03.10. October

OCTOBER October 1. Household Duties "Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served" John 12:2

There are certain Bible people that we never fail to recognize. We know Martha by her busy serving. Each time we meet her — we find her engaged in active duties. She represents those whose love for Christ takes the practical form. Some people like to criticize Martha; but after all, her type of piety is important in this world where there is so much need for service. Beautiful as the Mary-spirit is, it would not do if all were Marys; for who would then do the work that needs so much to be done? A wife and mother, for instance, who would spend all her time in Bible-reading and prayer, giving no thought to her household duties — would make a very unhappy home.

October 2. At His Feet

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." John 12:3

We see Mary three times in the gospel, and each time she is in the same posture, "at Jesus’ feet." When we have our first glimpse within the Bethany home, we find Martha in her characteristic attitude, serving; and Mary we see sitting at the Master’s feet, eagerly listening to His words. Our next view of Mary is when Jesus came back to Bethany after the death of Lazarus, and the sisters went out to meet Him. Again she is at the feet of Christ, this time in deep sorrow, seeking comfort. Here a third time we find her at Christ’s feet, and now it is in honoring her Lord.

We think of Mary, therefore, as a woman who was always at Christ’s feet. In the bright, common days — she sat there as a learner, looking up into His face, drinking in His words, and absorbing His spirit into her soul. When grief came — she went to His feet for comfort, pouring out her sorrow there, looking up into His face for consolation. Then, when the trouble was over, and there were joy and victory instead — we find her again in her habitual place, honoring Jesus with her heart’s richest gifts. There is no fitter place for the redeemed life — than at the Savior’s feet. In Mary’s gift — she brought the best she had, the richest gift in all her possession. We should always bring our best to Christ. No ointment in the world is half so precious to Him — as the love of human hearts. We should bring Him our best love — giving Him the first place in our affections. We should give Him the best of our lives — our youth in all its freshness and purity, our body and mind when they are at their best. We should give Him the best of our time — not the weary moments of languor only — but the hours when we are most alert. We should give Him the best of our services — doing our finest work of all kinds for Him.

October 3. Fleeting Opportunities

"You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you will not always have Me." Mark 14:7

We ought to well learn the value of opportunities. They do not wait for our convenience; but while we linger indecisive — they are gone. Then, when they are gone — they never come again. Whatever was done for Jesus — He said must be done at once, for they would not always have Him. To put off the act of love — would be to miss doing it altogether; for when He was once gone from them, however much they might want to do the kindness for Him, it would be too late. The poor they would always have — they might care for them at any time; but whatever act of love they would render to Jesus — they must render at once.

There ought to be a deep lesson for us, in our Lord’s word in this place. There are certain things that we shall never have the opportunity to do but once. Here is a mother in a home: for years she has given her life in loving, self-denying service, poured it out like rich ointment for the good of her children. Now she is growing old, and as her children look upon her, it is as if she said to them, "Whatever kindness you would do to me — you must do now, for you will not have me always."

We hear of a neighbor who is sick. Just now is the time to perform whatever act of love we desire to render, for we may not long have the friend. Tomorrow he may be gone. There have been tears shed over coffins and graves, by those who would have given worlds to get their dead back again, to do for them the things that they neglected to do while they had them. The best time to do a kindness, is now. Someone has beautifully said: "I expect to pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there is any kindness I can do for any fellow-being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

October 4. Acceptable Offerings "She has done what she could!" Mark 14:8 This was a wonderful commendation to come from the lips of Jesus. Mary could not have done better than this — if she had been a thousand times as gifted. We get two lessons here:

One is, that all Christ wants — is what we have ability and opportunity to do. He asks no impossibilities. The poorest things, the smallest offerings, are acceptable — if they are really our best in the circumstances. A child in a mission school offered her teacher a handful of weeds and grasses, wilted and soiled — which she called a bouquet. Did the teacher refuse the gift, and criticize the poor withered weeds? No, she accepted them with as sincere gratitude and as many thanks as if some wealthy friend had offered her an elegant bouquet of flowers. The child did what she could; and the teacher looking behind the gift — saw the love in the little heart, and that transfigured her poor gift. Just so, Christ accepts our poorest work, or our plainest offering — if it is our best. But the lesson has another side. "She did what she could." It is this, then, which pleases Christ. Are we doing what we could do? Do we always bring to Him our very best gifts? Do we never put Him off with the faded flowers — keeping the fresh and fragrant ones for ourselves? Do we do for Him our very best work? Are we faithful?

If we are only doing half of what we might, we cannot take the comfort of this commendation. The widow’s two mites were very acceptable coming from her, because they were all she had; but they would not have elicited any such commendation if one of the rich men had given them. A little child’s ministry is very beautiful for a child — but it would not be as fitting in the father or mother. We must really do the very best we can — if we would have this commendation.

October 5. Not Your Own "The Lord has need of it." Mark 11:3

There seems to have been no formal request of the owner for the use of the colt. Jesus sent His disciples to take it by Divine authority. So then — the Lord has a right to anything we have. No property right that we can get, takes the title out of His hands. We talk about our possessions as if they were ours indeed. Nothing is really ours — but as lent to us by the Lord, to be used for Him.

There are practical inferences here which we must not overlook. Christ has a right to call for anything we have — whenever He wants to use it. He has a right to ask for money, for it is His far more than ours. When our property is swept away by some providential act, we should not murmur — but should remember that the Lord has a right to do as He will with His own. The same principle applies to the loss of friends by death. The Lord has a right to take them, for He only lends them to us; and when He wants them with Himself — He has a right to call them home.

Another thought here, is that Christ may sometimes have special use for even the humblest of our possessions. The Lord had need of the good Samaritan’s donkey to carry the wounded man to the inn. He had need of the lad’s five loaves to feed the multitude. A lady was trying to teach her child that she ought to give everything to Christ to be used in any way He might choose. "Why, mamma," she replied, "Jesus can never use my doll." Yet in an hour the child was letting a poor child that came to the door play with her doll. Was not the Lord using it then? The Lord has need of our money, our hands, our feet, our lips, our influence; and we do well when we hold all our possessions ready at any call of His to be used as He desires.

October 6. Nothing But Leaves

"Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs." Mark 11:13

There were many other fig trees in that region — but Jesus did not turn to any of them to look for food, because they gave no promise, made no show or pretense of having fruit. He went to this tree because by its early leaves it declared to all who saw it that it had also early fruit. Christ does not expect to find spiritual fruit on the life of the godless man or the worldly woman; but He does expect it on the life of the man or woman who professes to be a Christian. As Jesus turned to that fig tree, drawn thereto by the tree’s profession of fruitfulness — so hungry souls turn to the Church and to God’s professed people to find spiritual food. What that tree with leaves and no fruit was to Jesus, the Jewish Church was to the people whose soul hungered for spiritual food. With their burden of sin, with their deep heart-questionings, with their sorrows, with their unsatisfied longings, with their yearnings for help and sympathy — they turned to the priests, the professed spiritual guides, that they might get from them what they needed. So the mission of every Christian Church is to feed hungry souls. In the hour of penitence, when the soul is conscious of guilt; in the day of trouble, when the world has no more to give; in the shadow of death, in all the great crises of life, even the most worldly turn to the Church for what they need. A church is like a great tree in the desert which holds out the promise of fruit, and toward which all the spiritually hungry turn. There can be few sadder things in this world than a church, promising by its very name, by its spire pointing to Heaven, by its open doors, by its songs and services, by its bells of invitation — to give food to the hungry, refreshment to the weary, comfort to the sorrowing — and then failing to keep its promises to the souls that come expecting.

October 7. Believing Prayer "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Mat 21:22 There are other scriptures qualifying this: In the first place, it is not all asking that is really praying — and therefore not all asking that receives. James says, "You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." A man asks for money, not to use it for the glory of God and the good of others — but for his own glory and pleasure.

Again, the Psalmist says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart — the Lord will not hear me." That is, if one is cherishing a secret sin in his heart while he is trying to serve God — no prayers that he offers will be heard or answered. So here are at least two kinds of asking that will not bring an answer.

Then there are conditions. One is that we must ask in Christ’s name. That implies that we believe in Christ as our Savior, and are His faithful friends, and therefore have a right to use His name. This condition narrows down the promise to the true followers of Christ.

Another condition is that we are abiding in Christ, and His words are abiding in us. Even a Christian who is following afar off does not come within the circle of this promise.

Then there is another qualification which belongs to all promises to prayer. God Himself must be the judge as to the things we ask, whether they would really be blessings to us or not. There may be things we desire very earnestly — that it would be the greatest unkindness to grant us. Is God then bound by this promise to give us what we crave? By no means. The Lord will give what is good. "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." But He will withhold even from the most upright, the things which in His Divine wisdom — He sees would not be good things. This is implied in every such promise as this.

October 8. A Forgiving Spirit

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him — so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:25

It is told of a Christian woman that a friend entered her room and found her with bowed head, as if in prayer. At length her friend spoke to her tenderly, knowing that a great sorrow was on her heart. "I have been trying to say the Lord’s Prayer," she answered, "but I cannot get through it." She had said the words thousands of times in sunny childhood, in joyous youth, on her wedding-day, and then along the gladsome years that followed, amid songs and flowers and prattling child-voices, and in the sweetness of an unbroken home circle; and they had flowed from her lips like rippling music all the while. But now a great sorrow had come, and since that she had begun a hundred times, "Our father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. May your kingdom come. May Your will ______ " but she could not get any farther. She could not yet say, "May Your will be done." A story is told of a nobleman in Alexandria, in olden days, who complained bitterly to the bishop of his enemies. While in the midst of the recital of his wrongs, the bell rang for prayers, and bishop and nobleman dropped to their knees, the former leading in the Lord’s Prayer, and the latter leaving his story unfinished for the time and joining in the prayer. When the bishop came to the words, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive," he suddenly stopped and left the nobleman to go on alone. The nobleman attempted to say the words — but startled by the sound of his own voice unaccompanied, and recalled by the bishop’s silence to the meaning of the prayer, he stammered, ceased to pray, and rose in great despair; and it was only when he had learned to cherish a forgiving spirit toward others — that he could say form his heart, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us."

October 9. The Corner Stone "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Mat 21:42

Those to whom Christ first came, did not think Him suitable to be their Messiah. So they refused to receive Him, and nailed Him on a cross instead. But now what do we behold? That same Jesus whom they thought unfit to be their king — God has made King of glory, Lord of Heaven and earth! All things are in His hands — all power, all mercy, all judgment. The very rulers who rejected Him and demanded His crucifixion, when they awake on the judgment morning — shall see as their Judge, the same Jesus whom they despised and condemned to die. A great many people now think Christ is unsuitable to be their Master. They do not consider it an honor to be called a Christian. They blush to own His name or to enroll themselves among His followers. They do not care to model their life on His holy and perfect life. All such should remember that Christ has highest honor in Heaven. No angel is ashamed to speak His name. Redeemed spirits praise Him day and night. God the Father has exalted Him to the throne of eternal power and glory. Why, then, should sinful men be ashamed to own Him as Lord?

They should remember, further, that God has made Him the corner-stone of the whole building not made with hands. No life that is not built on Him can stand. There is no other rock on which to rest a hope. If they ever are saved it must be by this same Jesus whom they are now rejecting.

October 10. Let Him Take All "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Mat 22:37

We are to notice, first, that it is love God wants. We may give Him our life’s highest honor — but He is not satisfied with honor. We ought to obey Him. He is our God and our King, and we owe Him the fullest obedience. But obedience is not enough. We owe Him service also, for we belong to Him, and we ought to pour out our lives for Him. But it is neither honor, obedience, nor service that this command requires. We are to LOVE God. If it were possible for us to render such honor, obedience, and service as the angels give — and yet not love Him, He would not be satisfied. Nothing but love will satisfy Him.

We are told here also the measure of the love that we are to give to God. It must be an all-absorbing love. God wants no half-hearts. He must be loved supremely — more than all tender friends, more than all worldly things. Then this love must draw the whole life after it — the mind, the soul, the strength; it must lead to true and entire consecration.

Suppose a mother gives her child a beautiful flower-plant in bloom, and tells her to carry it to a sick friend. The child takes the plant away, and when she reaches the friend’s door she plucks off one leaf and gives it to her, keeping the plant herself. Then afterward, once a week, she plucks off another leaf, or a bud, or a flower, and takes it to the friend, still retaining the plant. Has she obeyed? Nothing but the giving of the whole plant would be obedience. Yet God asks for all our life’s heart, soul, mind, and strength — and we pluck off a little leaf of love now and then, a bud, a flower of affection, or one cluster of fruit, and give these little things to Him, keeping the life itself. Shall we not say, "Let Him take all"? This first commandment requires the complete consecration of the whole life to God!

October 11. The Widow’s Mite "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others!" Mark 12:43

It is good to have here our Lord’s estimate of earth’s gifts. We know that as He saw the offerings that day, and spoke of their worth, so He always beholds how we give, and always weighs our gifts in the same balances. It is most cheering to us to note that it is not the size of our offerings that makes them either great or acceptable in Heaven’s sight. The widow’s mite outweighed the rich man’s heavy coins. No doubt this poor woman felt that her gift was so small that it was scarcely worth while to give it; but in the eyes of the divine Lord — its value was very great.

There are two scales weighing all human acts, and all human gifts and offerings. There are the earthly scales, which weigh in ounces and pounds; and there are the "balances of the sanctuary," which weigh spiritual values. In the latter scales, this widow’s mites weighed more than the great glittering coins of the rich which were given with so much ostentation. This was not only because her gift was proportionally larger — the rich still having much left after giving, and she having nothing left — but also because of her motive and spirit in giving. She gave because she loved God’s house, and wished to do her part in maintaining its ordinances. She gave humbly, not to be seen of men — but to honor God and win His approval. She gave also largely according to her ability, putting to shame the rich men who gave so much — and yet had riches left. Christ sees into the heart, while we make our offering; and if our heart is right, and we give as we are able, and give out of love for God and desire for His glory — even the smallest offering that we can bring will be acceptable in God’s sight, and will bring down heaven’s commendation. God does not estimate our gifts by dollars and cents. Many a million dollar gift is exceedingly small — when He weighs it.

October 12. Behold the Lamb of God "We want to see Jesus!" John 12:21

These men had heard of Jesus — but they wanted to see Him for themselves. It does not do for us to see Jesus only through other people’s eyes. No matter how vividly they may portray His beauty before us — this is not the seeing which blesses us and prints His image on our souls. We must behold Him for ourselves. In those terrible days in the ancient Hebrew camp when the people were bitten by the deadly serpents and the brazen image of a serpent was set up — a mother could not look for her child, nor a friend for a friend. It is just so in beholding Christ. No one can behold Him for another.

It is through seeing Christ — that all spiritual blessings come to us. When we are burdened with sin — we are pointed to the Lamb of God who takes away sin. When we seek to grow more holy — we are exhorted to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and thus be transformed into His image. When we ask for a model for our life — we are told to look unto Jesus. Many a fleeing slave, by simply keeping his eye fixed on a star, was led away from bondage to liberty. Keeping our eye on Christ — will lead us from chains of sin to eternal glory.

These Greeks came to a disciple and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. What nobler service can we render in this world, than that of introducing people to Jesus? To do this we must know Him well ourselves. But let no one think that he really needs anyone to introduce him to Jesus. A little child was dying, and she said she was not afraid to die; but she wished her mamma could go with her to introduce her to Jesus. "For you know, mamma," said the little one, "I was always afraid of strangers." But no one will find Jesus a stranger; He loves to be sought, and to have people want to see Him, and He is always glad to reveal Himself to every seeker. He is not hard to find; He is near all the while, and we really need no one to take us to Him.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!" Heb 12:2 October 13. Two Ways of Living

"The man who loves his life — will lose it; while the man who hates his life in this world — will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25

We have two options. We may live for SELF, take good care of our lives, not exposing them to danger, not making sacrifices, looking out for our own interests — and we may prosper in the world. People will commend our prudence, and congratulate us on our success. We may reach old age healthy, and greatly enjoy our accumulated honors and possessions. This is one way of living. There seems to be something pleasant about such a life; but it has been no blessing in the world. It has done nothing for the glory of God. It has fed no hunger; it has won no reward. That is the whole outcome of a life of selfishness. "The man who loves his life — will lose it." The other way to live, is to forget self; not to think of nor care for one’s own life — but to sacrifice it in obedience to God and in unselfish service. People will say you are foolish thus to waste your golden life, thus to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others, or in Christ’s cause. But was Christ Himself foolish when He went to His cross? Let the redeemed Church be the answer. Were the martyrs foolish when they threw their lives away for Christ’s sake? Ignatius said, when facing the fierce lions in the arena, "I am grain of God. Let me be ground between the teeth of lions — if I may thus become bread to feed God’s people." Were such martyred lives wasted, thrown away? Is any life wasted which becomes seed to produce bread by-and-by for the world? The way to make nothing of our lives — is to be very careful of them. The way to make our lives eternal successes — is to do with them just what Christ did with His.

October 14. A Savior for All "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth — will draw all men to Myself." John 12:32 As we read the gospel story we are surprised to see how few people were really drawn to Christ during His life. Crowds followed Him — many from curiosity — but very few were savingly drawn to Him in heart and life. We see at the last, how few; there was but a little handful of clinging friends about His cross.

It was not until He had made His great atoning sacrifice — had been "lifted up" on the cross — that all men began to be drawn to Him. Why was the influence of a crucified Jesus so much greater than that of a living, miracle-working Jesus? For one reason, the death of Christ revealed the wonderful love of God. All of His sweet, gentle, helpful life told of love, too; but it was when He went to His cross that the full, rich glory of the Divine love was manifested. And love always draws. It is love which men need, and wherever they find it — they want to come and rest in its warmth and tenderness.

Another reason why Jesus drew most powerfully after He had be "lifted up," was because then the Divine Spirit was present to work on human hearts and lives. Without the drawing of the Spirit — none would ever come to Christ!

There was an old legend that when Jesus was dying a dove came and settled on His cross. It is only a legend; yet it suggests the truth that even after His precious blood had been poured out, men would not have come to Christ — had they not been drawn by the Holy Spirit.

October 15. Be on guard!

"Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come Mark 13:33

These words refer to the time of our Lord’s coming again. He is surely coming; but when, no one can know. He will come suddenly, without warning. Since, then, we cannot know what moment the Lord may appear, we must "Be on guard! Be alert!" lest He come and surprise us unprepared. This does not mean that we are always to be talking and thinking of the event — and waiting for it in dreamy idleness and useless gazing. What Christ wants us to do, is so to live at all times that His coming at any moment of the day or night will not find us unprepared. For one thing, we should be sure of our personal salvation. If we are not saved — we should instantly see to the matter; for He may come the next hour, and there will be no time then to seek salvation. We should keep our work faithfully done, day by day, leaving nothing unfinished any evening — for before morning He may come. We should live at peace with all men, never allowing the sun to go down on our anger or on any enmity or bitterness; for before another day dawns — He may come, and we would not want Him to come and find us in strife and bitterness. We should be careful what we do — for he may come suddenly and find us in sin! We should watch where we go — lest His coming may surprise us in some place where we would not want Him to find us. This truth, kept ever as a living force in our consciousness, would be the weightiest motive to faithfulness in every duty, and watchfulness against every sin. His coming will be so sudden and so unexpected — that there will be no time then to set wrong things right, to finish uncompleted tasks, to get sin-stains washed out, to undo evil deeds. The only safe way to live — is to make each task complete — a fit ending for all of life.

October 16. Mysterious Providence "You do not realize now what I am doing — but afterward you will understand." John 13:7

Like many other words of Christ, this saying of His has a much wider application, than its primary reference to Peter’s perplexity. It furnishes the key to many of the painful or mysterious providences of our lives. We do not understand them at the time. We do not see how they can have any blessing in them for us. They seem altogether dark. But we have no right to judge of our Master’s work in us, or with us — until it is finished. "You do not realize now what I am doing." How could we be expected to understand all the Master’s great thoughts?

Yet this is not the end. "Afterward you will understand." This mystery is to be explained. This perplexity is to be resolved into the clearness of noonday. You do not understand now — because you cannot yet see the end — you cannot perceive the blessing and the beauty. The Master Himself knows just what He is going to bring out of each mysterious work of His — and therefore He is not perplexed.

Jesus says that "Afterward you will understand." We shall see the tangles resolving into lovely grace and beauty!

What is the lesson? That we should trust God’s heart — when we cannot understand His ways with us. No doubt, divine love has planned them all. No doubt, there is blessing in the outcome, as it lies now in God’s mind. No doubt, we shall see the blessing, too, afterward!

October 17. Washing Other’s Feet

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet — you also ought to wash one another’s feet." John 13:14 Are we to take this literally? Some have understood it in this way. No, say others — He would teach us to do lowly service for one another. Yes; but what kind of service? What did Christ’s washing of the feet of His disciples mean? It was more than a little lowly act of service; He taught them that He would thus cleanse their souls of remaining faults and blemishes of character, and of the stains gotten in the world as they pass through. Our service to one another is to be of the same kind. We are to come to each other with basin and towel. We are to help each other to be clean Christians. We are to seek the sanctification, purification, and upbuilding in character of all our fellow-disciples. Of course, we cannot wash away sins — Christ alone can do that; but we can do something toward making others purer and holier. We can try to bring to Christ for salvation, those who are not yet saved; then we can admonish others in love, and tell them of their faults, seeking the removal of the faults and blemishes. This requires much grace and great wisdom; we need lowliness of heart and tenderness of affection — to discharge a duty so delicate. Especially must we be cleansed ourselves — if we would seek the cleansing of others. What if our own hands, with which we would wash the feet of other disciples, are not clean — but are themselves covered with sin? Instead of cleansing the lives we touch — we shall then leave dirty stains upon them. So we must see that our own hands have been washed in the blood of Christ — before we undertake to wash the feet of others. Them we must be willing to yield over our own feet to the water. The washing is to go all around; we are to wash one another’s feet. The secret of all — must be genuine love for others.

October 18. Leaning on Jesus "One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was leaning on Jesus’ bosom." John 13:23

We are not told the name of this disciple — but we know him by his place and posture. What were the traits in John’s character which made him the beloved disciple? One was his humility; another was his love — artists always paint his face in features of gentleness and affectionateness. Another of his winning traits was his trust. He never seems to have doubted. When was it, that he reclined on Jesus’ bosom? It was in a time of great darkness. The Master was about to go away, and all the hopes of the disciples were being destroyed. But where was John in that darkness? Leaning on Jesus’ bosom! Just so, sorrow, instead of driving us into despair — should drive us nearer to Christ — to His bosom! Where was it, that John learned? On Jesus’ bosom!
Not merely on His arm — the place of strength;
nor upon His shoulder — the place of upholding;
but on His bosom — which is the place of love and tenderness.

It is a great thing to know that the divine omnipotence is underneath us in all our weakness; but mere omnipotence is cold. How much better it is — when omnipotence has the heart of love within it. But what did John do? He leaned. He rested his weight — on the omnipotent love of his Lord. Christ wants all His friends to lean upon Him. He wants to carry our burdens for us — He wants us to lay all our sins and all our cares upon Him; but more than this — ourselves! He wants to bear us — as well as our burdens.

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved?" Song of Solomon 8:5 October 19. The Last Supper

"Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat." Mat 26:26

There was a meaning in every act. The bread itself is an appropriate emblem of Christ’s body. Bread is food; Christ is food for our souls. Something may be learned from the manner in which bread is prepared. The wheat is crushed and broken, and then the bread is baked in the fire before it is ready for use. So Christ died, His body was bruised and broken, and He was exposed to the fire of great suffering — before He could become the food and life of our souls. The breaking of the bread is also significant, denoting the breaking of the body of Christ on the cross. We ought never to forget, in our sweet enjoyment of the blessing of grace — what it cost our Lord to provide them for us. Whenever we sit at our Lord’s table and see the bread broken — we should remember the anguish and suffering endured by our Redeemer in saving us. The giving of the bread to the disciples had also a deep meaning. It signified the freeness of Christ’s offer of Himself to men. He is ever standing, reaching out His hands with the bread of life, imploring men to take all the blessings of salvation freely. The taking of the bread by the communicant is significant of the act of faith by which Christ Himself is received. He offers — we receive. It is not enough that Christ gave Himself on the cross for sinners, and now holds out in pierced hands the blessings of redemption. These stupendous acts of love and grace alone will not save us. There is a needed link which we must supply: we must reach out our hands and accept and take what Christ so graciously and lovingly offers to us. Then, since bread to nourish us must be eaten, we must receive Christ into our life as our soul’s sustenance, feeding upon Him.

October 20. Remembering Jesus "Do this in remembrance of Me." Luk 22:19

There is something very tender in the thought of the Lord’s Supper as a memorial. We all know the value of mementos — in keeping in mind one whose face we cannot see. A young man sat one morning in his pastor’s study, and drew a letter from his pocket, saying that he had just heard from his sister away in the English home. Opening the letter, he showed his pastor some little pressed flowers and some dried grass-blades. The young man’s voice was choked with emotion as he said, "These flowers and grasses are from my mother’s grave in England." The little memorials brought back the whole life of the mother, and the son sat there and spoke most affectionately of her love, her fidelity, her beauty of spirit, her sacrifices, then of her death. So it is, that the memorials of the Last Supper recall to our forgetful hearts — the sacred scenes and event of our Lord’s passion, and the love that led Him to such sacrifice. But mere remembering is not enough; the remembering ought to kindle love and keep us faithful. A young man was about to go abroad for a long journey. Just before he set out, his father took his watch from his pocket. On the dial were the pictures of both his parents. "Take this watch," said the father, "and carry it with you in all your journeyings. Every time you look to see the hour — the eyes of your father and mother will look up into yours. When you see these home faces, remember that we are thinking of you and praying for you. Go to no place, where you would not want us to go with you. Do nothing that you would not want us to witness." In the Last Supper Jesus has given us His own picture — His body broken, His blood shed; He wants us to remember Him and be faithful. Remembering Jesus, should always keep us from doubting and sinning, and inspire us to nobleness and beauty.

October 21. The Remission of Sins "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Mat 26:28

Right in the heart of the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of two things — of the price paid for our redemption, and of the deliverance that this redemption brings to us. The price paid was the precious blood of Christ; the deliverance is the forgiveness of sins.

There is a singular Oriental custom which may help us better to understand the way Christ made atonement for our sins. "When a debt had to be settled," says Dr. A. J. Gordon, "either by full payment or forgiveness, it was the usage for the creditor to take the cancelled bond and nail it over the door of him who had owed it, that all passers-by might see that it was paid. Oh, blessed story or our forgiveness! There is the cross, the door of grace, behind which a bankrupt world lies in hopeless debt to the law. See Jesus, our bondsman and brother, coming forth with the long list of our indebtedness in His hand. He lifts it up where God and angels and men may see it, and then, as the nail goes through His hand, it goes through the bond of our transgressions, to cancel it forever, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." This is the wonderful act of forgiveness that is portrayed for us with such vividness in the cup of the Lord’s Supper. The nail which went through those bonds, and fastened them there on the cross — also went through the body of the Lord Jesus. Blood flowed at the remitting or our sins — the blood of the Son of God. The cup that is so sweet to us — was emptied of terrible bitterness by the Lord Himself; then it was filled with heaven’s choicest blessings and brought to us. While we rejoice at our forgiveness, let us not forget what it cost our Redeemer; nor let us forget the wonderful grace that puts all our sins away "as far as the east is from the west."

October 22. The Heavenly Feast

"I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on — until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom." Mat 26:29 The Lord’s Supper points forward — as well as back. It keeps the past in remembrance; we are to think of what happened nineteen hundred years ago. In this sense, the Supper is a memorial. But it is also a prophecy. Amid the mementos of sorrow — Christ pointed ahead to the dawn of our blessed hope. He lifted the veil and gave a glimpse of a fulfillment very glorious, beyond earth’s shadows. Even the Holy Supper, as precious as it is — is but a faint picture of something far better. The disciples would not have Jesus with them at the table any more. This was their "last supper" together. Henceforth, His place would be vacant on earth. But in telling them this, He gave them sweet comfort in the assurance that He would sit down with them again, by-and-by, not here — but in another kingdom. These words are full of luminous brightness. They tell us of a feast in glory, of which the Lord’s Supper on earth is but the shadow. In the Revelation it is called "the wedding feast of the Lamb." So it will be a memorial, too, of Christ’s death and love. That night when the Master and His disciples sat down together in the upper room — a great sorrow hung over their hearts and His: for Him it was the shadow of His cross, with all its mystery of woe; for them it was the shadow of sore loss and separation. But the other side of the cloud, was very bright. Out of Christ’s death — came blessed and glorious salvation; now in Heaven, Jesus sees of the travail of His soul, and is satisfied. Out of the brief separation — there came to the disciples an abiding presence of Christ which filled their hearts full. Jesus went away from them for a little time — that He might be with them forever. So out of these sad memories — came great joys!

October 23. Comfort in Sorrow "Let not your heart be troubled." John 14:1

Jesus always loves to comfort. He loves to put little candles in the darkened chambers of sorrow. He loves to dry tears — and change grief into joy. Then He is able to give comfort, because He has the comfort in Himself. We cannot give, what we have not to give. We often say to one another in trial, "Do not worry! Do not be troubled!" when we have no comfort to give, nothing to cure the worry or brighten the darkness. Standing on the ship, in the midst of a wild sea, Jesus said, "Peace! Be still!" and the winds and waves instantly became calm. He had the peace in Himself, and could give peace to the sea. It is the same with His comfort: His words of consolation are not like so many of ours; they have power to quiet the troubled heart.

It was a time of the deepest grief and the sorest sorrow for the disciples, when Jesus said this. Not only were they to lose their best Friend — but they were to lose Him in the saddest way — by the shameful death of crucifixion. Nor was that all of their sorrow. They had hoped that He was the Messiah; now that hope was gone. They were in utter desolation — in a starless midnight. Surely there could be no comfort for such grief as theirs — they thought that night, as with breaking hearts they sat there in the darkness.

Yet right into the midst of this despairing grief, came the words, "Let not your heart be troubled." Let us never say, therefore, that there is any, even the bitterest grief, for which there is no possible comfort. No matter how dark the night is, Christ can put stars into our sky, and bring a glorious morning after the darkness.

There is comfort for Christ’s disciples in the most hopeless grief. We have but to look forward a few days — to see the sorrow of these men turned to blessed joy! So it always is. However we may grieve — there is never any reason why we should lose our peace.

October 24. Peace in Believing "You believe in God — believe also in me." John 14:1

We should all learn how to comfort others. No duty of Christian love requires more delicacy. We may study our Lord’s way of comforting, to learn to give comfort ourselves to those who are in trouble. We see that he did not go over the cold platitudes we are so accustomed to use when we try to console our friends in their grief. But not in this empty way, does Christ comfort His people. Here He offered no explanations, answered no questions, gave no reasons; He told His disciples simply to believe. They could not understand this terrible grief. They could see no star in the sky. But they did not need to understand, did not need to see any light. They were to do nothing but believe — just cling to Christ in the darkness, and believe. In all deep grief this is the truest way to find comfort. There is no use to ask questions, for no one can answer them. There is no use to strain our eyes trying to see the light, for as yet there is no light to see. All we can do is just to throw ourselves on our Savior’s bosom — and lie there until the light breaks. We may always be sure of the love and the faithfulness of Christ. We may nestle down, as John did that same night, upon the Savior’s bosom, and be quiet and confident in the time of our sorest calamities. "In the world you shall have tribulation — in Me you shall have peace!"

October 25. The Way to Heaven "I am the way — no man comes unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 A way always leads somewhere. Jesus is the way from earth to Heaven, and also from Heaven to earth. Through Him we get to God, and through Him — God comes to us. He is the true and only ladder whose foot rests on the earth, and whose top reaches up to the very glory of God. In His humanity, Jesus comes down to the lowest depths of human need and sorrow. Had He been God only, and not man, He could not have done this. The incarnation was the letting of the ladder down until it rested in the deepest valleys. There is now no spot of shame or guilt in this world from which there is not a ladder of light, with its celestial steps leading upward to God and Heaven.

For, while Christ’s humanity brings the ladder down to earth’s places of sorest need — His divinity carries the ladder up past the shining stars into the very midst of the glory of God. On one page of the New Testament we find Jesus on a cross, dying in darkness and shame, between criminals. We open another page, and we see that same Jesus in the midst of the heavenly brightness, wearing still the wound-marks — but crowned in glory. Behold the ladder from earth to Heaven! A ladder is a way for feet to climb: Christ is the way, therefore, by which sinners can go up out of their sins — to the purity and blessedness of Heaven. One thing to especially mark — is that there is but one way. Christ is the only Mediator. We can enter the Father’s family only through Him. Grace can come to us only through Him. There is, then, no choice of ways: if we do not go by this one way — we can never reach the Heavenly home. Nor must we forget that a way is meant to be walked in. We must put our feet on this ladder and go up rung by rung — until we reach the topmost step, which will be Heaven!

October 26. Knowledge of Christ "Have I been with you all this time, Philip — and yet you still don’t know Me?" John 14:9

There seems to be pain in the Master’s question. This disciple had been with Him for three years. He had seen His beautiful and gentle life. He had witnessed His works of power. Surely by this time, after such long and close intimacy, the disciple ought to have known Jesus. Yet Jesus tells him here, that he did not really know Him.

We get this lesson — that it is possible to be with Christ a long time, and to know very much about Him — without ’knowing’ Him in the true sense of the word. Philip knew Jesus as a man, as a worker of miracles, as having a very beautiful character; but he seems never to have gone below the surface in understanding Him. He did not know Him as the revealer of the Father. He never saw divine glory in the radiance that streamed from that blessed life. And not to know Christ in this aspect, to know Him only as a man — is not to know Him at all. To leave out the divine in our thought of Christ — is not to have any Christ at all.

We may be quite familiar with the facts of our Lord’s life, from His birth in Bethlehem to His ascension from Olivet — and yet may not know anything of Him as our personal Savior, saving us from our sins, or as a Helper in our times of need. Such head knowledge will do us no good unless it leads us to the true heart knowledge of Christ as Savior, Lord, and Friend.

There is something very touching in the thought that for so long the Son of God walked with His disciples, all the glory of divinity dwelling in His humanity, and that they did not recognize Him. But is it any better with us? The divine love is close to us perpetually, flowing all about us, with all its infinite tenderness — but how unconscious we are of it! May our prayer be, "Lord, make yourself known to us!"

October 27 Immanuel "He who has seen Me — has seen the Father." John 14:9 That was surely a very strange thing for a man to say. Can we imagine John, the beloved disciple, saying of himself, that those who had seen him — had seen the Father? The fact that Christ said it shows that He was conscious of divinity, that He really claimed to be the Son of God. So it is in all Christ’s words: He always speaks as God. Wherever we turn in the Gospel, we find the outflashings of Christ’s divinity; it would be easier to pluck the stars from the sky — than to tear the truth of Christ’s deity from the pages of inspiration. Everywhere it shines its light; the brightest beam in all the radiant splendor that blazes there.

What did Jesus mean when He said this? Evidently that although He was a man, He was also the incarnation of God; that He was living out in a human life, which men could see, the invisible life of His Father. Men on earth could never see God. Then God sent His Son that He might veil His Divine splendor in flesh, and show people how the unseen God feels and acts.

Thus, when we see Him taking little children in His arms, laying His hand on their heads and blessing them, we see how God feels toward children. When we see the compassion of Jesus stirred by human suffering, we learn how our heavenly Father is touched by the sight of earthly woe. When we see Jesus receiving sinners and eating with them, speaking forgiveness to penitents who crept to His feet, and making soiled, stained lives white and clean — we learn the mercy of God. When we follow Christ to His cross and see Him giving His life a willing sacrifice to make redemption for lost men — we see how God loves. So the meekness and patience and gentleness of Christ were mirroring of the same traits in His Father. If we would see the likeness of God, we have but to turn to the story of the Gospel. To know Christ — is to know the Father.

October 28. The True Vine "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" John 15:1 This is a wonderful Vine. It grew up at first, like "a root out of a dry ground, with no form nor loveliness." The soil in which it was planted seemed too poor to produce anything good. But its origin was heavenly, and it grew into luxuriant beauty. By-and-by it seemed that men in their rage had altogether destroyed this Vine, which had in it so much blessing for the earth; however, it was not destroyed — but was only lifted away from earth and transplanted to Heaven. There in the garden of God its roots were fixed, and the Vine itself dropped down to earth again, and began to send out branches in all directions. Every poor little human life which attaches itself to this Vine — is grafted on it and becomes a branch in it, drawing life from the Vine’s fullness, and sharing its fruitfulness.

These branches are not left to grow wild and untended — but have wise and skillful cultivation. It ought to be a great comfort to us to know that as branches, we are under the culture of a gardener who is none other than our heavenly Father: "Your Father is the gardener." We are very sure that His care will be both wise and tender. If an ignorant, inexperienced, unskillful man were to enter a beautiful vineyard and begin cutting away at the vines — he would soon destroy them. He does not know what he ought to prune off, or what he ought to leave on the vine. But if the man who comes to tend the vineyard understands vines, and has had long experience and is skillful — there is no danger that he will do harm in his pruning. Sometimes, indeed, He may seem to be cutting the vine to death; but we know that He understands what He is doing, and that all His prunings are for the good of the branches. By-and-by, we shall see increased fruitfulness as the result of His unsparing work.

October 29. The Pruning-Knife

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit; while every branch that does bear fruit — he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:2

Christ taught many lessons on the sin and doom of uselessness. One of His parables told of a tree which bore no fruit. The soil was good, and the tree was carefully planted and well tended; still, when the master came at the proper season, expecting to find fruit — he found none. Fruitlessness is cursed. The tree with nothing but leaves — is made to wither. There is no place in the Lord’s kingdom for uselessness.

We must notice here that it is the fruitful branch which is pruned. The gardener does not prune the unfruitful branch; it would do it no good. It is the true Christian, whom the Father chastens and causes sometimes to suffer under sore discipline. The wicked are let alone; but in their luxuriance there is no spiritual fruit.

Another thing to be noticed here is, that the object of the Father’s pruning — is that the branch may be made to bear more fruit. It seems sometimes as if the pruning were destructive; but He who holds the knife, knows that what He is doing will make the vine far more luxuriant in the end, and its fruit sweeter and more luscious. The aim of God in all His pruning — is greater fruitfulness.

Now the pruning, sharp, unsparing,
Scattered blossom, bleeding shoot;
Afterward the plenteous bearing
Of the Master’s pleasant fruit.

If we would but remember this when we find ourselves suffering under God’s chastening hand — it would help us to bear the pain with patience, and also to engage with God in His design of blessing for us. Earthly prosperity often is to the Christian — like the luxuriance which the gardener must cut away to save the vine’s life.

October 30. Abide in Me

"Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must abides in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me." John 15:4 As a truth in nature — the meaning of this is very plain. A branch torn off a vine or a tree, and lying on the ground — will not bear fruit. Indeed, it cannot even live — but soon withers. The analogy holds in spiritual life. It would be just as unnatural to expect the professing Christian who has given up praying and has ceased to read his Bible, and withdrawn from loving and trusting Christ — to be really a fruitful Christian. The branch has no life — but what flows into it from the vine or the tree. Just so, the Christian has no spiritual life — but what comes from Christ’s life, though faith and prayer and the Holy Word.

We live as Christians — only when Christ lives in us. Said Paul: "I live; yet not I — but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh — I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." All spiritual beauty in us — must be the life of Christ reproduced in us; just as the foliage and the fruit in a tree — are produced by the tree’s life flowing into the branches. A mere Christian profession will not therefore yield the fruits of a true Christian life. One might take a branch that had been torn off and with cords tie it on a green tree — but that would not make it a fruitful branch. It would draw no life from the tree, and would soon be withered and utterly dead. Just so, one may be tied to Christ by the cords of profession, but if there is no real vital attachment of the life to Christ by faith and love — Christ’s life cannot flow into it, and it is only a dead, withered branch. We must be truly in Christ and have Christ in us — or there can be no life in us and no fruitfulness. We must also abide in Christ, maintaining our communion and fellowship with Him year after year — or we cannot be fruit-bearing Christians.

October 31. Fruit-bearing

"This is to my Father’s glory — that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:8

What is fruit in a Christian? We know what fruit is in the natural world, and we know its uses — but what is fruit in the spiritual world? It cannot be merely Christian activities. It is true that well directed activities are fruits; but there is danger in these days, when Christian work is so lauded, that we overlook another kind of fruit which is certainly as essential as the putting forth of consecrated energy. In nature, fruit is part of the branch itself, not something apart from it. There are spiritual fruits that are part of the life: growths into holiness and Christlikeness. Thus Paul says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Very evidently, these fruits are such as appear in the character itself. The aim of Christ’s religion is not merely to make workers of us, to send us out to do good in the world, to fight against evil, to help the weak, and to minister to the sorrowing and the suffering. Its first aim is to make us godly, to transform our character, to produce in us the likeness of Christ. Then we shall be ready to minister. While, therefore, we are to be fruitful in every good work, we are to seek also to be fruitful in the qualities of Christlike character. In nature the tree’s fruits feed the hunger of men. No tree consumes its own fruits; it drops them for those who come to gather them. This suggests that we should not be selfish in our fruit bearing. We should not seek the culture of our characters — merely for our own sake. Our aim should be to provide something in our lives, which will feed others and bless the world. All around us are hungry hearts. There are those who crave sympathy and love, those who yearn for comfort, those who desire to be saved. We are so to live, that our lives shall yield bread for these.