Truth for Life - March 1, 2016

March 1

The Preciousness of Jesus

As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights center in the Lord Jesus. The glances of His eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of His face are fairer than the choicest flowers; no fragrance is like the breath of His mouth. Gems of the mine and pearls from the sea are worthless things when measured by His preciousness.

Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot convey the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to His people, nor fully tell how essential He is to their satisfaction and happiness.

Believer, have you not found in the occasion of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent? The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden Himself, and all the world was dark to you; or it was night, and since the bright and morning star was gone, no other star could yield you so much as a ray of light. What a howling wilderness is this world without our Lord! If once He hides Himself from us, withered are the flowers of our garden; our pleasant fruits decay; the birds suspend their songs, and a tempest overturns our hopes. All earth's candles cannot make daylight if the Sun of Righteousness be eclipsed. He is the soul of our soul, the light of our light, the life of our life.

Dear reader, what would you do in the world without Him when you wake up and look ahead to the day's battle? What would you do at night when you come home jaded and weary if there were no door of fellowship between you and Christ? Blessed be His name, He will not leave us to face the struggle without Him, for Jesus never forsakes His own. Yet, let the thought of what life would be without Him enhance His preciousness.

Family Bible reading plan

verse 1 Job 30

verse 2 1 Corinthians 16

ESV Daily Devotional New Testament

The ESV Daily Devotional New Testament will help readers become familiar with the central message of the Gospel by guiding them through the entire New Testament over the course of one year.

Featuring 365 devotions, each day includes two readings – one from the first half of the New Testament (Matthew through Acts) and one from the second half (Romans through Revelation). After each reading, a short reflection helps readers consider the meaning of the passage and understand how it relates to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Each devotion concludes with a short passage from the Psalms that ties thematically into the day’s Bible reading, as well as a “Thoughts for Prayer” section to guide personal prayer and meditation.

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From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.