PREFACE

Older sheep need better feeding than younger ones ( Hebrews 5:12-14 ) ; we cannot live on milk all of our life ( although many attempt it ). The old disciples are fast approaching a time when they shall almost be in view of Home, and their concern is to be ' ready to depart ' ( Philipp.1:23 ). The old are aware of a decline in many areas of their life, but there is no necessity for spiritual decline. These Readings are written to encourage elderly believers, to help lift the mind onward and upward, - a comfort which only God can give with His Word. May the Spirit work with His Word in us.

None of us knows if we are on the last page of the last chapter of our life in this world, and from that perspective these readings are profitable for all ages.

Rev J.Clark. BA(hons.) MA. BSc(hons) MSc. MEd. MTh.

FEBRUARY 1

" So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom."  Psalm 90:12.

Why ? - because our days are numbered, by God. They are limited, they have an end, just as time itself has. The Bible speaks of days, not years, ahead of us. Each day we are urged to ' hear His Voice ' ( Ps.95:7,8) and so be ready to move on, to meet God. It may be natural to think that tomorrow will be as today, but it is spiritual to be aware that tomorrow may never come, and keep eternity in mind. We are used to living by the clock, but if we listen to the tick we ought to be reminded that there is less and less time left. How shall this day be spent ? What matters today ? Are we growing wiser in the things of salvation ? ( 2 Tim.3:15). Each day brings us nearer to what is waiting for us at the end of our days. For the Christian, our thoughts are on who is waiting for us. Love thinks on the Beloved. " Alas, not enough, not enough", we say. " Oh, for more devotion ! "Wisdom is a name given to Christ in Scripture. Christ Himself said that to ' know Him is life eternal ' ( John 17:3). This is the ' one thing needful.'

FEBRUARY  2

" And if ...they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow."   Psalm 90:10.

Paul speaks of the ' upward calling ' ( Philipp.3:14 ) of the Christian. As time passes, the bones ache and the mind softens. The burden grows heavier as we climb upwards, the slope steeper, the daily routine becomes more solid. Labour leads to pains, and pains bring sorrows. The stumblings are not only spiritual but physical now. Doctors are no longer strangers to the house. We meet others who are in some way bound, surprised by new limits to their potential. We have learned so much about the world now, and ' he that increases knowledge increases sorrow, as Solomon found after lifelong experience.  We therefore look forward more and more to ' all things new ' ( Rev.21:5). In heaven there is no labour, only rest, no sorrow, only joy. Meanwhile, Christ continues to be the Fountain of all refreshing for weary travellers.

 " Headlong the down night train rushes on with us,

  Screams through the stations...how many more ? 

  Is it time soon to think of taking down one's case ?

  Are we nearly there now ? "     ( C.S. Lewis )

FEBRUARY 3

" Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."  Luke 23:43.

So he knew this would be his last day on earth. And what a journey he had taken through life  to get to that last day, that last place on earth, where he met Christ on the cross next to him ! He himself was trembling at the wonder of what had happened. He had had such a foolish, wicked and hurtful life, but here he was. Christ had just put an amazing hope into his heart, and he felt his heart going out to Him who was on the cross next to Him. ' And to think He was doing this for wretched me ! ' he thought as he looked at Christ with wonder. He was a wonder to himself that he was alive in Christ ( Heb.2:13), and soon to be with Him. But he also thought of the man dying next to him, who did not have this hope. His fellow criminal was now silent as he saw the enormity and finality of death. He spoke to Him of the sinlessness of Christ - if He was not dying for His own sins He must be dying for the sins of others ! Christ had a witness to His ability to save sinners, even on the cross. Calvin comments regarding this man dying in the company of Christ, " I do not know if there was ever...a more rare or memorable example of faith...due to the grace of the Holy Spirit."

FEBRUARY 4

" Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to  glory."   Psalm 73:24.

These are two promises from God that we can live and die with. We would prefer that He choose our way for us than leave the decision to ourselves ; we know we have made mistakes, the consequences of some we had to live with." The end of our own wisdom is the beginning of our being wise." ( Spurgeon) God promises to be " our Guide " ( Ps.48:14), there is no better. We go to Him for counsel, in the Bible, but sadly while we know that this counsel is always good we do not always act on it. What a muddle the soul can get into sometimes ! However, we do know that all will be well in the end ( Rom.8:28), and this helps us to live in hope despite our mistakes. The end of the road for faith is that of Enoch, " God took him.'' ( Genesis 5:24) We know the way, He gives the power to stay on it, despite slips. There is a blessed " afterward ', when all our battles are fought, especially the internal ones ( Romans 7). The glory we go to is not ours but His (Ps.115:1). we shall stand upon His merit, not ours. Meanwhile we pray, " Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments, for therein do I delight." ( Ps.119:35)

FEBRUARY  5

" The day is Thine, the night also is Thine."  Psalm 74:16.

We live in His world, in His time ; both are created. Time began in Genesis 1:1, it shall end when the world ends ; both are subject to God's command. Some days go quickly, it is evening already, where has the day gone ? Some days it is difficult to keep our eyes open, some nights it is difficult to keep them closed. There are Psalms which help us at night; God gives " songs in the night " as Job says.( eg. Ps.22:2. Ps.134). The night is a quiet time for meditation, but may also trigger unwelcome thoughts. It is sometimes difficult to fall asleep, likewise there are some mornings it is difficult to awaken, or to rise up. We go unsteadily through days and nights as we get older. It takes more time to think about things closely, more deliberate effort in our movements.But day and night go on and we are carried along with them. " Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof," said the Lord ( Mt.6:34). God has already planned our tomorrow, and so we put it and ourselves in His hands.

FEBRUARY 6

" In your patience you possess your souls. "   Luke 21:19.

Patience is produced by trusting in God, and patient perseverance is the result of continuing with God's promise kept in mind.We sometimes do not feel the power of His promise(s) but they are still effective, still coming to pass in our lives. we tend to go through each day ' on automatic,' with blank minds. But when a crisis comes a clear choice is set before us - do we wait upon the Lord ( Is.40:31 ) or run about in panic ? Patience keeps the mind clear so that it can make reasonable decisions, and there is nothing more reasonable than to trust in God. " If you don't know what to do, don't do it ! " says Spurgeon, and adds, " Sometimes we can do too much, and spoil things." There are many things we encounter which hinder or disturb our patience. Some people are prone to ' living on excitement,' and to giving up hope when the joyous feeling disappears. ' Slow but sure " is the motto of the long-distance runner, and it is a long road to heaven. By perseverance the snail entered the ark. Let us exhort ourselves and others, " Keep on ! " God will not fail us, be still my soul.

FEBRUARY  7

" Grow in grace."   2 Peter 3:18.

John Newton wrote, I prayed that I might grow in grace. But what happened was the reverse of what he had expected God to do for him. We also will find that His way for our growth is not what we would have chosen, but it does produce growth, and growth can be a painful process.A modern Christian wrote as follows :

" I asked God for strength that I might achieve ;

  I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

  I asked for help that I may do greater things ;

  I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

  I asked for riches that I might be happy ;

  I was given poverty that I might be wise.

  I asked for all things that I might enjoy life ;

  I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

  I was given nothing that I asked for ;

  But everything that I had hoped for.

  Despite myself, my prayers were answered ;

  I am one of those most richly blessed."   ( Anon.) 

FEBRUARY  8

" My eyes fail for Thy word."  Psalm 119:82

Some days it is difficult to focus our thoughts on one thing for a while. The mind is ' all over the place,' and it is particularly annoying when reading the Bible or at prayer. It can be a problem too when at a church service. Everyone is liable to wandering thoughts during that hour ( and Satan may wander in too ) - but what can we remember of the sermon, the Psalms sung. Which chapter did he read ? Often what we take away is a sense of vagueness. On the other hand, it is good when Bible verses come into our mind unsought. Why this verse and why now ? This exercises our minds, always a good thing. The eyes may fail, the concentration lapse, but we know what we are missing, unlike many others who have nothing to miss. The Spirit still brings to mind the things of Christ as promised, and these are our best thoughts ! " David was continually lifting the eyes to heaven, looking for help from God." ( Spurgeon)

What a good example for us.

FEBRUARY  9

" Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...Thou art with me." Psalm 23:4.

Death is a dark valley. You may not see Him with you as you go through, but fear not for he is there. There is the sense of the presence of God and there is the presence of God. You will perhaps not have the former, but you will have the latter, as promised.This is a valley with only one way through and one way out. Once you go into it there is no turning back. We are living near the entrance. There is a queue and we do not know our place in the line, but He does. The Good Shepherd ( and this is a Psalm for sheep) will take one through at a time and then come back for another, and another until all of His sheep are through. At that point He will come to end the world - it has served its purpose.

As you go through no evil can touch you now as it did before. If there is shadow there must be light. Yes,it is at the far end of the valley, it is immortality ( 2 Tim. 1:10).

FEBRUARY 10

" Fret not thyself because of evildoers. "   Psalm 37:1.

Sometimes other people can make you afraid. They are not gentle and they disturb your tranquility ; sudden changes are unwelcome as we grow older. What is the answer - " Trust in the Lord and do good " ( vs.3). Be careful you do not lash out, ' revile not in return.' Anger is instinctive when we are threatened, whether it is expressed or not. Pause is learned by habit and always a good thing when dealing with provocative people. Pray and put them in God's hands to deal with ; He will do that better than you can, and He will do it right, no mistakes." Commit thy way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." (vs.5). We feel better when it is out of our hands, and have to resist the temptation to take it back into our hands. " The good Shepherd will exercise His pastoral care over all believers." ( Spurgeon)  Misery is temporary but mercy is eternal. We should pity those who harass us. Nevertheless, anger is always waiting to express itself and grows sharper with impatience. It is a ' good impatience ' to long to have the same mind as Christ, to be finally " like Him " ( 1 John 3:2 ), with all emotions under control. What a new experience that will be, what a blessed state to have all  'desires and emotions regulated '( Augustine).

FEBRUARY 11

"For I am persuaded... [ that nothing ] shall be able to separate us from the

 love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "  Romans 8:38,39.

This golden chain cannot be broken, God begins it and finishes it. Eternal love and infinite power guarantees the happy ending for those " in Christ Jesus." We are brought into union with Christ by the Holy Spirit and nothing can take us out of it. The fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace etc. ( Galat.5:22ff) cannot be annihilated. The root shall continue unseen in the heart when winter comes and the fruit is not seen above. There can be numbing times in the believer's life. There may also come a time when dementia obscures the fruit, even from our own consciousness. Nevertheless, the love of God shall keep us, we are precious to Him because joined to Christ, and ' what God has joined together no man can put asunder.' In salvation we are saved by a Saviour, we do not share in that finished work of Christ, we receive it once for all. Our places in glory are fixed before we are born ( Ephes.1:4). The golden chain is around us even when we are not aware of it. all depends on Him, and His love cannot fail to save us.

  Help me Lord when the confusion comes

  And persuasion is threatened by the growing mist.

  When the mind is clouded and the vision dim,

  Shine on us still with that light within. 

FEBRUARY 12

" After my decease. "  2 Peter 1:15.

As we get older we think of the others whom we will leave behind. The word Peter uses for decease is ' Exodus ', a leaving for the (true)`Promised Land because of the blood of the Lamb. Paul uses the word 'departure', which means the untying of a ship from its dock. Like the dying thief, Paul and Peter, we should also leave a testimony behind as to where we are going and how to get there. We say to those around us, ' Come thou with us ', as Moses said to his father-in-law. We tell them what awaits those who know Christ. In 1879 H.P.Liddon preached a sermon in London entitled " The first five minutes after death." The theme is how we shall see things then which we have never seen before. It is a subject worthy of contemplation. It was when he was meditating on the arrival of God's people in heaven that John Bunyan cried out, " Which when I saw, I wished myself among them ! " Well said Samuel Rutherford, " Since He has looked upon me my heart is not my own, He has run away to heaven with it." The saint's treasure is laid up there, and we encourage others to have their treasure in heaven also ( Matthew 6:20,21).

FEBRUARY 13

"As a thief in the night. "  1 Thessalonians 5:2.

It may be that the Lord Jesus will come again before I die. In which case I shall not die but ' be changed ' ( 1 Corinth.15:51,52) into the eternal state. He shall come as a thief, at an unexpected time, to end time ( Matt.24:43,44). He has told us this shall happen ( 2 Peter 3:10. Rev.3:3). He is ready to come, am I ready to go ? Are my bags packed ? There shall be no time to prepare any further when He comes,it shall be sudden. This sense of expectation has been lost by so many - may I not lose it ! " The Lord has not told us the day He will return, so that we may be ready every day." ( Augustine) Neither the world's opposition nor any flawed teaching can prevent his Coming. Many shall not be happy when He does come, but His people shall gaze in adoring wonder." Even so come,Lord Jesus " is how the Bible ends ; the words of a man happy to wait, but happier to go.

FEBRUARY 14

" A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."  Isaiah 53:3.

There is such a Man who knows every kind of sorrow, and this is why we may bring our broken hearts to Him. He can repair hearts when others cannot ( Ps. 147:3). He has been through all kinds of suffering before we come to experience our suffering, and He can understand us when others cannot. The difficulties that others face in trying to understand us is that they have not had our experience ; our experience is unique to ourselves. " He knows the way that I take," said Job, and this was a great comfort to him, that Christ understands when his friends did not. God knew what he was going through, and the Son of God had gone through much worse when He was a man on earth. Others may sincerely attempt empathy, but only He has it perfectly. The wound cannot be healed unless it is diagnosed correctly, and He can do it. Grief was His companion on earth but they had to part company when he came to heaven. This shall be our experience also. It is an ' acquaintance ' never to be renewed.

FEBRUARY 15

" She hath done what she could. "   Mark 14:8. 

To be housebound can certainly limit us in some ways but can also increase our spiritual usefulness. There is now more time for prayer and reading. But what else can we do ? We can contact others by letter, by email, by phone. We can still invite others to come and meet with us, we can still give to the Lord's cause. Mary could only do one thing before the Lord's time came to be crucified, but she actually did more than the other disciples did. The lord had her act recorded for all time. He does not forget what is done for His name ( Heb.6:10).We have to accept that there are some things we can no longer do, and many find it hard to adapt to compelling changes in their lifestyle. But opportunities to serve the Lord are not taken away, they are just done in a different sphere. There are many stories of God's people confined to wheelchairs or beds who have been used to comfort and encourage others. The weak look more to the Lord than the strong, and also have a deeper insight into the needs of others.

" She hath done what she could." What a beautiful epitaph - may it be ours also.

FEBRUARY 16

" As we have received mercy, we faint not. "  2 Corinthians 4:1.

Whether it be the Apostle or other believers, we all receive the same mercy from the one Person in the one way ; by faith and not by works.We do not lose heart amid many discouragements because Christ has promised to pray for those who trust in Him, and His prayers never fail to accomplish what He prays for. He knows we would never reach heaven by our own strength, and He prays for us as he did for Peter when his strength failed. Our enemies are mighty and our faith is small, but we have a mighty Friend and a watchful Guardian. " Christ lives and therefore our faith shall not fail." ( J.C.Ryle)

We have tried but cannot hold ourselves up sometimes, gravity is too great for us. Sometimes we swoon physically but we are grasped by Him spiritually. We fall some of the way down but He will check our fall, He has a firm hold on us even though we  may feel limp, fragile and vulnerable. We must  not however neglect prayer. Today can be hard to get through. A famous general had on his desk the words, " Things will look better in the morning." For us, one morning will look best of all, Song of Sol.2:17.

FEBRUARY 17

" Absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."  2 Corinth. 5:8.

We are not at home in this world, and we know where home is. It is where Christ is, in heaven. This soul is separated from the body at death, but neither are separated from Christ. Communion and communication continue, and this present/absent condition is only temporary, continuing only until Time ceases at the end of the world. To speculate on this future new experience, on living without a body, is not profitable for us. We are ' out of our depth,' as they say. It is enough for us to know that He planned it this way, and that we are safe in His company. Jesus also had this experience for three days, and we are to be conformed to Him in this respect ( unless He returns before we die ). He put Himself into His Father's hands when He came to die on the cross, as we shall also ( Ps.31:5). It may be that we, as He was, experience some pain just before we die. But unlike other pains this pain stops immediately and instantly at death, and is replaced by another new experience - the happiness of glory with Christ. Home at last !

FEBRUARY 18

" We spend our years as a tale that is told."   Psalm 90:9.

Each of our lives is a story, there is beginning, middle and end. How swiftly the pages have been turned. No matter how we feel, we know that there are less pages left now. However, our comfort is to look at the end of the Book and see the happy ending. This comforts us as we struggle on from one page to the next. There have been high points and low points, discouragements and mighty deliverances. The truths of our experience are sometimes stranger than fiction; there are experiences which no natural mind could invent. Moreover, the Bible declarations of the supernatural in life supersede all the superstitions of the ages. " Our lives are illustrations of heavenly mercy." ( Spurgeon) They are all written out by the Divine hand, and in  God's Providence we act them out in this world. But the Christian biography does not end on earth with death, as the world's biographies do. Nor do we write our own life-stories, He writes the ending, he is the Author of all existence. We are however responsible for our actions. No wonder Augustine cried out to God, " Enable me to carry out Thy commands, and command me what Thou will." We are fearfully and wonderfully made, as David says in Psalm 139. It is only true of the people of God, the people of faith in Christ Jesus, that it can truly be said, " ...And they lived happily ever after."

FEBRUARY 19

" I was cast upon Thee from the womb. "   Psalm 22:10.

When were we more helpless than then ? This proves that God's care and strength is able to meet our deepest weakness. We did not know then, on our first day into the world, that we were under His care. Also, we may not, on our last day in this world, be sensible of His care, but it is real nonetheless. Whether baby David or baby Jesus, God carried them into this world and God carried them out. Their place of their birth and of their death are now history, but they are not, they are alive and well. David lived because of Christ's death and Resurrection, as we must ; Chirst's eternal life must be the source of ours. Let us not forget this, " Because I live, ye shall live also." ( John 14:19)." Our birth was our weakest and most perilous period of existence. If we were then secured by Omnipotent tenderness, surely we have no cause to suspect that Divine goodness will fail us now." ( Spurgeon) As we become weaker with age, remembering this is our support against the temptation to think we have been deserted by God - a temptation highlighted and answered in this Psalm, not only by David but by Christ Himself.

FEBRUARY  20

" Then cometh the end."   1 Corinthians 15:24.

No matter what process begins on earth it shall always be said, " Then cometh the end ! " We look at others growing up and, considering our own advance in age, we can say 'Then comes the end.' Everything has an end. God sends the beginning and God sends the end. We are all on the way to it. Christ created and Christ is building His church. When He presents the church to His Father in heaven, Creation comes to its end ; it has served its purpose.But of His kingdom there shall be no end . ( Daniel 2:44). On earth the process of extending justice or mercy goes on until then. There are no second chances when the end comes. Some desire the end, to see the Author of the book, some dread it ! For the believer there is joy in the anticipation of that vision, there is the desire  ' to see Jesus ' ( John.12:21), and ' the half has not been told ' of what awaits us. " Then cometh the end " - this is the epitaph of mortality." I'll bless the hand that guided, I'll bless the heart that planned,When come where glory dwelleth, in Immanuel's Land."

FEBRUARY 21

" He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." Matthew 24:13 

You wonder sometimes how you shall get through the day. You do not have the strength to do anything, and the next hour seems a long time, like a blank we must fill in.But at least, though not active bodily, we can still have thoughts of Christ ; a spiritual activity. These are as little lights in the darkness, beacons to guide us Home. We are increasingly withdrawing into another world, speaking more as one to One. Our interaction with the outer world may collapse, but the inner has walls, and inside them the Spirit is still giving us thoughts of Christ 

( John 14:26. 16:14). He keeps alive our hope, and hope is ' faith looking forward.' Life on earth is an endurance test, but God has decreed the end for His people, and all the days to it. We find that unexpected things happen on the journey ; He is truly the ' God of surprises.' We pray that our thoughts will reflect His, harmony with God is our priority. We are running a marathon, and there is a loneliness in such a long race. Some drop out, some finish before us. But there is One who never leaves us nor fails to uphold us. And His is the first Face we shall see at the finish line.

FEBRUARY 22

" We look ...at the things which are not seen."  2 Corinthians 4:18.

This is the way Christians look at life. There is the seen world and the unseen world. Many live only by the former, this is the one they interact with, which takes up all their senses. The life of family, work and society makes impressions on us, but few have time and focus for the unseen world, the eternal and spiritual realities. Christ sees both and he has revealed the unseen to us, besides explaining what is really happening in this world. Moral and spiritual truths are being trodden down by the multitudes and eternity is relegated to a branch of philosophy or ancient history. But Christ said several times that the world we see 'will pass away ', never to be seen again, but the unseen remains. We do not see the souls of the departed...or should we not call them the ' arrived' ? However, Christ said that they still live beyond this world. But in which world beyond this one - with God's people in Christ's presence or not ?Many regard this question as unimportant, but only when they are still in this world. Alas, the question will be answered for them when they die. The Christian is meanwhile a citizen of two worlds, and rather like an exile in this one. Our allegiance is to the One who reigns over all, and our thoughts go out to Him first, and to His creation second. Soon there will be only one world to see, and it will not be this one.

FEBRUARY 23

" And he died...and he died..."   Genesis 5:8,11.

It is amazing ( and telling ! ) how each generation is desperate to replace God's " and he died " with euphemisms which hide the fact. Even at funerals there is great emphasis on what the person has done in the past and nothing about their  future. They deny death, and yet the meaning of life for us must include death. "My old age has meaning, I can live through it with my gaze still fixed before me, and not behind me, because I am on my way to a destination beyond death." ( P.Tournier ) When a Christian was feeling uncomfortable about dying, talking about all the things he could not do as he had planned ,he advised him," You would do better to fix your eyes beyond death." The man paused, and thanked him." The last of God's mercies...is to die." ( F.Mauriac ) To die is to enter into a new stage of life, exempt from all that weighs down our earthly existence, from all that hinders our communion with Christ. Doubts, fears, anxieties, disappointments and bouts of unbelief are all left behind at the door of heaven.

FEBRUARY 24  

" The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."  1 Corinthians 15:26.

" Death remains a fearful and cruel monster. " ( P.Tournier) The only power greater than death is God's. Christ overcame death by accepting it ( as the just penalty for His people's sins, Rom.6:23 ) and going into it, to conquer it in its own territory. Because of His work He has changed death from a prison into an entrance-hall for all those who trust in Him.Two questions need to be answered affirmatively if we would be be saved from death. Was Christ's death needful ? Did it accomplish what He intended ? ' Yes ', says the Christian. To deny it would be to overturn God's holy justice and treat sin as trivial, as less than it really is. Someone may say, " But Christians die also." Yes, but not the death they deserved to die, the ' second death '( Ps. 118:17,18). Christ died under God's punishment for sin ( vicariously ), the Christian does not. The sting has been taken out of death ( 1 Corinth 15:55-57)  ; it can make us afraid but it cannot hurt us. It is an enemy, but cannot enter heaven, Christ has overcome it. we are to follow Him through it.

FEBRUARY 25  

" These all died in faith."  Hebrews 11:13.

God gave them the faith to anticipate the future, the fulfilment of what He had promised them. All those who have the faith to trust the promise have received the promise, and they trust God to keep His word. We live from moment to moment, especially when dying, in anticipation. We come closer to our destination each day ; things become sharper in our vision. Just as for Jesus ( but in a lesser degree), there is a ' joy set before ' us also ( Heb.12:2). He knew when He would enter into it, but the timing of our own experience is hidden from us ; it will be sudden ! One by one the old believers in Hebrews 12 lifted up their eyes to see that far-off country. They thought of Christ and those who were with Him, His loved ones and theirs also. Because of their and our continuing imperfections in this world we are sometimes ' chastised ' by the Father. " Nevertheless afterwards " ( Heb. 12:11) our peace shall be restored and finally eternally enjoyed without disturbance of it.  " I beg you to live far-looking lives... You may not see all the way between [ here and heaven] but keep your eyes forward still.Our victory is made sure by His victory." ( P.Brooks)

FEBRUARY 26 

" But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that  slept."  1 Corinthians 15:20.

It is a great matter to take these words to yourself. To sleep in Christ at death is not to be unconscious. The body rests, but the soul is conscious at death, and of its new surroundings. No spiritual damage occurs at death for the Christian. The soul waits in a better state than here, while the body is sown in the earth, waiting for the resurrection harvest at Christ's return. Christ came back from heaven for His own body and He will come back for ours also. They must be fashioned " like to His glorious body " ( Phil.3:21).To be joined to Christ is a glorious matter, for soul and body. To belong to God is our highest privilege. Christ came into the world to give believers the adoption into God's family which they need for heaven ( Galat.3:26. 4:5). We live to God, die to God and rise to God in our resurrection life. The body waits in its appointed place until Christ returns, while the soul waits in a better place, soon to be reunited forever.

FEBRUARY 27 

" And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ. "   John 17:3

Christ prayed these words the night before He died. In these words He explains what a saving knowledge is, acknowledging more than one Person in the Godhead. By knowing Himself and His Father ( He mentions the Holy spirit elsewhere) we enter into eternal life ( John 3:36). Like Paul we can now say, " the  life I now live " is by faith in Him ( Galat.2;20). And if it is faith in Him it is faith from Him - His work not ours. It is all of grace, a great comfort to weary souls. We are weary of fighting Satan, sin and a world which is against the true God and His followers. In John 17 Christ prays for us. He never failed in His prayers to attain or receive what He prayed for. For this reason also our faith shall not fail ( Luke 22:32). We shall live by faith and die in faith, this unseen power of spiritual life within us. This knowledge of Christ begins here, grows and is perfected when we see Him face to Face. It enables us to endure all our troubles and sufferings. Death cannot interrupt its perfection, it is ' life eternal.'

FEBRUARY 28

" Prepare to meet thy God. "  Amos 4:12.

This announcement ought to have made the hearers think, and to think great thoughts of this momentous meeting. This was a summons to prepare for universal judgement, for condemnation or acquittal. Christ has said it will be one or the other ( Matthew 25). Hearing such words ought to fill us with reverence for the infinite Being who declares them. We are to approach Someone much greater than ourselves, One who has the greatest respect for the principle of justice. Conscience expects such a just response from God. The Gospel tells us that Christ has satisfied all the claims of Divine justice on behalf of His people. Because of this God is just in punishing sin and the Justifier of those who believe in Christ, who suffered the just punishment for others' sins. Those who die without faith must face God's justice for themselves, they have no Advocate. To trust in Christ is to respect his credibility and Divine power. Such are ' accepted in the Beloved' ( Ephes.1:6) and shall be acquitted and welcomed into heaven. How we must, and shall, praise Him who ' has made us to differ ! ' and given us what we do not deserve but gladly welcome,- Himself.