Category: Devotion of the Day

The End of the Lord

Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.
James 5:11.

The Lord turned the captivity of Job and blessed the latter end of his life more than the beginning, but all that is not the climax of the book. It is not an anticlimax but it is a sort of postscript. Job arrived at the peak when he saw God. After that, whether he got well or not, or whether or not he recovered his prosperity, was incidental. He had got through to God. The main purpose of God was not to explain Job’s suffering or suffering in general. Job got through to illumination, which is better than explanation.

God does not always restore our lost prosperity. Some of the greatest saints die in their poverty, their adversity and their boils. But if they have got through to God Himself, they have reached life’s greatest goal. What happens after that is incidental. They are ready to say:

“Now Thee alone I seek;
Give what is best.”

Do not pine away in your adversity, seeking explanation or restoration of your former prosperity. Seek to know God and thenceforth enjoy Him forever, whatever happens to your belongings and your boils!

Revival—Or Else

Thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:4

In the course of history, Christianity periodically clutters up with its own projects and paraphernalia. Then God raises up a new fellowship of fresh Christians somewhere, all aglow in simple faith and obedience. Sometimes this happens in a local church, either when the old crowd has a revival or there is a blood transfusion of new converts.

In individual experience we tend to get away from our first love, not always into false doctrine or worldly living, but, like the saints at Ephesus, while still orthodox and busy at church work.

Happy is the man who can go deeply into profound doctrine or multiplied activities and yet not lose the warmth of simple faith and love. How to maintain the glow of our early love for Christ amidst all the complexities of today and not lose the best amongst the good is a major matter. How to delve deeply into the mysteries of God and still be just a simple Christian; how to work hard in involved labors of the church and yet be just a humble believer is a supreme concern.

If you have left your first love, the way back is Remember, Repent, Repeat. Our Lord offers a grievous alternative…Removal. It is Revival—or else.

The daily devotions are from Day by Day by Vance Havner. Fleming H. Revell Company, 1953.