January 18

Morning

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. — Heb 4:9

How different will be the state of the believer in heaven—from what it is here! Here he is born to toil and suffer weariness but in the land of the immortal, fatigue is never known. Anxious to serve his Master, he now finds his strength unequal to his zeal: his constant cry is, “Help me to serve You, O my God.” If he is thoroughly active, he will have much labor; not too much for his desire but more than enough for his power, so that he will cry out, “I am not wearied of the labor but I am wearied in it!”

Ah! Christian, the hot day of weariness lasts not forever; the sun is nearing the horizon; it shall rise again with a brighter day than you have ever seen, upon a land where they serve God day and night, and yet rest from their labors. Here, rest is but partial—there, it is perfect. Here, the Christian is always unsettled; he feels that he has not yet attained. There, all are at rest; they have attained the summit of the mountain; they have ascended to the bosom of their God. Higher they cannot go!

Ah, toil-worn laborer, only think when you shall rest forever! Can you conceive it? It is a rest eternal; a rest that “remains.” Here, my best joys bear “mortal” on their brow; my fair flowers fade; my dainty cups are drained to dregs; my sweetest birds fall before Death’s arrows; my most pleasant days are shadowed into nights; and the flood-tides of my bliss subside into ebbs of sorrow. But there, everything is immortal; the harp abides unrusted, the crown unwithered, the eye undimmed, the voice unfaltering, the heart unwavering, and the immortal being is wholly absorbed in infinite delight. Happy day! happy! when mortality shall be swallowed up in life, and the Eternal rest shall begin.

Evening

He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. — Luke 24:27

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion was the best of teachers; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and He was not ashamed to exercise His calling before an audience of two people, neither does He now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for until He is made unto us wisdom—we shall never be wise unto salvation.

This unrivaled tutor used as His class-book the best of books. Although able to reveal fresh truth—He preferred to expound the old. He knew by His omniscience what was the most instructive way of teaching, and by turning at once to Moses and the prophets, He showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books but meditation upon the Word of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge, is to dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea. When Jesus Himself sought to enrich others—He wrought in the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The favored pair were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spoke of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning Himself. Here the diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked His own doors, conducted the guests to His table, and placed His own dainties upon it. He who hid the treasure in the field, Himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the sweetest of topics, and He could find none sweeter than His own person and work—with an eye to these—we should always search the Word. O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both our teacher and our lesson!