April 8

Morning

For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? — Luke 23:31 BSB

Among the interpretations of this thought-provoking question, one lesson stands out: “If the innocent substitute for sinners suffers like this, what will happen when the sinner himself—the dry tree—falls into the hands of an angry God?” When God saw His Son standing in the sinner’s place, He did not spare Him. And when He finds the unrepentant sinner without Christ, He will not spare them either. O sinner, Jesus was led away by His enemies—and so will you be, dragged by demons to the place appointed for you! Jesus was forsaken by God; if He, who was only imputed with sin, was forsaken, how much more will you be?

“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’” What a terrifying cry! But what will your cry be when you say, “O God! O God! why have You forsaken me?” And the response comes, “Because you ignored all My warnings and refused My correction. I will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.”

If God did not spare His own Son, how much less will He spare you! What terrible torments will your conscience inflict upon you when it awakens to all its terrors. You who are wealthy, joyful, and self-righteous—who among you could stand when God says, “Awake, O sword, against the man who rejected Me—strike him, and let him feel the pain forever”? Jesus was spit upon, but what shame awaits you! We cannot begin to count the sorrows that converged on Jesus’ head as He died for us, so it’s impossible to describe the waves of grief that will crash over your soul if you die without Him!

By the agonies of Christ, by His wounds and His blood, do not bring this wrath upon yourself! Trust in the Son of God, and you will never taste death!

Evening

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. — Ps 23:4 BSB

See how independent of external circumstances the Holy Spirit can make a Christian! What a bright light can shine within us when all is dark without! How firm, joyful, calm, and peaceful we can be when the world shakes and crumbles around us! Even death, with all its dread, cannot silence the music of a Christian’s heart. Instead, death makes that melody all the sweeter, clearer, and more heavenly—until the final kind act of death is to allow the earthly song to merge with the heavenly chorus, and temporal joy to blend with eternal bliss!

Let us then trust in the Holy Spirit’s power to comfort us. Dear reader, are you anticipating poverty? Fear not. The Spirit of God can give you greater abundance in your poverty than the rich have in their wealth. You cannot imagine the joys that may await you in your humble cottage, surrounded by the flowers of grace, blooming with contentment.

Are you feeling the decline of your health? Are you expecting to endure long nights of suffering and days filled with pain? Do not despair! Your sickbed may become a throne for you. You cannot yet know how every pain you endure might be a refining fire, burning away impurities in your soul, or how each pang may be a beam of glory, lighting the hidden parts of your spirit. Are your eyes growing dim? Jesus will be your light. Do your ears fail you? The name of Jesus will be your soul’s sweetest music, and His presence your greatest joy.

The philosopher Socrates said, “Philosophers can be happy without music,” but Christians can be even happier when all worldly causes of joy are stripped away. In You, my God, my heart will rejoice no matter what trials I face! By Your power, O blessed Spirit, my heart will be exceedingly glad, even if all else fails me!