Gently, silently, lovingly, unceasingly, we give ourselves to transmit the light and the love G.o.d so unceasingly shines into us. Our one work is to wait, and admit, and then transmit the light of G.o.d in Christ.--_Andrew Murray._
=May 3d.=
_Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 58._
Activity in doing good is one recipe for being cheerful Christians; it is like exercise to the body, and it keeps the soul in health.--_Bishop Ryle._
=May 4th.=
_Looking up to heaven He sighed. Mark vii. 34._
Too often we sigh and look within; Jesus sighed and looked without. We sigh, and look down; Jesus sighed, and looked up. We sigh, and look to earth; Jesus sighed, and looked to heaven. We sigh, and look to man; Jesus sighed, and looked to G.o.d.--_Stork._
=May 5th.=
_We glory in tribulations. Rom. v. 3._
Have you ever thought that some day you will never have anything to try you or anybody to vex you again?--_A. B. Simpson._
=May 6th.=
_Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col. iii. 2._
He who has his affections set on things above is like one who hangs on by the skies; and, having a secure hold of these, could say, though he saw the world roll away from beneath his feet, "My heart is fixed; my heart is fixed; O Lord, I will sing and give praise!"--_Guthrie._
=May 7th.=
_The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luke xxiv. 34._
_They . . . gladly received (Peter"s) word; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts ii. 41._
Before the Lord can use us in His service we must have close individual dealing with Himself. He always will have to do in _secret_ with that soul that He intends to use in blessing others.
Do you want to speak for Jesus to those around you? Then you must go to Jesus Himself for your message. What you say _for_ Jesus must be got _from_ Jesus.
Oh, how much breath falls powerless on every side because it has not been inhaled in the sanctuary! We want more secret dealing with the living G.o.d. We run without being sent: we speak before G.o.d has spoken to us: no wonder we so often fail. Oh, what secret prayer and what heart-searching discipline the heart needs before G.o.d can use it!--_F.
Whitfield._
=May 8th.=
_The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul.
Prov. xiii. 25._
Christ must satisfy; then, if we are not satisfied, it must be because we are not feeding on Him wholly and only. The fault is not in the provision which is made.--_Frances Ridley Havergal._
=May 9th.=
_Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. Heb. xii. 6._
It has been well said that "earthly cares are a heavenly discipline,"
but they are even something better than discipline; they are G.o.d"s chariots, sent to take the soul to its high places of triumph. In the Canticles we are told of "a chariot paved with love." We cannot always see the love lining to our own particular chariot--it often looks very unlovely; but every chariot sent by G.o.d must necessarily be paved with love, since G.o.d is love. It is His love, indeed, that sends the chariot.
Look upon your chastenings, then, no matter how grievous they may be for the present, as G.o.d"s chariots, sent to carry your souls into the "high places" of spiritual achievement and uplifting, and you will find that they are, after all, "paved with love."--_Smith._
=May 10th.=
_The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i. 7._
Learn a lesson from the eye of the miner, who all day long is working amid the flying coal dust. When he emerges in the light of day his face may be grimy enough; but his eyes are clear and l.u.s.trous, because the fountain of tears in the lachrymal gland is ever pouring its gentle tides over the eye, cleansing away each speck of dust as soon as it alights.
Is not this the miracle of cleansing which our spirits need in such a world as this? And this is what our blessed Lord is prepared to do for us by His cleansing blood, if only we will trust Him.--_F. B. Meyer._
=May 11th.=
_Whatsoever He sayeth unto you, do it. John ii. 5._
Florence Nightingale said: "If I could give you information of my life, it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led by G.o.d in strange and unaccustomed paths to do in His service what He has done in her. And if I could tell you all, you would see how G.o.d has done all, and I nothing. I have worked hard, very hard, that is all; and I have never refused G.o.d anything."
=May 12th.=
_I know how to abound. Phil. iv. 12._
It is a dangerous thing to be prosperous. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining-pot of prosperity. It needs more than human skill to carry the br.i.m.m.i.n.g cup of mortal joy with a steady hand; yet Paul had learned that skill, for he declares, "In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry." When we have much of G.o.d"s providential mercies it often happens that we have but little of G.o.d"s grace; satisfied with earth, we are content to do without heaven. Rest a.s.sured, it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry, so desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of G.o.d. Take care that you ask in your prayers that G.o.d would teach you "how to be full."--_Spurgeon._
=May 13th.=
_Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke xiv. 11._
. . . If you ask the way to the crown--"tis by the cross; to the mountain--"tis by the valley; to exaltation "tis he that humbleth himself.--_J. H. Evans._
=May 14th.=
_For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. John xvii. 19._
Do you remember, when Jesus was sitting with His disciples at the last supper, how He lifted up His voice and prayed, and in the midst of His prayer there came these wondrous words: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified"? Is there anything in all the teachings that man has had from the lips of G.o.d that is n.o.bler, that is more far-reaching than that--to be my best not simply for my own sake, but for the sake of the world? You can help your fellow-men--you must help your fellow-men; but the only way you can help them is by being the n.o.blest and the best man that it is possible for you to be.--_Phillips Brooks._