MacDonald: the last resort

Sunday, June 22, 2025
    Feast of Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.209
Meditation:
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
    the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them to their desired haven.
    —Psalm 107:29-30 (NIV)
Quotation:
    How often do we look upon God as our last and feeblest resource! We go to Him because we have nowhere else to go. And then we learn that the storms of life have driven us, not upon the rocks, but into the desired haven.
    ... George MacDonald (1824-1905), Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood, v. I [1867], London: Strahan & Co., 1873, p. 353 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 107:21-30; Matt. 8:24-27; Mark 4:36-41; Rom. 8:28
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant me confidence in You first. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Smith: what if

Saturday, June 21, 2025
Meditation:
Even though I walk
    through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
    —Psalm 23:4 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Our lives are full of supposes. Suppose this should happen, or suppose that should happen; what could we do; how could we bear it? But, if we are living in the “high tower” of the dwelling place of God, all these supposes will drop out of our lives. We shall be “quiet from the fear of evil,” for no threatenings of evil can penetrate into the “high tower” of God. Even when walking through the valley of the shadow of death, the psalmist could say, “I will fear no evil”; and, if we are dwelling in God, we can say so too.
    ... Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911), God of All Comfort, ch. 8 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 23:4-6; Matt. 6:27; Luke 12:25-26; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Pet. 5:6-7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, take away all anxiety. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Luther: why we believe

Friday, June 20, 2025
Meditation:
    That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
    —1 John 1:1-2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    It is for Christ’s sake that we believe in the Scriptures, but it is not for the Scriptures’ sake that we believe in Christ.
    ... Martin Luther (1483-1546) (see the book)
    See also 1 John 1:1-2; Job 19:25; Matt. 22:43; John 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:12; 1 John 4:1-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have made Yourself known to us. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Singh: rest for my heart

Thursday, June 19, 2025
    Commemoration of Sundar Singh of India, Sadhu, Evangelist, Teacher, 1929
Meditation:
As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
    —Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The hunger and the thirst of this heart of mine can be satisfied only with Thee who hast given it birth. O Creator mine! Thou hast created my heart for Thyself alone, and not for another, therefore this my heart can find no rest or ease save in Thee, in Thee who hast both created it and set in it this very longing for rest. Take away then from my heart all that is opposed to Thee, and enter and abide and rule for ever. Amen.
    ... Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929), At the Master’s Feet, Fleming H. Revell, 1922, p. 13 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 42:1-2; 63:1; 84:2; 143:6-7; Isa. 26:8-9; John 4:13-14; 7:37
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are the source of true nourishment. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Schaeffer: the material and the spiritual

Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Meditation:
    Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
    —1 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The resurrection and ascension prove there is no reason to make false dichotomy between the spiritual and the material. That is a totally non-biblical concept. The material and the spiritual are not opposed. The fact that our bodies are going to be raised also speaks of this.
    ... Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984), Pollution and the Death of Man [1970], reprint, Good News Publishers, 1992, p. 56 (see the book)
    See also 1 Tim. 3:16; Luke 24:39-43,50-51; John 20:19-20,27; 1 Cor. 15:42; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 1:7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your Son is flesh and spirit united. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Ryle: debtors

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
    Commemoration of Samuel & Henrietta Barnett, Social Reformers, 1913 & 1936
Meditation:
    For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
    —Romans 11:32 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Have we ever seen holier men than the martyred John Bradford, or Hooker, or Usher, or Baxter, or Rutherford, or M’Cheyne? Yet no one can read the writings and letters of these men without seeing that they felt themselves “debtors to mercy and grace” every day, and the very last thing they ever laid claim to was perfection!
    ... J. C. Ryle (1816-1900), Holiness [1877, 1879], Sovereign Grace Publishers, reprint, 2001, intro., p. v (see the book)
    See also Rom. 11:32; Ps. 14:1-3; Eccl. 7:20; Matt. 5:48; Rom. 3:9-10,22-23; 2 Cor. 7:1; 13:11; Heb. 6:1; 1 John 1:10
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your light exposes all my faults. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Underhill: reflecting the light

Monday, June 16, 2025
    Feast of Richard of Chichester, Bishop, 1253
    Commemoration of Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Moral Philosopher, 1752
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “You are the light of the world.”
    —Matthew 5:14 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Every Christian is, as it were, part of the dust-laden air which still radiates the glowing Epiphany of God, catch and reflect His golden Light. Ye are the light of the world—but only because you are enkindled, made radiant by the One Light of the World. And being kindled, we have got to get on with it, be useful.
    ... Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), The Light of Christ, New York: Longmans, Green, 1949, p. 41-42 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 5:14; Isa. 9:2; Acts 2:3; Eph. 5:13-14; Phil. 2:14-15; 1 Thess. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 2 Pet. 1:19; 1 John 1:7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, may Your light shine from us. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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