Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able.—II TIM. 1:12.
Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
Able to succour them that are tempted.
Able . . . to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Believe ye that I am able to do this? . . . Yea, Lord. According to your faith be it unto you.
Eph. 3:20.II Cor. 9:8.Heb. 2:18.Heb. 7:25.Jude 24.II Tim. 1:12.Phi. 3:21.Matt. 9:28,29.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“She called his name Ben-oni (son of sorrow), but his father called him Benjamin (son of my right hand).”
Genesis 35:18
To every matter there is a bright as well as a dark side. Rachel was overwhelmed with the sorrow of her own travail and death; Jacob, though weeping the mother’s loss, could see the mercy of the child’s birth. It is well for us if, while the flesh mourns over trials, our faith triumphs in divine faithfulness. Samson’s lion yielded honey, and so will our adversities, if rightly considered. The stormy sea feeds multitudes with its fishes; the wild wood blooms with beauteous flowerets; the stormy wind sweeps away the pestilence, and the biting frost loosens the soil. Dark clouds distil bright drops, and black earth grows gay flowers. A vein of good is to be found in every mine of evil. Sad hearts have peculiar skill in discovering the most disadvantageous point of view from which to gaze upon a trial; if there were only one slough in the world, they would soon be up to their necks in it, and if there were only one lion in the desert they would hear it roar. About us all there is a tinge of this wretched folly, and we are apt, at times, like Jacob, to cry, “All these things are against me.” Faith’s way of walking is to cast all care upon the Lord, and then to anticipate good results from the worst calamities. Like Gideon’s men, she does not fret over the broken pitcher, but rejoices that the lamp blazes forth the more. Out of the rough oyster-shell of difficulty she extracts the rare pearl of honour, and from the deep ocean-caves of distress she uplifts the priceless coral of experience. When her flood of prosperity ebbs, she finds treasures hid in the sands; and when her sun of delight goes down, she turns her telescope of hope to the starry promises of heaven. When death itself appears, faith points to the light of resurrection beyond the grave, thus making our dying Ben-oni to be our living Benjamin.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Genesis 33
33. Jacob Meets Esau
Jacob and Esau Meet
33
Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.2He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all.3He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”6Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down;7Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down.8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.”9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”10Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor.11Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.”13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die.14Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why should my lord be so kind to me?”16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.17But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the place is called Succoth.
Jacob Reaches Shechem
18 Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram; and he camped before the city.19And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for one hundred pieces of money the plot of land on which he had pitched his tent.20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
New Testament in Four Years - Romans 8:22-25
8. Life Through the Spirit
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.Psalm a Day - Psalm 45
45. Psalm 45
Psalm 45
Ode for a Royal Wedding
To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song.
1
My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2
You are the most handsome of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your glory and majesty.
4
In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
5
Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity;
7
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10
Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
forget your people and your father’s house,
11
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12
the people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people13with all kinds of wealth.
The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
14
in many-colored robes she is led to the king;
behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
15
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16
In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.