September 8 Daily Devotional

This is the day which the Lord hath made ...

There is a sense in which we commit ourselves to God once and for ever; there is another sense in which we have to do it every day. There is a sense in which God has given us everything in grace once and for ever. Yes; but He gives grace to us also in parts and portions day by day. We must start the day and say to ourselves, ‘Here is a day which is going to bring me certain problems and difficulties; very well, I shall need God’s grace to help me. I know God will make all grace to abound, He will be with me according to my need—”as thy days, so shall thy strength be” ‘ ... we must learn to leave the future entirely in God’s hands.

Take, for instance, that great statement of it in Hebrews
13:8. The Hebrew Christians were passing through troubles and trials, and the author of that Epistle tells them not to worry, and for this reason—’Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever’ ... what He was yesterday, He is today, and He will be tomorrow. You need not anticipate life; the Christ who takes you through today will be the same Christ tomorrow. He is changeless, everlasting, always the same; so you must not think about tomorrow; think instead about the changeless Christ.... There will be no trial that will come to you but that God will always provide that way of escape
[1 Corinthians 10:13]

As we learn in wisdom to take our days one by one as they come, forgetting yesterday and tomorrow, so we must learn this vital importance of walking with God day by day, of relying upon Him day by day, and applying to Him for the particular needs of each day.... Leave it with Him; leave it entirely with Him, confident and assured that He will always be going before you.... He will be there before you to meet the problem. Turn to Him and you will find that He is there, that He knows all about it, and knows all about you.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, ii, pp. 151–2