August 31

Morning

My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm. — Isa 51:5 BSB

In times of intense difficulty, the Christian finds nothing on earth that they can rely on, and is therefore forced to depend entirely on God. When their ship is sinking fast, and no human help can make a difference, they must fully and completely trust in God's providence and care. What a fortunate storm—one that brings a person to such a solid foundation! What a blessed hurricane—that drives the soul to depend on God alone!

Sometimes, it's hard to reach God because we’re surrounded by so many people. But when a person becomes so poor, so friendless, so helpless that they have nowhere else to turn—they run into their Father’s arms and are wonderfully embraced! When they’re burdened with problems so heavy that they can only share them with God, they should be thankful; because in those moments, they will learn more from the Lord than at any other time. Oh, troubled believer, it’s a blessing when trouble drives you to your Father!

Now that you have only God to depend on, make sure you put all your trust in Him. Don’t dishonor your Lord by doubting and fearing; instead, be strong in your faith, bringing glory to God. Show the world that God is worth more to you than anything else. Show the wealthy how rich you are in your poverty, with the Lord God as your helper. Show the strong how strong you are in your weakness, with God’s everlasting arms holding you up. This is the time for bold acts of faith.

Be strong and courageous, and the Lord your God will certainly, as surely as He created the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in your weakness and show His power in your struggles. The beauty of the sky would be ruined if it rested on a single visible column, and your faith would lose its splendor if it rested on anything your physical eyes could see. May the Holy Spirit help you rest in Jesus as this month comes to an end.

Evening

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. — 1 John 1:7 BSB

“As He is in the light!” Can we ever reach this? Will we ever be able to walk as clearly in the light as the One we call “Our Father,” of whom it is written, “God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all”? This is indeed the example set before us, for Jesus Himself said, “Be perfect—even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” While we may feel that we can never reach God’s level of perfection, we are still called to strive for it, and we should never be satisfied until we reach it.

A young artist, holding their first brush, can hardly expect to match the skill of Raphael or Michelangelo. Yet, without aiming for a high standard, they would only achieve something ordinary and unimpressive.

But what does it mean for a Christian to walk in the light as God is in the light? We understand it to mean likeness, though not to the same degree. We are to be just as truly, sincerely, and honestly in the light, even if not to the same extent. I cannot live in the sun—it’s far too bright for me—but I can walk in its light. In the same way, I can’t achieve the perfection of purity and truth that belongs to God by nature, as the infinitely good One—but I can always keep Him before me and strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit living within me, to become more like Him.

The well-known commentator, John Trapp, once said, “We may be in the light as God is in the light—in quality, though not in equality.” We are to have the same light, and we are truly meant to walk in it just as God does, though achieving equality with God in His holiness and purity will only happen when we cross over into His presence and reach the perfection of the Most High God. Take note—the blessings of fellowship with God and the promise of perfect cleansing are closely connected to walking in His light!