"Whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." The Lord Jesus has always been active for His people, long before they appeared in history. From eternity, He agreed with His Father to pay the price for His people’s sins, to suffer in their place, and to give His life for theirs. From eternity, He

gave Himself up willingly, without complaint. His work as our Surety began in eternity. Pause, my soul, and marvel! You had a place in Jesus’ heart "from everlasting."

When wealth grows, a person’s worldly estate may increase, but if their soul becomes poorer, they’ve suffered a great loss. To gain silver and lose gold is a poor trade, but to gather wealth for the body and lose for the soul is far worse. Israel might

have regretted her prayers for meat if she had known what would come with the answer! The sighs of lust will have to be sighed over again. We fuss and fret until we get what we want, only to find that it brings bitter disappointment.