Daily Devotionals
Devotional: June 28th
" I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them that are evil." - Revelation 2:2.
How many thousands are striving, by the sweat of their brow, by sleepless nights, by sacrifices of health and wealth, by bitter mental toil, by the unflagging consecration of all their powers, to win the attention of men, and are striving in vain. What disappointments pour daily upon them without inducing them to seek another goal for their hopes. " The spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes," do not extinguish the hope of winning from this unworthy world, sooner or later, some slight acknowledgment of the powers now so unsuccessfully exerted. How many nobly-endowed spirits live and labor under the constraining influence of the hope, for the most part delusive, that the world will one day say to them, ’ I know your works." To die unknown, is the one lake of fire which they unresistingly seek to escape. Ask them if they will not avail themselves of the consolation so certainly obtained by those that seek it. the consolation of being known to Christ, and they will laugh you to scorn.
On the other hand, the true people of Christ are stirred to their inmost depths by the belief that he, the Lord of glory, knows their works, their labor and their patience. Their works are not appreciated by men; they are spoken against as evil doers; they spend their strength for naught, so far as the applause of men is concerned; but they are rewarded abundantly in the thought that Jesus knows their works. The words " labor" and " patience" seem to qualify the word "works." What they do for Christ they do energetically, with heart and strength, and they persevere in the doing of it, no matter how many hindrances and chilling influences present themselves.
Christ is jealous when he sees any servant of his, making great account of the praise of others, happy or troubled as he obtains it or misses it, discontented when there is only the approbation of Christ, and allowing the applause of Christians to hide from him the dissatisfaction of Christ. Teach me, Lord, cost what it may, to find the peace which passeth all under standing in the assurance of thy regard for the poor service thou enablest me to render. Let me not be willing that the incentives derived from prospects held out by this rebellious, sinful world, should succeed in animating others to deeds of greater devotion and consecration, than shall be elicited from me by the anticipation of that greeting which thou wilt extend to him that overcomes, keeping thy works unto the end .
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