April 9

Morning

A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him. — Luke 23:27 BSB

Amid the crowd of people who cruelly followed the Redeemer to His death, there were a few gracious souls whose hearts were filled with bitter sorrow, and they expressed it through wailing and lamentations—a fitting soundtrack to that mournful march.

When my soul imagines the Savior bearing His cross to Calvary, I join the godly women who wept for Him, for indeed, there is deep cause for grief—far deeper than they could have known. They mourned for:

• Innocence—mistreated,
• Goodness—persecuted,
• Love—wounded,
• Meekness—dying!

But my heart has even more cause to weep, for it was my sins that were the scourges tearing His blessed shoulders, and the thorns crowning His bleeding brow! It was my sins that cried, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" and laid the cross upon His gracious shoulders. The very fact that He was led away to die is sorrow enough to grieve for all eternity, but the fact that I was His murderer—that is a grief beyond what my heart can express! The women who loved and wept for Him had no greater reason for their grief than I do.

The widow of Nain saw her son restored to life, but I have been raised to newness of life! Peter’s mother-in-law was healed of a fever, but I have been cured of the plague of sin! Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out, but a whole legion of demons has been driven from me! Mary and Martha had the joy of Jesus visiting their home, but He dwells with me! I am in no less debt to Jesus than these women, so I should not be less filled with gratitude or sorrow.

"Love and grief my heart dividing,
With my tears His feet I’ll lave;
Constant still in heart abiding,
Weep for Him who died to save!"

Evening

You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me. — Ps 18:35 BSB

These words can be translated as “Your goodness has made me great.” David gratefully acknowledged that all his greatness came not from his own goodness but from God’s.

Another possible translation is, “Your providence has made me great,” for providence is simply God’s goodness in action. Goodness is the seed—providence is the harvest. Or it could be rendered, “Your help has made me great,” for providence is the faithful help that God provides to His saints as they serve Him.

Still another reading could be, “Your humility has made me great,” or “Your condescension.” This combines the ideas of goodness, providence, and humility. It is because God humbles Himself that we are exalted. We are so small that if God revealed His greatness without stooping down to us, we would be crushed under His majesty. But God, who must lower Himself to even gaze upon the heavens and the angels, looks even lower still to the humble and contrite and makes them great.

Other translations, such as the Septuagint, render it, “Your discipline has made me great,” referring to God’s fatherly correction. The Chaldean paraphrase reads, “Your Word has increased me.” Yet in all these translations, the meaning remains the same.

David attributed all his greatness to the gracious condescension of his Father in heaven. May this sentiment fill our hearts tonight as we lay our crowns at Jesus’ feet and say, “Your gentleness has made me great!”

How marvelous has our experience of God’s gentleness been! How tender have His corrections been! How patient His forbearance, how gentle His teachings, how kind His guidance! Meditate on this tonight, believer. Let gratitude rise in your heart, let humility deepen, and let your love grow warmer before you drift into sleep.