Thoughts for the Quiet Hour Part 11

=May 15th.=

_He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Prov. xvi. 32._

More dear in the sight of G.o.d and His angels than any other conquest is the conquest of self, which each man, with the help of heaven, can secure for himself.--_Dean Stanley._

=May 16th.=

_For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my pet.i.tion which I asked of Him: therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. 1 Sam. i. 27, 28._

G.o.d sometimes bestows gifts just that love may have something to renounce. The things that He puts into our hands are possibly put there that we may have the opportunity of showing what is in our heart. Oh, that there were in us a fervor of love that would lead us to examine everything that belongs to us, to ascertain how it might be made a means of showing our affection to Christ!--_George Bowen._

=May 17th.=

_Seek ye first the kingdom of G.o.d and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt. vi. 33._

We need have only one care, that we put the first thing first--faithfulness to G.o.d. Then all else we need for both worlds will be supplied. G.o.d will never fail us; but we forget, sometimes, in our rejoicing over such an a.s.surance, that we must fulfil our part if we would claim the divine promise.

It will not always be easy. To-morrow it may mean a distasteful task, a disagreeable duty, a costly sacrifice for one who does not seem worthy.

Life is full of sore testings of our willingness to follow the Good Shepherd. We have not the slightest right to claim this a.s.surance unless we have taken Christ as the guide of our life.--_J. R. Miller._

=May 18th.=

_His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa.

x.x.xiv. 1._

Let not thy praises be transient--a fit of music, and then the instrument hung by the wall till another gaudy day of some remarkable providence makes thee take it down. G.o.d comes not guestwise to His saints' house, but to dwell with them. David took this up for a life work: "As long as I live, I will praise thee."--_Gurnall._

=May 19th.=

_I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. Num. xi. 14._

It is most needful for all servants of Christ to remember that whenever the Lord places a man in a position of responsibility, He will both fit him for it and maintain him in it.

It is, of course, another thing altogether if a man will rush unsent into any field of work, or any post of difficulty or danger. In such a case we may a.s.suredly look for a thorough breakdown, sooner or later.

But when G.o.d calls a man to a certain position, He will endow him with the needed grace to occupy it.

This holds good in every case. We can never fail if we only cling to the living G.o.d. We can never run dry if we are drawing from the fountain.

Our tiny springs will soon dry up; but our Lord Jesus Christ declares, "He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."--_C. H. M._

=May 20th.=

_Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone: because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Isa. vi. 5._

It is not the sight of our sinful heart that humbles us; it is a sight of Jesus Christ. I am undone because mine eyes have seen the King.--_Andrew A. Bonar._

=May 21st.=

_While I was musing the fire burned. Psa. x.x.xix. 3._

My soul, if thou wouldst muse more, the fire would burn more. Why dost thou not retire oftener with thyself? Thou wouldst be better fitted for the world if thou wert less worldly. If thou hadst more heavenly fire thou wouldst have more earthly power.

Is there no secret pavilion into which thou canst go and warm thyself?

Is there no holy of holies where thou canst catch a glow of impulse that will make thee strong? Is it not written of the Son of Man that "as He _prayed_ the fas.h.i.+on of His countenance was altered"? Yes; it was from His prayer that His transfigured glory came. It was from the glow of His heart that there issued the glow of His countenance. It was when He was musing that the fire kindled.

O my soul, wouldst thou have thy life glorified, beautified, transfigured to the eyes of men? Get thee up into the secret place of G.o.d's pavilion, where the fires of love are burning. Thy life shall s.h.i.+ne gloriously to the dwellers on the plain. Thy prayers shall be luminous; they shall light thy face like the face of Moses when he wist not that it shone. Thy words shall be burning; they will kindle many a heart journeying on the road to Emmaus. Thy path shall be lambent; when thou hast prayed in Elijah's solitude thou shalt have Elijah's chariot of fire.--_George Matheson._

=May 22nd.=

_Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in nowise lose his reward. Matt. x. 42._

We are in danger of looking too far for opportunities of doing good and communicating. In reaching for rhododendrons we trample down the daisies.--_Selected._

=May 23rd.=

_Hide thyself by the brook. 1 Kings xvii. 3._

Not by the _river_, but by the _brook_. The river would always contain an abundant supply, but the brook might dry up at any moment.

What does this teach us? G.o.d does not place His people in luxuriance here. The world's abundance might withdraw their affections from Him. He gives them not the river, but the brook. The brook may be running to-day, to-morrow it may be dried up.

And wherefore does G.o.d act thus? To teach us that we are not to rest in His gifts and blessings, but in Himself. This is what our hearts are always doing--resting in the gift, instead of the Giver. Therefore G.o.d cannot trust us by the river, for it unconsciously takes up His place in the heart. It is said of Israel that when they were full they forgot G.o.d.--_F. Whitfield._

=May 24th.=

_His kingdom ruleth over all. Psa. ciii. 19._

_His kingdom ruleth over all_--therefore thou canst find nothing which is not matter for praise, since there is nothing which is not the matter of thy Lord's gracious permission, or planning, or control. _Over all_--nowhere canst thou step outside His realm, nor in anything get beyond His care and government. _Over all_--therefore take all as from G.o.d; hold all as from G.o.d; and by thy grat.i.tude give all back to G.o.d again, and thus complete the circle, making Him the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending of all things.--_Mark Guy Pea.r.s.e._

=May 25th.=

_If we suffer we shall also reign with Him. 2 Tim. ii.

12._

The highest bidder for the crown of glory is the lowliest wearer of the cross of self-denial.--_A. J. Gordon._

=May 26th.=