Morning By Morning #214

Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain.

Ruth 2:2

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Depressed and troubled Christian, come and glean today in God’s field of promise. Here you will find an abundance of precious promises that will precisely meet your needs. Take this one for example: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isa.42:3). Does that fit your situation? Are you a “bruised reed,” helpless, insignificant, and weak; a reed that cannot produce any music—weaker than weakness itself? You may be a “bruised reed,” but He will not “break” you. On the contrary, He will restore and strengthen you. Are you like a “smoldering wick,” without light and warmth coming from you? If so “he will not snuff [you] out,” but will blow His sweet breath of mercy on you till He fans you into a glowing flame.

Do you want to glean another “ear of grain”? How about: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28)? What soft and kind words! Your heart is fragile and the Master knows it, so He speaks ever so gently to you. Why don’t you obey and go to Him even now? Take another “ear of grain”: “‘Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,’ declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 41:14). How can you be afraid with such a wonderful assurance as this? And there are ten thousand golden “ears” like these for you to gather! Such as: “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isa. 44:22). Or this: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isa. 1:18). And this: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev. 22:17).

Our Master’s field is rich with “grain.” Behold “the bundles” (Ruth 2:16)! See, poor and timid believer, they are lying there before you! Gather them and make them your own, for Jesus wants you to take them. Don’t be afraid—only believe! Grasp His sweet promises, reap them with meditation, and then feed on them with joy.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

The believer’s true nourishment comes from the Word of God, but it is often sorely neglected. Yet the more time we spend in His Word the more we will love it and the stronger we will be. As Spurgeon says today, we are to feed on God’s promises with joy. In fact, as we spend time with the Lord in His Word, our joy will increase, for David said, “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Ps. 16:11). David loved God’s Word and understood the benefits of knowing, obeying, and loving it, for later he wrote:

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.

Psalm 119:97 – 100

And David knew the blessing of reaping nourishment from the Word, for he continued, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps. 119:103).