never there, except in our imagination! We all know that very many of our anxieties prove to be really groundless in the end.

Here, we ought to learn the lesson once for all—when God sends us anywhere, that He also makes it possible for us to go. Duty's paths always open for us, as we go on—not before we start—but as we obey and move forward. Yet we must not expect there will never be any difficulties to meet, or obstacles to surmount. God never has promised that! Too easy a path is often a bane in life—not a blessing! The difficulties and obstacles that remain, may be made stepping-stones by which we shall rise to nobler and higher Christian character!

April 11.

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go." Matthew 28:16

We should always keep the appointments Jesus makes with us. If we fail—we shall surely be the losers. Suppose some of our Lord's disciples had stayed away, for some cause, from this meeting in Galilee. Think what they would have missed! They might have said: "It is such a long distance;" or, "The mountain is steep, and I will have difficulty climbing it;" or, "I fear it will rain or be stormy;" or, "Perhaps Jesus will not be there; I cannot understand how he can be risen from the dead."

For any of these, or for other similar reasons, some might have been absent that wonderful day. But they would have missed a glorious sight of the risen Jesus, and would not have heard his words of commission and promise. To the end of their life, they would have regretted that they had not kept their Lord's appointment that day.

Christ makes many appointments for us. Sometimes we do not think them very important, and are easily hindered from keeping them. But we never can know what we lose by these neglects. Jesus always comes where he asks us to meet him, and gives blessings there to those who have been faithful in gathering to wait for him. We do not know what we may miss, any common Sunday—by staying away from the services appointed by Christ.

April 12.

"I have the same hope in God as these men—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked!" Acts 24:15

A hope of resurrection to a believer in Christ—ought to be a wonderful inspiration in the earthly life. The grave is not the end; we shall come again from it in new beauty, and shall live on forever. Not only did Christ teach that the dead shall rise again—but he himself went down into the grave and then came out again, after three days, alive! Thus he showed the reality of resurrection; oneman died and rose again, and may not all? But his resurrection meant more than that. He was the head of his people, and as such—his victory was for them. He met and conquered death for them.

Now death is a vanquished foe. Paul puts it very strongly, and says that Christ abolished death. Jesus himself put it no less strongly when he said, "I am the resurrection and the life . . . whoever lives and believes in me—shall never die!" There is no break, no interruption, in a Christian's life, in what we call dying. The spirit lives more really, fully, gloriously, a moment after death—than ever it lived before. Then the body which goes down into the grave, 'sleeps'—that is the Christian word—sleeps in Jesus, until the resurrection, when Christ will come and call it up; not the old earthly, worn-out, sin-corrupted, mortal flesh and blood—but a new, strong, glorious, incorruptible, immortal, spiritual body, to live with Christ forever!

April 13.

"I do not practice what I want to do—but I do what I hate!" Romans 7:15

Think of the brokenness, the incompleteness, the littleness, of these lives of ours! We get glimpses of beauty in character, which we are not able to attain! We have longings which seem to us too great ever to come true. We dream of things we want to do; but when we try to work them out, our clumsy hands cannot put them into realizations! We have glimmerings of a love that is very rich and tender, without a trace of selfishness, without envy or jealousy, without resentment—a love that seeks not its own, is not provoked, and bears all things. We get the vision from the life of Christ Himself. We say, "I will learn that lesson of love; I will be like that!" But we fail.

We strive to be sweet-spirited, unselfish, thoughtful, kind—but we must wet our pillow with tears at the close of our marred days, because we cannot be what we strive to be! We have glimpses of a peace which is very beautiful. We strive after it strive with intense effort—but do not reach it!

So it is in all our living. Life is ever something too large for us. We attain only fragments of living. Yet take heart, "The desire of the righteous shall be granted!" Proverbs 10:24

"We know that when He appears—we shall be like Him!" 1 John 3:2

April 14.

"Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labour in the Lord is not in vain!" 1 Corinthians 15:58

Jesus walks no more among men, doing his deeds of love—but he sends his followers forth to do the works in his name. We ought to abound in all loving ministry just as he did. It is not enough to be good, gentle, sweet, amiable, kindly, patient. It is beautiful to live such a life; and its influence is far-reaching, like the fragrance of Mary's ointment. But we must also be full of good works. We must be winners of souls. We must live to do good to men, to comfort sorrow, to feed hunger, to relieve distress, to cheer the disheartened, to break chains and liberate sin's captives, to stand up for the truth, to do battle for the right. We are to be like Christ, and we begin to be like Christ—only when we begin to be useful.

It ought to be a wondrous inspiration to us, in our work for Christ—to read that our labor for God is not in vain. No word of truth spoken in this world is ever lost. On the rocks we find the impressions left ages since by leaves that fell on the soft clay and seemed to perish. So somewhere every word we speak for God, and every smallest deed we do for the love of Christ, leave their immortal record.

April 15.

"Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter—It is the Lord!" John 21:7

One compares the character of John, in its mellow ripeness, to an ancient, extinct volcano. Where once the crater yawned—there is now a verdurous, cup-like hollow on the mountain summit. Where once the fierce fires burned—lies a still, clear pool of water, looking up like an eye to the beautiful heavens above, its banks covered with sweet flowers. "It is an apt parable," he says, "of the apostle John. Naturally and originally volcanic, capable of profoundest passion and daring—he is new-made by grace, until in his old age he stands out in calm grandeur of character, and depth and largeness of soul, with all the gentlenesses and graces of Christ adorning him a man; as I imagine him to myself, with a face so noble that kings might do him homage, and so sweet that little children would run to him for his blessing." This is a true and striking portrait of this disciple of love.

What was it that wrought this transformation in John, that changed the "son of thunder" into the apostle of Christly affectionateness? It was leaning upon the Master's bosom that did it. The lump of common clay lay upon the perfumed rose, and the sweetness of the rose entered into it. John lay on Jesus' bosom, on the bosom of the all-loving One, and the love of Jesus passed into John's soul and transformed it. That was the secret of John's sanctification.

April 16.

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love Me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love You." John 21:16

We are striving to follow Christ—but we are weak. We intend to be loving—but we mar our days with unhappy tempers and selfish strivings. We intend to be strong in faith—but many times our trust fails us. We bow our heads to take the Master's blessing, "Peace be unto you;" but again and again—the peace is broken. We intend to show the world a pattern of Christ likeness, but the temptations about us are so sore, that every day we are conscious of having failed to be true. We set out in the morning brave and confident; but alas! how often does the evening find us defeated!

What shall we do? There stands the Master, patient, unwearied in His love, asking, "Do you truly love Me?" Dare we say, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love You." If He were but a man like ourselves, we could not; for our failures would seem to disprove our word, and He could not read the love in our secret heart, under all our inconsistency. But He knows all the truth about us. He knows we are sincere and loyal in heart, though so unworthy. He sees the love—amid the broken vows and the failures. Therefore, we can look up out of our deep humiliation, and say with inexpressible comfort, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love You!"

April 17.

The third time He said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" Peter replied, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You!" John 21:17

You look into your life today and what do you see there? Failures, broken purposes, promises not kept, commandments violated, purity stained, everything sullied! Jesus comes and looks into your face, with that calm, holy, searching gaze of His, and says, "Do you love Me?" As you are about to answer, you think of all you have done that has been dishonourable and sinful. You are speechless before Him. Yet you are conscious that you do love Him; that in your heart, beneath all your sins, failures, and faults—there is love for Him. What a comfort it is to cast yourself on His knowledge of what is in you! Perhaps men sneer, and say that one who has stumbled as you have done—surely cannot love Christ. But Christ knows the love, even amid the sins and failures.

I am glad that perfection is not the test of discipleship. We may be full of faults. We go on stumbling every day. We do nothing beautifully. We misrepresent the Christ whose name we bear. We hurt the friends we want to help.

Christ knows all these sad failures. He looks at the stained scroll we fold up at the close of the day—with the blots on it. But while He sees the worst, He sees also the best; and He loves on loves unto the uttermost! "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You!"

April 18.

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again!" John 11:23

There is wondrous music in these words, as they are spoken in the ears of sorrowing ones beside the coffin and by the new-made grave. It was a dim teaching in Martha's time—but soon afterwards that occurred which made it bright and clear as day. Jesus himself lay in the grave, and then rose from death, walking forth in the light and radiancy of immortal youth.

Christ was the first fruits of resurrection; that is, his resurrection was a pledge as well as an example of the coming resurrection of all who believe on him.

We have a right to lay flowers on the coffins of our Christian dead. They will come forth in the beauty of new life. We open our New Testament and see Jesus, after he had risen, away beyond death. He has not been harmed by dying. No beam of the beauty of his life is quenched. The threads of the earthly life are not severed. He has not forgotten his friends—but takes up again the old companionships and friendships. So will it be with our beloved ones who sleep in Jesus. They will rise—and they will be the same people we have known here, only they will be cleansed of their earthliness, mortality and sinfulness. And they will not have forgotten us. Love never fails. We shall resume friendship's story on the other side!

April 19.

"Take away the stone," Jesus said. John 11:39

We find in all our Lord's life, an economy of miracle. He never put forth supernatural power, unless it was necessary. Could not Jesus have taken away the stone himself? Certainly he could. The power that could call the dead to life, could easily have lifted back the piece of rock from the door of the tomb. But there is always something left for human hands to do.

God honours us by making us co-workers with himself, both in providence and grace. He feeds us—but ordinarily we must toil to earn and gather our own food. He saves people's souls; but he uses men to speak the message, and then to help in winning the lost. He makes his work dependent, too, upon our fidelity in doing our part. He still wants us to take away the stones that shut our friends in their prison.

This command also exercised the faith of the friends. If they had refused to do what he bade them do, the miracle could not have been wrought. "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" Had not the unbelief given away to faith, Lazarus would not have been raised. May it not be that many times, in our own days, and in the experiences of our own lives, great works of divine power which Christ stands ready to perform, are not wrought because we do not believe?

April 20.

"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21

The Son of God came down and lived in human form on the earth—that men might see God in the flesh. He said, "He who has seen me, has seen the Father." All the love, the gentleness, the patience, the compassion, the purity, the truth, the righteousness, which people saw in the life of Jesus—was simply a revealing of God. That is what God is like.

Now the Christ sends us out to reveal God to men. We are to show to them in our character, disposition, spirit, and temper—the qualities of God. If anyone asks us to tell him what God is like, we ought to be able to say humbly and yet truthfully, "I am trying to be like God. He lives in me, and his qualities shine out in my life. Look at me—and you will see what God is like."

I know how dimly the beauty of God shines in us, even at the best; but we cannot get away from the truth that if we are indeed Christ's, he lives in us. Paul said more than once: "Be imitators of me—even as I am of Christ." We must be able to say the same.

April 21.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

It is better that we should not know our future. If we did, we would often spoil God's plan for our life. If we could see into tomorrow, and know the troubles it will bring, we might be tempted to seek some way of avoiding them, while really they are God's way to new honor and blessing. God's thoughts for us—are always thoughts of love, good, promotion; but sometimes the path to the hilltop lies through dark valleys or up rough paths. Yet to miss the hard bit of road is to fail of gaining the lofty height. It is better, therefore, to walk with God, not knowing the path ourselves, than it would be to see the way and choose for ourselves. God's way for us—is always better than our own.

April 22.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

God leads often to good ends—through ways which to us seem dark. He can make crooked things, straight for us. Perhaps we shall find at the last, that many of the best things of our life, are things over which we grieve now as blunders. We do the best we can, and yet we fail, or seem to fail; but in God's eyes, the effort tells of love and of desire to please him, and thus wins from him warmer commendation than does many a piece of elaborate work, wrought in most intricate way.

God can use our poorest efforts oft-times to greater purpose, than our finest and most polished endeavours, because they are less spoiled by human pride. Self-consciousness always mars human work. The things we do which satisfy us—are not likely to satisfyour Master. Many times the piece of work which we think very fine, which pleases us well, turns put to be of little use. God cannot use it because we have left no place in it for him. Then, oft-times something which we think of no account—God uses to accomplish great results. The less of SELF there is in our service—the more is the service worth. There is room then in it for more of God, and it is the divine in what we do—that alone gives it efficiency and value.

April 23.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it!" Isaiah 55:10-11

Everyone knows the effect of the rain, especially when it falls on a field that has been parched and withered. Its drops go down to the roots of the dying grass, the fading flowers, and the drooping trees—and soon new life appears everywhere. The grass is greener. The flowers revive and pour out fragrance. All vegetation is renewed. So it is when God's Word comes to a fainting, failing human life.

Sometimes rain comes in storms, with black clouds and fierce lightnings and thunders. People tremble and are afraid as they look on. But the storm passes, pouring out rich blessings of rain, which make all the fields rejoice. God sometimes sends his Word to us in dark, portentous forms—sickness, loss, disappointment, sorrow, trial. At first we are terrified; but in the end, when the storms have cleared away, we find that the dark clouds we so dreaded—were but God's messengers to bring to us rich blessings of grace.

April 24.

"As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." Matthew 13:4-7

From the heart trodden down by passing feet of pleasure, business, or care—the birds carry off the seeds the moment they are cast from the sower's hand.

On the heart with a thin, emotional stratum on its surface, the seed seems for a time to make a deep impression. The hearer weeps under the sermon. He is amazed at the coldness of ordinary Christians. But in a little time, it is all over. He has no depth of conviction, and the quick growths of his first faith, are soon withered in the heat of life's trials.

In the heart filled with the briers and thorns of earthly care, ambition, and pleasure, the seed has little chance to grow. All around the feeble stalks, grow the hardier briers and thorns, whose hungry roots and stems absorb the soil's nourishment, leaving the wheat robbed and starved. There is much of such Christian life as this. Its possibilities are withered, stunted, choked to death by worldliness or by care. No fruit comes to anything beautiful in such lives.

It is discouraging to think that so much of the good seed sown comes to naught, fails through unfavourable conditions. Yet we should never falter in our sowing, praying for God to watch over his own holy seed.

April 25.

"Consider carefully how you listen." Luke 8:18

We hear a great deal about the "fearful responsibility" of those who preach and teach the Word of God. No doubt it is a solemn thing to speak for God to men. Those who are called to this duty, should be very faithful. But there is also a "fearful responsibility" attached to hearing the Word. One of our Lord's most earnest words was: "Consider carefully how you listen."

When the preacher's work is done in the right way, his responsibility ceases, and that of the hearer begins. He has heard the truth; what will he do with it? Will he believe it and accept it? Or will he reject it? He cannot be again—as if he had never heard it. It must be either a savour of life, or a savour of death, to him. Not only must he account for the opportunity of hearing—but he is also affected in his own spirit by the hearing. If he listens and yields to the influences of the truth, his heart grows softer; but if he rejects it, he is hardened by it.

No sermon or other message of truth, heard or read—leaves a man as it finds him. It makes some impression, that is determined by what the hearer does with it. We need to think a little of this side of the responsibility. We are hearing much that is good these passing days; it would be sad if nothing came of it all.

April 26.

"Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side—and light to the other side." Exodus 14:20

God appears different to his friends and to his enemies. To his own people he is light, comfort, joy, protection, and gladness; but to those who reject him—he is darkness, dreadful terror, and stern judgement. The thought of God's presence, fills the Christian with confidence and peace, with the warmth of love; but the same thought makes the unreconciled sinner tremble! "I thought upon God, and was troubled."

The providence of God, too, has this same double aspect. The Christian sees God's love everywhere. He sees his Father's hand ordering all things with loving wisdom. When he cannot understand, he can trust and wait in confidence. But to the unreconciled man, the same providence is a dark mystery, full of dread and alarm. He has no sense of safety anywhere he may go. There is no assurance of protection, no consciousness of God's love, anywhere in the universe for him.

Death to the ungodly is a heavy cloud, charged with lightnings and thunders; but to the Christian it is a glorious blaze of divine love pouring brightness and peace all about his bed.

It will be the same on the day of judgement . To his own people, Christ on his throne will be all glorious, and his appearance will give unspeakable joy; but to the ungodly, his presence will be an appearance of the most appalling terror!

April 27.

"Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25

Some people worry about the fate of the heathen, and ask if God can is just and do so and so. A great deal better solution of such perplexities is Abraham's: "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Surely we can trust him with all such things, and leave them in his hands.

Others have perplexity concerning the apparent lack of justness in the allotments of earth. Some good people have nothing but trouble here in this world, and some wicked people have very much worldly blessings. We have the same truth on which to rest all such seeming inequities. God will surely do right. What we call trouble may have more real blessing in it—than what we callprosperity. Then, the end of life is not here. God has eternity in which to adjust the equities.

There are other people who think that their own lot is very hard. They complain about their trials and disappointments, and are discontented with what God does for them and gives them. They say God is good; yet they imply by their complaining, that he is not good. This word of Abraham's should rebuke all such complaints. Sooner might the heavens fall—than that in any smallest thing, God could do anything but what is absolutely right and just.

April 28.

"Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. So the people crossed over." Joshua 3:15-16

God does not open paths for us—in advance of our coming. He does not promise to help—before help is needed. He does not remove obstacles out of our way—before we reach them. Yet when we are on the edge of our need—God's hand is stretched out to help us.

Many people forget this, and are forever worrying about difficulties which they foresee in the future. They expect that God is going to make the way plain and open before them, miles and miles ahead; whereas he has promised to do it only step by step as they move on.

There is a Scripture promise which reads: "When you go through deep waters and great trouble—I will be with you." You must get into the deep waters—before you can claim this promise. Many people dread death, and lament that they have not "dying grace." Of course they will not have dying grace—when they are in good health, in the midst of life's duties, with death far in advance. Why should they have it then? Grace for duty is what they need then—living grace; then dying grace—when they come to die. When their feet are dipped in the brim of Jordan, the torrent will sink away!

April 29.

Joshua replied, "If the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you—then clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live." Joshua 17:15

It is the part of true wisdom—to live our life in its actual conditions, not calculating what we could do or could be—IF we had certain other circumstances; but rather accepting the conditions in which we must live, and making them serve us with opportunities for being noble and doing worthy things.

The learning of this bit of practical wisdom, will be worth more to many of us than any change of circumstances or conditions could be.

April 30.

"One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was leaning on Jesus' bosom." John 13:23

I like the word leaning. John leaned his weight on Jesus, on his bosom, near his heart. We need to learn better our privilege of leaning, nestling, in the bosom of divine love. We think of giving a few of our burdens to Christ; but he wants to carry both us and all our load!

A gentleman was moving his library, and his boy was helping him. The child had gathered his arms full of books, and had gone off proudly with his load. Presently, however, the father heard a call for help. The little fellow had gotten half-way up the stairs when the load proved too heavy, and he sank down. The father heard the call, and, coming up the stairs, lifted and carried both the boy and his load.

That is like what Jesus will do for us. He takes our sins—and forgives them. He takes our wicked heart—and changes it. He takes our ruined life—and restores it. He takes all our mistakes and faults—and corrects them. He takes into his hands the ordering of our steps, the shaping of our circumstances, the ruling and overruling of the events of our days, our deliverance in temptation. We really have nothing whatever to do with our own life—but our simple duty day by day, hour by hour.