August 5

Morning

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. — Rom 8:28 BSB

The believer is absolutely certain that an unseen hand is always guiding the world, and no matter where providence may lead, Jehovah steers it. This comforting knowledge prepares the believer for whatever may come. He gazes over the turbulent waters and sees Jesus walking on the waves; he hears a voice say, “It is I; do not be afraid!” He knows that God is always wise, and in knowing this, he is confident that no accidents or mistakes can happen—nothing occurs that shouldn’t. He can say, “If I lose everything, it is better for me to lose than to keep—if that is God’s will. Even the worst disaster is the wisest and kindest thing that could happen—if God ordains it.”

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” The Christian doesn’t hold this merely as a theory but knows it as a truth lived out in experience. Everything has worked for good so far: the bitter medicines, when mixed in the right amounts, have brought healing; the sharp surgeon’s knife has cut away the diseased parts and made healing possible. Every event has brought about divinely blessed results. So, knowing that God rules everything, governs wisely, and brings good from evil, the believer’s heart is assured, and he can calmly face whatever trial comes. In the spirit of true surrender, the believer prays, “Send me whatever You will, my God—so long as it comes from You! No bad portion ever came from Your table to any of Your children.”

Evening

But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? — Num 32:6 BSB

Family ties carry obligations. The Reubenites and Gadites would have been unbrotherly if they had claimed the land they conquered and left the rest of Israel to fight alone for their inheritance. We have received much through the struggles and sacrifices of the saints before us. If we fail to give our best to the church of Christ in return, we are unworthy to be counted among her members. Others are courageously fighting the errors of the age or rescuing lost souls from the ruins of the fall. If we sit idle, we should take heed, lest the curse of Meroz fall upon us!

The Master of the vineyard asks, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” What excuse can the idle servant offer? Serving Jesus personally becomes all the more important because some serve Him cheerfully and abundantly. The labors of devoted missionaries and passionate ministers should convict us if we remain still in complacency.

There is a temptation for those who are comfortable in Zion to avoid trials—they would gladly skip the cross and still wear the crown! For them, tonight’s question is especially fitting. If the finest are refined in the fire, should we escape the furnace? If the diamond must be polished on the wheel, should we expect perfection without suffering? Who commanded the winds to stop blowing just because our ship is at sea? Why should we be treated better than our Lord? The Firstborn felt the rod, so why not the younger siblings? It is cowardly pride that seeks a soft bed for a soldier of the cross. Wiser is the one who first submits to God’s will and then, by His grace, learns to rejoice in it, gathering lilies at the foot of the cross and, like Samson, finding honey in the lion.