Psalm of the Day: Psalm 41
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 24:1-22
Scripture Reading: Luke 4:23-32
We learn how apt men are to despise the highest privileges, when they are familiar with them. We see it in the conduct of the men of Nazareth, when they had heard the Lord Jesus preach. They could find no fault in His sermon. They could point to no inconsistency in His past life. But because the preacher had dwelt among them thirty years, and His face, and voice, and appearance were familiar to them they would not receive His doctrine. They said to one another, "Is not this Joseph's son?" Is it possible that one so well-known as this man, can be the Christ? And they drew from our Lord's lips the solemn saying, "No prophet is accepted in his own country."
We shall do well to remember this lesson, in the matter of ordinances and means of grace. We are always in danger of undervaluing them when we have them in abundance. We are apt to think lightly of the privilege of an open Bible, a preached Gospel, and the liberty of meeting together for public worship. We grow up in the midst of these things, and are accustomed to have them without trouble. And the consequence is that we often hold them very cheap, and underrate the extent of our mercies.
Let us take heed to our own heart, in the use of sacred things. As often as we may read the Bible let us never read it without deep reverence. As often as we hear the name of Christ let us never forget that He is the One Mediator, in whom is life.
Even the manna that came down from Heaven was at length scorned by Israel, as "worthless food" (Numbers 21:5). It is an evil day with our souls, when Christ is in the midst of us and yet, because of our familiarity with His name, is lightly esteemed.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, help me to not undervalue grace since it was made possible through the shed blood of Jesus.
Action Plan: Evaluate what spiritual blessings I have become too familiar with and consider how I can give them the respect and value they deserve?
This devotional was taken from The Gospel of Luke by J.C. Ryle published in 1858
and adapted by Pastor Tim Lewis of New England Shores Baptist Church.
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