Morning, March 18
Go To Evening Reading
“Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26
The fatherhood of God is common to all his children . Ah! Little-faith, you have often said, “Oh that I had the courage of Great-heart, that I could wield his sword
and be as valiant as he! But, alas, I stumble at every straw, and
a shadow makes me afraid.” List thee, Little-faith. Great-heart is God’s child, and you are God’s child too; and Great-heart is not one whit more God’s child than you are. Peter and Paul, the highly-favoured apostles,
were of the family of the Most High; and so are you also; the weak
Christian is as much a child of God as the strong one.
“This cov'nant stands secure,
Though earth’s old pillars bow;
The strong, the feeble, and the weak,
Are one in Jesus now.”
All the names are in the same family register. One may have more grace
than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart
towards all. One may do more mighty works, and may bring more glory
to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven
is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King’s mighty men. Let this cheer and comfort us, when we draw near to
God and say, “Our Father.”
Yet, while we are comforted by knowing this, let us not rest contented
with weak faith, but ask, like the Apostles, to have it increased.
However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we
shall reach heaven at last, but we shall not honour our Master much
on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace. If then
you would live to Christ’s glory, and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit
of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast
out fear.