Morning, July 27
Go To Evening Reading
“Exceeding great and precious promises.”
2 Peter 1:4
If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises,
and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them . There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you
will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words
will often be the prelude to their fulfilment. While you are musing
upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to
you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the
favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while
he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that
ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.
But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God . Speak to thy soul thus, “If I were dealing with a man’s promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character
of the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God;
my eye must not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy—that may stagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser—that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot
lie, who speaks to thee. This word of his which thou art now considering
is as true as his own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has
not altered the thing which has gone out of his mouth, nor called
back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth he lack any power;
it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus.
Nor can he fail in wisdom as to the time when he will bestow the favours,
for he knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold.
Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable,
so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise.” If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser,
we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfilment.