May 26

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” — Rev 1:10

We should all seek to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. During the week we have our cares of business, and our hands are full of work that must be done. The world is apt to get into our heart during the week-days; and if there is no break in this secular life, we are apt to become secularized in spirit, losing interest in spiritual things. The trouble is not that we are in the world–but that the world too often gets into us. It is a proper enough thing for a ship to be in the sea; but when the sea gets into the ship–that is an end of sailing, and the ship sinks into the waters! Christ wants us to be in the world–but he does not want the world to get into us!

On the Lord’s day, therefore, we should run our ship just as completely as possible out of the world’s troubled waters into the peaceful bay of spiritual rest and enjoyment. We should think on spiritual things, and seek to have our heart thoroughly cleansed of worldliness and filled with God. One who thus faithfully uses the Lord’s day each week–will be safe amid the world’s unspiritual influences. A well-spent Sunday, will keep up the spiritual tone of the life amid the most intense pressure of week-day duty. But there is no other antidote to worldliness; and no Christian who desires to be faithful, dare lose the Sundays out of his week.

“I am not praying that You take them out of the world–but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.” John 17:15-16

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God!” James 4:4

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him!” 1 John 2:15