July 16

Morning

Every morning each one gathered as much as was needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. — Exod 16:21 BSB

Make it your aim to maintain a constant awareness of your complete dependence on the Lord’s goodwill and pleasure for every blessing in your life. Don’t try to live on the old manna, or rely on help from Egypt. Everything must come from Jesus, or you will be lost forever. Yesterday’s blessings won’t be enough to sustain you today—your spirit needs fresh anointing from the sanctuary, or it will lose its power and beauty.

Today you may stand on the mountain of God, but the One who placed you there must keep you there, or you will fall faster than you think. Your stability only comes from Him—if He hides His face, you will be troubled. Every window through which you see heaven’s light could be darkened by Him in an instant. Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, but Jesus can shroud it in darkness. He can take away the joy of your heart, the light of your eyes, and the strength of your life. Your comforts are in His hands, and they will depart if He wills it.

Our Lord wants us to feel and recognize our hourly dependence on Him. That’s why He only allows us to pray for “daily bread,” and promises that our strength will match the needs of the day. Isn’t it better for us this way? It keeps us coming back to Him, constantly reminded of His love. How rich is the grace that continually supplies our needs, even though we are often ungrateful! The golden stream of His blessings never stops flowing, and the cloud of His grace hovers ever over our homes.

Lord Jesus, we bow at Your feet, fully aware of our inability to do anything without You. And in every blessing we receive, we adore Your name and acknowledge Your inexhaustible love!

Evening

You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come. For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. — Ps 102:13-14 BSB

A selfish person in trouble is hard to comfort because they rely only on themselves for consolation, and when they are sad, their inner resources are completely dried up. But a person with a generous, Christ-like heart has other sources of comfort. They can turn to God first, finding abundant help, and they can draw comfort from thinking about the broader world, their country, and, most importantly, the Church.

In this psalm, David was deeply sorrowful. He wrote, “I am like an owl in the desert, like a lonely owl in a far-off wilderness. I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.” The only way he could find comfort was by remembering that God would arise and show mercy to Zion. Though David was sad, he found solace in the knowledge that Zion would prosper. No matter how low his own circumstances were, Zion’s future brought him hope.

Christian, learn to comfort yourself by reflecting on God’s goodness toward His Church. What is dear to your Lord should be dear to you above all else. Even if your own path is dark, can’t you find joy in the triumphs of His cross and the spread of His truth? Your personal troubles will fade when you consider not only what God has done and is doing for Zion, but what He will continue to do for His Church.

Try this, believer, whenever your heart is heavy and your spirit is low—take your focus off yourself and your own concerns, and turn your attention to the welfare and prosperity of Zion. When you kneel in prayer, don’t limit your requests to your own needs, pressing though they may be. Lift up your prayers for the Church’s prosperity, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” and your own soul will be refreshed!