February 1

Morning

They will sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. — Ps 138:5 BSB

Christians often start to sing in the ways of the Lord when they first lay their burdens down at the foot of the Cross. Nothing even the angels sing can sound as sweet as the first song of joy that pours out from the soul of someone who’s been forgiven by God! John Bunyan describes it well—when Pilgrim’s burden fell off at the Cross, he leaped for joy and went on his way singing, “Blessed Cross! Blessed Tomb! Blessed is the One who bore my shame for me!”

Believer, do you remember the day when your chains were broken? Can you recall the moment when Jesus met you and said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I’ve wiped away your sins like a cloud—your wrongs will never be remembered again!” How sweet was that moment when Jesus removed your guilt and gave you peace!

When the Lord forgave me, I was so full of joy that I could hardly keep from dancing. On my way home, I felt like telling the stones in the street about my freedom. I wanted to tell every snowflake about the amazing love of Jesus, who had wiped away the sins of one of the worst rebels!

But the Christian life isn’t just about that first moment of freedom—we always have reasons to sing. As long as we live, we will find reasons to sing in the ways of the Lord, and our experience of His constant love will keep us saying, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be in my mouth.” Make sure, brother, that you praise God today.

"As long as we walk through this desert land,
New mercies will bring new songs."

Evening

I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. — 2 Sam 1:26 BSB

Come, dear reader, let’s speak about the wonderful love—not of Jonathan but of Jesus. We won’t just talk about what others have told us; we’ll share what we’ve experienced of Christ's love ourselves.

"Your love, O Jesus, was incredible when I was a stranger, wandering far from You, doing whatever my heart and mind wanted. Your love held me back from destroying myself. Your love stopped the axe when justice said, ‘Cut it down! Why let it keep growing?’ Your love led me into a place of deep conviction, made me feel the weight of my sin, and burdened me with my guilt. Then, in my distress, Your love comforted me, saying, ‘Come to Me, and I will give you rest.’ How amazing was Your love when, in a single moment, You washed away my sins and made my filthy, sinful soul white as snow, pure as wool. You showed Your love again when You whispered, ‘I am yours, and you are Mine.’ How kind those words were when You said, ‘The Father Himself loves you!’ And how sweet was the moment when You revealed to me the love of the Spirit. I will never forget the intimate times of fellowship when You revealed Yourself to me!"

Did Moses have a cleft in the rock where he saw God’s glory pass by? We’ve had our clefts in the rock, too, where we’ve seen the full beauty of God in Christ. Did David remember the rugged wilderness where he encountered God? We also have precious memories of the moments Jesus revealed Himself to us. Precious Lord Jesus, give us a fresh experience of Your amazing love as we begin this new month. Amen.