November 17

Morning

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. — Rom 11:36 BSB

“To Him be glory forever!” This should be the Christian’s single desire. All other wishes must serve and contribute to this one. You may wish for success in your business, but only in so far as it helps to glorify God. You may desire more gifts and graces, but only so that “To Him may be glory forever!” You are not acting as you should if you are driven by any other motive than to bring glory to your Lord.

As a Christian, you are “of God and through God.” So make sure that you live “to God.” Let nothing stir your heart more deeply than your love for Him. Let this ambition drive your soul. Let it be the foundation of every endeavor and the fuel for your zeal when it begins to fade. Make God your sole focus. Remember, where SELF begins—sorrow begins! But if God is your supreme delight and your only aim, then it won’t matter whether He ordains life or death, comfort or pain.

Let your desire for God’s glory be one that grows. You blessed Him in your youth; don’t be content with those praises. Has God blessed you in your work? Then praise Him more as He has given you more. Has He granted you greater grace? Then honor Him with a stronger faith than before. Is your knowledge increasing? Then sing His praises more sweetly. Have your times of joy multiplied? Has He healed your sickness and turned your sorrow into peace? Then offer Him greater praise, adding more coals and sweet incense to the censer of your worship.

In your daily life, give Him glory by your service and growing holiness, putting your own “Amen!” to this doxology for your great and gracious Lord.

Evening

The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself. — Eccl 10:9 BSB

Oppressors may take advantage of the poor and needy, splitting them apart as easily as wood is cleaved, but they should beware—it’s dangerous work, for a splinter from the tree has often killed the woodsman. Jesus is persecuted in every mistreated saint, and He is mighty to avenge His beloved. Success in trampling the poor and needy is something to fear. If there’s no danger for the oppressor now, there certainly will be later.

Splitting wood is a common, everyday task, yet it carries risks. Likewise, in your daily work and life, there are dangers that may go unnoticed but are very real. I’m not speaking of physical dangers from illness or accident, but spiritual ones. Your work may be humble, like splitting logs, and you might think that it shields you from temptation, but the devil can still find ways to attack. You may be a domestic servant, a farm worker, or a craftsman, seemingly insulated from the world’s grosser temptations, yet some secret sin may still find its way to you. Those who stay home and avoid the world’s hustle and bustle can still be endangered by their isolation.

No one is safe just because they think they are. Pride can take root in a poor man’s heart; greed can reside in the most modest home; impurity can creep into the quietest of houses. Envy, anger, and malice can poison even the most rural abode. We can even sin in the smallest actions, like a casual word or a simple purchase. A glance out the window might be the start of something evil.

O Lord, how exposed we are! How can we be kept safe? We cannot protect ourselves—only You can preserve us in such a world full of dangers. Spread Your wings over us, and like little chicks, we will take shelter beneath You, feeling safe and secure!