DAY BY DAY.
'And the people shall go out and gather the portion of a day in his day.' — Ex. xvi. 4 (marg.).
^Y^HE day^s portion in its day: Such was the rule for God's giving and man's working in the ingathering of the manna. It is still the law in all the dealings of God's grace with His children. A clear insight into the beauty and application of this arrangement is a wonderful help in understanding how one, who feels himself utterly weak, can have the confidence and the perseverance to hold on brightly through all the years of his earthly course. A doctor was once asked by a patient who had met with a serious accident: 'Doctor, how long shall I have to lie here?' The answer, 'Only a day at a time,' taught the patient a precious lesson. It was the same lesson God had recorded for His people of all ages long before: The day's portion in its day.
It was, without doubt, with a view to this and to meet man's weakness, that God graciously appointed the change of day and night. If time had been given to man in the form of one long unbroken day, it would have exhausted and overwhelmed him; the change of day and night continually recruits and recreates his powers. As a child, who easily makes himself master of a book, when each day only the lesson for the day is given him, would be utterly hopeless if the whole book were given him at once; so it would be with man, if there were no divisions in time. Broken small and divided into fragments, he can bear them; only the care and the work of each day have to be undertaken, — the day's portion in its day. The rest of the night fits him for making a fresh start with each new morning; the mistakes of the past can be avoided, its lessons improved. And he has only each day to be faithful for the one short day, and long years and a long life take care of themselves, without the sense of their length or their weight ever being a burden.
Most sweet is the encouragement to be derived from this truth in the life of grace. Many a soul is disquieted with the thought as to how it will be able to gather and to keep the manna needed for all its years of travel through such a barren wilderness. It has never learnt what unspeakable comfort there is in the word: The day's portion for its day. That word takes away all care for the morrow most completely. Only to-day is thine; to-morrow is the Father's. The question: What security thou hast that during all the years in which thou hast to contend with the coldness, or temptations, or trials of the world, thou wilt always abide in Jesus? is one thou needest, yea, thou mayest not ask. Manna, as thy food and strength, is given only by the day; faithfully to fill the present is thy only security for the future. Accept, and enjoy, and fulfil with thy whole heart the part thou hast this day to perform. His presence and grace enjoyed to-day will remove all doubt whether thou canst entrust the morrow to Him too.
How great the value which this truth teaches us to attach to each single day! We are so easily led to look at life as a great whole, and to neglect the little to-day, to forget that the single days do indeed make up the whole, and that the value of each single day depends on its influence on the whole. One day lost is a link broken in the chain, which it often takes more than another day to mend. One day lost influences the next, and makes its keeping more diflBcult. Yea, one day lost may be the loss of what months or years of careful labour had secured. The experience of many a believer could confirm this.
Believer! would you abide in Jesus, let it be day by day. You have already heard the message, Moment by moment; the lesson of day by day has something more to teach. Of the moments there are many where there is no direct exercise of the mind on your part; the abiding is in the deeper recesses of the heart, kept by the Father, to whom you entrusted yourself. But just this is the work that with each new day has to be renewed for the day, — the distinct renewal of surrender and trust for the life of moment by moment. God has gathered up the moments and bound them up into a bundle, for the very purpose that we might take measure of them. As we look forward in the morning, or look back in the evening, and weigh the moments, we learn how to value and how to use them rightly. And even as the Father, with each new morning, meets you with the promise of just sufficient manna for the day for yourself and those who have to partake with you, meet Him with the bright and loving renewal of your acceptance of the position He has given you in His beloved Son. Accustom yourself to look upon this as one of the reasons for the appointment of day and night. God thought of our weakness, and sought to provide for it. Let each day have its value from your calling to abide in Christ. As its light opens on your waking eyes, accept it on these terms: A day, just one day only, but still a day, given to abide and grow up in Jesus Christ. Whether it be a day of health or sickness, joy or sorrow, rest or work, of struggle or victory, let the chief thought with which you receive it in the morning thanksgiving be this: 'A day that the Father gave; in it I may, I must become more closely united to Jesus.' As the Father asks, 'Can yon trust me just for this one day to keep you abiding in Jesus, and Jesus to keep you fruitful?' you cannot but give the joyful response: 'I will trust and not be afraid.'
The day's portion for its day Avas given to Israel in the morning very early. The portion was for use and nourishment during the whole day, but the giving and the getting of it was the morning's work. This suggests how greatly the power to spend a day aright, to abide all the day in Jesus, depends on the morning hour. If the first-fruits be holy, the lump is holy. During the day there come hours of intense occupation in the rush of business or the throng of men, when only the Father's keeping can maintain the connection with Jesus unbroken. The morning manna fed all the day; it is only when the believer in the morning secures his quiet time in secret to distinctly and effectually renew loving fellowship with his Saviour, that the abiding can be kept up all the day. But what cause for thanksgiving that it may be done! In the morning, with its freshness and quiet, the believer can look out upon the day. He can consider its duties and its temptations, and pass them through beforehand, as it were, with his Saviour, throwing all upon Him who has undertaken to be everything to him. Christ is his manna, his nourishment, his strength, his life: he can take the day's portion for the day, Christ as his for all the needs the day may bring, and go on in the assurance that the day will be one of blessing and of growth.
And then, as the lesson of the value and the work of the single day is being taken to heart, the learner is all unconsciously being led on to get the secret of *day by day continually' {Ux. xxix. 88). The blessed abiding grasped by faith for each day apart is an unceasing and ever-increasing growth. Each day of faithfulness brings a blessing for the next; makes both the trust and the surrender easier and more blessed. And so the Christian life grows: as we give our whole heart to the work of each day, it becomes all the day, and from that every day. And so each day separately, all the day continually, day by day successively, we abide in Jesus. And the days make up the life: what once appeared too high and too great to attain, is given to the soul that was content to take and use *every day his portion' {Ezra in. 4)-, 'as the duty of every day required.' Even here on earth the voice is heard: *Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over few, I will make thee ruler over many: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' Our daily life becomes a wonderful interchange of God's daily grace and our daily praise: 'Daily He loadeth us with His benefits;' 'that I may daily perform my vows.' We learn to understand God's reason for daily giving, as He most certainly gives, only enough, but also fully enough, for each day. And we get into His way, the way of daily asking and expecting only enough, but most certainly fully enough, for the day. We begin to number our days not from the sun's rising over the world, nor by the work we do or the food we eat, but by the daily renewal of the miracle of the manna, — the blessedness of daily fellowship with him who is the Life and the Light of the world. The heavenly life is as unbroken and continuous as the earthly; the abiding in Christ each day has for that day brought its blessing; we abide in Him every day, and all the day. Lord, make this the portion of each one of us.
AT THIS MOMENT.
'Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. '—2 Cor. vi. 2.
THE thought of living moment by moment is of such central importance — looking at the abiding in Christ from our side—that we want once more to speak of it. And to all who desire to learn the blessed art of living only a moment at a time, we want to say, The way to learn it is to exercise yourself in living in the present moment. Each time your attention is free to occupy itself with the thought of Jesus, — whether it be with time to think and pray, or only for a few passing seconds, — let your first thought be to say, Now, at this moment, I do abide in Jesus. Use such time, not in vain regrets that you have not been abiding fully, or still more hurtful fears that you will not be able to abide, but just at once take the position the Father has given you: 'I am in Christ; this is the place God has given me. I accept it; here I rest; I do now abide in Jesus.' This is the way to learn to abide continually. You may be yet so feeble as to fear to say of each day, *Iam abiding in Jesus;' but the feeblest can, each single moment, say, as he consents to occupy his place as a branch in the vine, *Yes, I do abide in Christ.' It is not a matter of feeling, — it is not a question of growth or strength in the Christian life, — it is the simple question whether the will at the present moment desires and consents to recognise the place you have in your Lord, and to accept of it. If you are a believer, you are in Christ. If you are in Christ, and wish to stay there, it is your duty to say, though it be but for a moment, 'Blessed Saviour, I abide in Thee now; Thou keepest me now.'
It has been well said that in that little word now lies one of the deepest secrets of the life of faith. At the close of a conference on the spiritual life, a minister of experience rose and spoke. He did not know that he had learnt any truth he did not know before, but he had learnt how to use aright what he had known. He had learnt that it was his privilege at each moment, whatever surrounding circumstances might be, to say, 'Jesus saves me 7iotv.^ This is indeed the secret of rest and victory. If I can say, * Jesus is to me at this moment all that God gave Him to be, — life, and strength, and peace,' — I have but as I say it to hold still, and rest, and realise it, and for that moment I have what I need. As my faith sees how of God I am in Christ, and takes the place in
Him my Father has provided, my soul can peacefully settle down: Now I abide in Christ.
Believer! when striving to find the way to abide in Christ from moment to moment, remember that the gateway is: Abide in Him at this present moment. Instead of wasting effort in trying to get into a state that will last, just remember that it is Christ Himself, the living, loving Lord, who alone can keep you, and is waiting to do so. Begin at once and act faith in Him for the present moment: this is the only way to be kept the next. To attain the life of permanent and perfect abiding is not ordinarily given at once as a possession for the future: it comes mostly step by step. Avail thyself, therefore, of every opportunity of exercising the trust of the present moment. Each time thou bowest in prayer, let there first be an act of simple devotion: 'Father, I am in Christ; I now abide in Him.' Each time thou hast, amidst the bustle of duty, the opportunity of self -recollection, let its first involuntary act be: 'I am still in Christ, abiding in Him now.' ' Even when overtaken by sin, and the heart within is all disturbed and excited, 0 let thy first look upwards be with the word: 'Father, I have sinned; and yet I come — though I blush to say it — as one who is in Christ. Father! here I am; I can take no other place; of God I am in Christ; I now abide in Christ.' Yes, Christian, in every possible circumstance, every moment of the day, the voice is calling, Abide in me: do it now. And even now, as thou art reading this, 0 come at once, and enter upon the blessed life of always abiding, by doing it at once: do it now.
In the life of David there is a beautiful passage which may help to make this thought clearer {2 Sam. in. 17^ 18). David had been anointed king in Judah. The other tribes still followed Ish-bosheth, Saul's son. Abner, Saul's chief captain, resolves to lead the tribes of Israel to submit to David, the God-appointed king of the whole nation. He speaks to the elders of Israel: 'Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you; now then do it, for Jehovah hath spoken of David, saying. By the hand of my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.' And they did it, and anointed David a second time to be king, now over all Israel, as at first only over Judah {2 Sam, v. S), — a most instructive type of the way in which a soul is led to the life of entire surrender and undivided allegiance, to the full abiding.
First you have the divided Tcingdom: Judah faithful to the king of God's appointment; Israel still clinging to the king of its own choosing. As a consequence, the nation divided against itself, and no power to conquer the enemies. Picture of the divided heart. Jesus accepted as King in Judah, the place of the holy mount, in the inner chamber of the soul; but the surrounding territory, the everyday life, not yet brought to subjection: more than half the life still ruled by self-will and its hosts. And so no real peace within and no power over the enemies.
Then there is the longing desire for a better state: *Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you.' There was a time, when David had conquered the Philistines, that Israel believed in him; but they had been led astray. Abner appeals to their own knowledge of God's will, that David must rule over all. So the believer, when first brought to Jesus, did indeed want Him to be Lord over all, had hoped that He alone would be king. But, alas! unbelief and self-will had come in, and Jesus could not assert His power over the whole life. And yet the Christian is not content. How he longs — sometimes without daring to hope that it can be — for a better time.
Then follows God^s promise, Abner says: *The Lord hath spoken, By the hand of David I will save my people from the hand of all their enemies.' He appeals to God's promise: as David had conquered the Philistines, the nearest enemy in time past, so he alone could conquer those farther off. He should save Israel from the hand of all their enemies. Beautiful type of the promise by which the soul is now invited to trust Jesus for the victory over every enemy, and a life of undisturbed fellowship. 'The
Lord hath spoken/ — this is our only hope. On that word rests the sure expectation {Luke i. 70-75): 'As He spahe^ That we should be saved from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the oath which He sware, that He would grant unto us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, should serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.' David reigning over every corner of the land, and leading a united and obedient people on from victory to victory; this is the promise of what Jesus can do for us, as soon as in faith in God's promise all is surrendered to Him, and the whole life given up to be kept abiding in Him. 'Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you,' spake Abner, and added, 'Then do it now.' Do it noiv is the message that this story brings to each one of us who longs to give Jesus unreserved supremacy. Whatever the present moment be, however unprepared the message finds thee, however sad the divided and hopeless state of the life may be, still I come and urge Christ's claim to an immediate surrender— this very moment. I know well that it will take time for the blessed Lord to assert His power, and order all within thee according to His will — to conquer the enemies and train all thy powers for His service. This is not the work of a moment. But there are things which are the work of a moment — of this moment. The one is — thy surrender of all to
Jesus; thy surrender of thyself entirely to live only in Him. As time goes on, and exercise has made faith stronger and brighter, that surrender may become clearer and more intelligent. But for this no one may wait. The only way ever to attain it is to begin at once. Do it now. Surrender thyself this very moment to abide wholly, only, always in Jesus. It is the work of a moment. And just so, Christ's renewed acceptance of thee is the work of a moment. Be assured that He has thee and holds thee as His own, and that each new * Jesus, I do abide in Thee,' meets with an immediate and most hearty response from the Unseen One. No act of faith can be in vain. He does indeed anew take hold on us and draw us close to Himself. Therefore, as often as the message comes, or the thought of it comes, Jesus says. Abide in me: do it at once. Each moment there is the whisper. Do it now.
Let any Christian begin, then, and he will speedily experience how the blessing of the present moment is passed on to the next. It is the unchanging Jesus to whom he links himself; it is the power of a Divine life, in its unbroken continuity, that takes possession of him. The do it now of the present moment — a little thing though it seems — is nothing less than the beginning of the ever-present now, which is the mystery and the glory of Eternity. Therefore, Christian, abide in Christ: do itnoio.