Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
It is good for me to draw near to God.—PSA. 73:28.
Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.—A day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.—Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.—Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us: . . . let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.
Psa. 26:8. -Psa. 84:10. -Psa. 65:4.Lam. 3:25. -Isa. 30:18.Heb. 10:19,20,22.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.”
Ezra 8:22
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve his own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by him who is the sword and shield of his people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone. Would any believers seek state endowments for their Church, if they remembered that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar’s aid? as if the Lord could not supply the needs of his own cause! Should we run so hastily to friends and relations for assistance, if we remembered that the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon his solitary arm? My soul, wait thou only upon God. “But,” says one, “are not means to be used?” Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect: far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the creature’s arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it. Learn, dear reader, to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried, if by using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Judges 21
21. Wives for the Benjamites
The Benjaminites Saved from Extinction
21
Now the Israelites had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.”2And the people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.3They said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has it come to pass that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?”4On the next day, the people got up early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being.5Then the Israelites said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?” For a solemn oath had been taken concerning whoever did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “That one shall be put to death.”6But the Israelites had compassion for Benjamin their kin, and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.7What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters as wives?”
8 Then they said, “Is there anyone from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah?” It turned out that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp, to the assembly.9For when the roll was called among the people, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.10So the congregation sent twelve thousand soldiers there and commanded them, “Go, put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword, including the women and the little ones.11This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.”12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man and brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.14Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they did not suffice for them.
15 The people had compassion on Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.16So the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since there are no women left in Benjamin?”17And they said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, in order that a tribe may not be blotted out from Israel.18Yet we cannot give any of our daughters to them as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin.”19So they said, “Look, the yearly festival of the Lord is taking place at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”20And they instructed the Benjaminites, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,21and watch; when the young women of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and each of you carry off a wife for himself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.22Then if their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Be generous and allow us to have them; because we did not capture in battle a wife for each man. But neither did you incur guilt by giving your daughters to them.’ ”23The Benjaminites did so; they took wives for each of them from the dancers whom they abducted. Then they went and returned to their territory, and rebuilt the towns, and lived in them.24So the Israelites departed from there at that time by tribes and families, and they went out from there to their own territories.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.
New Testament in Four Years - Ephesians 1:11-14
1. Spiritual Blessings in Christ
11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.Psalm a Day - Psalm 62
62. Psalm 62
Psalm 62
Song of Trust in God Alone
To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1
For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
3
How long will you assail a person,
will you batter your victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4
Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse.Selah
5
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7
On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.Selah
9
Those of low estate are but a breath,
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10
Put no confidence in extortion,
and set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11
Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12
and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
according to their work.