June 10

Morning

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. — Rom 14:8 BSB

If God had chosen to do so, each of us could have entered heaven at the moment of our conversion. It wasn’t absolutely necessary for our preparation for eternity that we remain here on earth. A person could be taken to heaven and be found fit to share in the inheritance of the saints in light, even if they had only just believed in Jesus. It’s true that our sanctification is a long and ongoing process, and we won’t be perfected until we shed these earthly bodies and enter into heaven. But if God had willed it, He could have instantly changed us from imperfection to perfection and taken us to heaven at once.

So why are we still here on earth?

Would God keep His children from paradise for even a moment longer than necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battlefield when a single charge could give them the victory? Why are His people still wandering through the wilderness when one word from His lips could bring them into their heavenly inheritance? The answer is that we are here to “live unto the Lord” and to bring others to know His love. We remain on earth to sow good seed, to break up the hard ground, and to proclaim the message of salvation. We are here as the “salt of the earth,” to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily lives. We are here to work for Him, and to work alongside Him.

Let us make sure that our lives fulfill this purpose. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to the praise of His glorious grace. And while we live, we long to be with Him, singing,

“My heart is with Him on His throne,
And ill can brook delay;
Each moment listening for the voice,
‘Rise up, and come away!’”

Evening

You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, — John 5:39 BSB

Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the Bible. He is the central theme of its sacred pages. From beginning to end, they testify of Him. At creation, we see Him as part of the Trinity. We catch a glimpse of Him in the promise of the woman’s seed. He is pictured in the ark of Noah. We walk with Abraham as he sees Messiah’s day. We dwell in the tents of Isaac and Jacob, feeding on the promises. We hear the aged Israel speak of Shiloh. And in the many types and shadows of the law, we see the Redeemer clearly foreshadowed. Prophets, kings, priests, and preachers all point toward Him. Like the cherubim over the ark, they long to look into the mystery of God’s great atonement.

In the New Testament, Christ’s presence is even more obvious. It’s not just the occasional gem here or there or a sprinkling of golden dust. In the New Testament, we stand on solid gold ground, for the whole substance of it is Jesus crucified. Even its closing sentence bears the precious name of the Redeemer.

We should always read Scripture with this understanding. We should view the Word of God as a mirror in which Christ looks down from heaven. As we gaze into it, we see His reflection, not perfectly, but enough to prepare us for the day when we will see Him face to face. This book contains Christ’s love letters to us, perfumed with His love. These pages are the garments of our King, filled with the fragrance of myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Scripture is the royal chariot in which Jesus rides, paved with love for His bride, the church. The Bible is the swaddling cloth of the Holy Child Jesus—unwrap it, and you find the Savior. The essence of God’s Word is Christ!