Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
I sought him, but I found him not.—SONG 3:1.
Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.—It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.—Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
Hos. 14:1,2.Jas. 1:13-17.Psa. 27:14. -Lam. 3:26. -Luke 18:7.Psa. 62:1,5.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master.”
Matthew 10:25
No one will dispute this statement, for it would be unseemly for the servant to be exalted above his Master. When our Lord was on earth, what was the treatment he received? Were his claims acknowledged, his instructions followed, his perfections worshipped, by those whom he came to bless? No; “He was despised and rejected of men.” Outside the camp was his place: cross-bearing was his occupation. Did the world yield him solace and rest? “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” This inhospitable country afforded him no shelter: it cast him out and crucified him. Such—if you are a follower of Jesus, and maintain a consistent, Christ-like walk and conversation—you must expect to be the lot of that part of your spiritual life which, in its outward development, comes under the observation of men. They will treat it as they treated the Saviour—they will despise it. Dream not that worldlings will admire you, or that the more holy and the more Christ-like you are, the more peaceably people will act towards you. They prized not the polished gem, how should they value the jewel in the rough? “If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” If we were more like Christ, we should be more hated by his enemies. It were a sad dishonour to a child of God to be the world’s favourite. It is a very ill omen to hear a wicked world clap its hands and shout “Well done” to the Christian man. He may begin to look to his character, and wonder whether he has not been doing wrong, when the unrighteous give him their approbation. Let us be true to our Master, and have no friendship with a blind and base world which scorns and rejects him. Far be it from us to seek a crown of honour where our Lord found a coronet of thorns.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Samuel 12
12. Nathan Rebukes David
1and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.2The rich man had very many flocks and herds;3but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him.4Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.”5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die;6he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul;8I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more.9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.11Thus says the Lord: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun.12For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said to David, “Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die.14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.”15Then Nathan went to his house.
Bathsheba’s Child Dies
The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill.16David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.17The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.18On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.”19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”
20 Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate.21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food.”22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’23But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
Solomon Is Born
24 Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he named him Solomon. The Lord loved him,25and sent a message by the prophet Nathan; so he named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
The Ammonites Crushed
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and took the royal city.27Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the water city.28Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; or I myself will take the city, and it will be called by my name.”29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.30He took the crown of Milcom from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount.31He brought out the people who were in it, and set them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, or sent them to the brickworks. Thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
New Testament in Four Years - Philippians 4:14-23
4. Exhortations and Thanks
14In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.15 You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone.16For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once.17Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account.18I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.19And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.20To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings and Benediction
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The friends who are with me greet you.22All the saints greet you, especially those of the emperor’s household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 102:1-11
102. Psalm 102
Psalm 102
Prayer to the Eternal King for Help
A prayer of one afflicted, when faint and pleading before the Lord.
1
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you.
2
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call.
3
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4
My heart is stricken and withered like grass;
I am too wasted to eat my bread.
5
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my skin.
6
I am like an owl of the wilderness,
like a little owl of the waste places.
7
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.
8
All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9
For I eat ashes like bread,
and mingle tears with my drink,
10
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
11
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.