March 31

Be ye followers of God as dear children.—EPH. v. i.

AM I a follower of God—an humble, but faithful imitator of my divine Master? Do I cherish his Spirit, and seek to be conformed to his example, and to have his image enstamped upon my heart? Do I endeavor to be meek, and gentle, and loving, and holy as he was? Every day do I keep his character and life before me, as they are set forth in his word? And is it my constant prayer and effort, that I may every day be growing in likeness to him?

Christians are like children learning to write. They may never be able to write as perfectly as the engraving; yet if they do the best they can, and daily improve, the master is pleased. So we must ever copy the Lord Jesus. The truest scriptural perfection, is, to be always aiming at perfection.—SPURGEON.

Christ is the pattern, the exemplary cause of our sanctification. Holiness in us, is the copy or transcript of the holiness in him. As the wax hath line for line from the seal, and the child limb for limb, and feature for feature from the father, so is holiness in us from Christ.—PHILIP HENRY.

Quiet, Lord, my froward heart; Make me teachable and mild, Upright, humble, free from art; Make me as the weaned child, From distrust and envy free, Pleased with all that pleases thee.