July 11

Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face continually. - 1 Chronicles 16:11.

NOTHING shows the fallen depraved state of man more than his alienation from God, and his endeavour to live without him in the world, uninfluenced by his presence and perfections, careless of his grace, and regardless of his glory. But while this shows the guilt of man, it equally proves his misery. “They that forsake thee,” says Jeremiah, “shall perish.”

We cannot do without him; with him is the fountain of life. He is the supreme good, the good of the soul, the good of eternity; it is therefore good to draw near to him. We need pardon, and “who can forgive sin but God only?” We need renovation, and he has said, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean.” “From all your idols will I cleanse you.” We need strength. “In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” “We are Spiritually sick and dying, he bringeth to us health and cure.” He is all and in all.

When we are convinced of this we begin to seek him; and here we are enjoined and encouraged to seek him; to seek his favour, his presence, his image, his strength, his service, and to seek communion with him. To seek him in the Son of his love, in whom he is reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; to seek him in the Scriptures, at his throne, in his house, in the preaching of the word, at his table, and to seek him among his people.

Now this seeking is to be constant and repeated; for though there is a time when we first seek God, there is no time when we may cease doing it, and therefore this injunction to “seek his face evermore.” We shall always need fresh supplies from the God of all grace, and we should pray, “Evermore give us this bread;” we should long after a fuller possession and enjoyment of God.

“Whoever says I want no more,

Confesses he has none.”

The grand evidence of a real work of grace in the soul, is “holding fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.” That which is Divine will always be durable, and that which comes from God will always lead to God.

The prophet, speaking of sorrow, says, “They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them;” and Job, speaking of a hypocrite praying, says, “Will he always call upon God?” There are many who seek God like persons in a storm at sea, but their devotion subsides along with the winds and the waves. The devotion of a real Christian is aided by external excitements, but it does not rely upon them. The devotion of a natural man is like a land-spring, depending upon the falling of the rain; but the devotion of a Christian is like a stream fed by a perpetual spring. The zeal of a natural man resembles blazing straw; the zeal of a regenerate man is like the fire on the Jewish altar, which was kindled by the breath of heaven and never went out.

We should admire the goodness and condescension of God in issuing such an injunction as this; that he should make our welfare our duty, and bind a concern for our own happiness upon us by a sense of authority and Divine authority. He does not command us to seek him because he needs us-no, but because we stand in need of him, and because he knows that without him we are undone for ever.