Gems for the Week
May 12
"Because He hath set His love upon me . . . I will. . . ." (Psalm 91:14)
"Thou . . . hast loved them, as Thou hast love Me." (John 17:23)
Psalm 91 reveals what the Father did for the Son that loved Him. He exalted Him, communed with Him, honoured Him, and satisfied Him. We were once incapable of loving Him and totally undeserving of His love. Yet, because of His Son, God chose to love us as He loved His Son. Not because we loved Him, but because He first loved us, we enjoy the benefits only the Son deserved. You know He has set His love upon you. Now we should love what He loves. Who (or what) have you set your love on today? (David J. Reed)
A heart in every thought renewed, and full of love divine;
Perfect, and right, and pure, and good, a copy, Lord, of Thine!
(Charles Wesley)
N.J. Hiebert # 3337
May 13
"They hated me without a cause." (John 15:25)
There is a story told of an African chiefess who happened to visit a mission station. The missionary had a little mirror hung up on a tree outside his cabin. The chiefess happened to look into the mirror and saw herself reflected there in all her hideous paint and evil features. She gazed at her own ugly, grotesque countenance and she started back in horror and said, "Who is that horrible-looking person inside that tree?" "Oh," they said, "it is not in the tree; the glass is reflecting your own face." She could not believe it until she held that mirror in her hand. She said, "I must have the glass. How much will you sell it for?" "Oh," he said, "I don't want to sell it." But she insisted and begged, till finally he thought it might be best to sell it to her to avoid trouble. So he named the price and she took it. Then as she said, " I will never have it making faces at me again," she threw it down and broke it to pieces.
That is the way people treat the Bible and Jesus Christ. The Word of God shows up men's wickedness. They say, "Down with Christ! We don't want your Bible and we don't want your Christ."
(H.A, Ironside - Gospel of John - 1942)
N.J. Hiebert # 3338
May 14
"That we may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye
shine as lights in the world." (Philippians 2:15)
Even in earthly things men look for guidance to the stars. A man lost on the prairie may find his way home by the stars. In navigation, sailors look to the stars, especially to the North Star. In an important survey, we always run our base-lines by the stars, particularly the North Star: and so keep them from becoming crooked and distorted. Thus these 'luminaries', these 'heavenly lights' in this dark world, need to remember that those who walk in darkness have their eyes upon them: but just as other stars point to the North Star, let us ever have our eye fixed on the 'The Bright and Morning Star,' and then our path will not be crooked, and we shall not lead astray those watching us. It was a star which led the wise men to the Saviour at Bethlehem when He was a Babe. How good if we too can be like that! (G.Christopher Willis - Sacrifices of Joy)
N.J. Hiebert # 3339
