Thoughts for the Quiet Hour Part 29

_He (Thomas) . . . said, Except I shall see . . . I will not believe. . . . Jesus . . . said . . . Be not faithless, but believing. John xx. 25, 27._

Every doubt in the heart of a Christian is a dishonor done to the Word of G.o.d, and the sacrifice of Christ.--_Selected._

=December 17th.=

_Lot . . . pitched his tent toward Sodom. Gen. xiii.

12._

And soon Lot moved into Sodom; and before long Sodom moved into him.--_Theodore Cuyler._

=December 18th.=

_Cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Psa. xix. 12._

The world needs men who are free from secret faults. Most men are free from gross, public faults.--_Selected._

=December 19th.=

_A hearer of the word . . . a doer of the work. Jas. i.

23, 25._

Religion may be learned on Sunday, but it is lived in the week-day's work. The torch of religion may be lit in the church, but it does its burning in the shop and on the street. Religion seeks its life in prayer, but it lives its life in deeds. It is planted in the closet, but it does its growing out in the world. It plumes itself for flight in songs of praise, but its actual flights are in works of love. It resolves and meditates on faithfulness as it reads its Christian lesson in the Book of Truth, but "faithful is that faithful does." It puts its armor on in all the aids and helps of the sanctuary as its dressing-room, but it combats for the right, the n.o.ble, and the good in all the activities of practical existence, and its battle ground is the whole broad field of life.--_John Doughty._

=December 20th.=

_Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. James iv.

14._

"To-morrow" is the devil's great ally--the very Goliath in whom he trusts for victory. "Now" is the stripling sent forth against him. . . .

The world will freely agree to be Christians to-morrow if Christ will permit them to be worldly to-day.--_William Arnot._

=December 21st.=

_The sea wrought, and was tempestuous. Jonah i. 11._

Sin in the soul is like Jonah in the ship. It turns the smoothest water into a tempestuous sea.--_Selected._

=December 22nd.=

_Be not doubtful, but followers of them also, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Heb. vi.

12._

G.o.d makes a promise. Faith believes it. Hope antic.i.p.ates it. Patience quietly awaits it.--_Selected._

=December 23rd.=

_Go and sit down in the lowest room. Luke xiv. 10._

He who is willing to take the lowest place will always find sitting room; there is no great crush for the worst places. There is nothing like the jostling at the back there is at the front; so if we would be comfortable, we shall do well to keep behind.--_Thomas Champness._

=December 24th.=

_Continue in prayer. Col. iv. 2._

Our prayers often resemble the mischievous tricks of town children, who knock at their neighbor's houses and then run away; we often knock at heaven's door and then run off into the spirit of the world; instead of waiting for entrance and answer, we act as if we were afraid of having our prayers answered.--_Williams._

=December 25th.=

_A mult.i.tude of the heavenly host praising G.o.d, and saying, Glory to G.o.d in the highest. Luke ii. 13, 14._

Angels had been present on many august occasions, and they had joined in many a solemn chorus to the praise of their Almighty Creator. They were present at the creation: "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of G.o.d shouted for joy." They had seen many a planet fashioned between the palms of Jehovah, and wheeled by His eternal hands through the infinitude of s.p.a.ce. They had sung solemn songs over many a world which the Great One had created. We doubt not, they had often chanted, "Blessing and honor, and glory, and majesty, and power, and dominion, and might, be unto Him that sitteth on the throne," manifesting Himself in the work of creation. I doubt not, too, that their songs had gathered force through ages. As when first created, their first breath was song, so when they saw G.o.d create new worlds, then their song received another note; they rose a little higher in the gamut of adoration. But this time, when they saw G.o.d stoop from His throne and become a babe hanging upon a woman's breast, they lifted their notes higher still; and reaching to the uttermost stretch of angelic music, they gained the highest notes of the divine scale of praise and they sang, "Glory to G.o.d _in the highest_," for higher in goodness they felt G.o.d could not go.

Thus their highest praise they gave to Him in the highest act of His G.o.dhead.--_Spurgeon._

=December 26th.=

_G.o.d forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. vi. 14._

The cross is the great center of G.o.d's moral universe! To this center G.o.d ever pointed, and the eye of faith ever looked forward, until the Savior came. And now we must ever turn to that cross as the center of all our blessing, and the basis of all our worship, both on earth and in heaven--in time and throughout all eternity.

=December 27th.=

_He ever liveth. Heb. vii. 25._

It is our hope for ourselves, and for His truth, and for mankind. Men come and go. Leaders, teachers, thinkers, speak and work for a season, and then fall silent and impotent. He abides. They die, but He lives.

They are lights kindled, and therefore, sooner or later quenched, but He is the true Light from which they draw all their brightness, and He shines for evermore.--_Alex. McLaren._

=December 28th.=

_The friendship of the world is enmity with G.o.d. James iv. 4._

It is like the ivy with the oak. The ivy may give the oak a grand, beautiful appearance, but all the while it is feeding on its vitals. Are we compromising with the enemies of G.o.d? Are we being embraced by the world by its honors, its pleasures, its applause? This may add to us in the world's estimation, but our strength becomes lost.--_Denham Smith._

=December 29th.=

_She (Hannah) . . . prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore . . . she spake in her heart. 1 Sam. i. 10, 13._