Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Who can add to the beauties, as well as doctrines of those blessed words of JESUS, by any attempted illustration. I have often read the contents of those sweet verses, and always I hope with increasing delight. Oh! who considers the eternal love of God, in Christ, to his church and people, can pause a moment with any doubt of his everlasting watchfulness and care in all the departments of nature, providence, grace, and glory. Chosen in Christ, blessed in Christ, preserved in Christ, and called! Eph 1:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:9; Jude 1:1. And in his providential mercies, how constant and unremitting, Isaiah 27:3; Job 36:7, how tender, Isaiah 66:13; Zechariah 2:8; Isaiah 31:5, how new and seasonable, Lamentations 3:25, and how sure and everlasting. Isaiah 54:10. If I detain the Reader one moment longer over these verses I hope he will pardon me. I beg him to observe, if he hath not before, the very great beauty in the images here made use of to express the love contained in those expressions of JESUS. Behold the fowls of the air! Not the fowls of the barn, not the poultry, fed daily by some appointed hand, but the fowls of the air, who have neither store-house nor barn, and whose lodging of tonight may be taken away before the morrow, and they are obliged to seek a new one. Behold the lilies of the field! Not the cultivated and watered plants of the garden, but the lilies of the field, exposed to be trodden down by the feet of the ox or the ass, and plucked up by every traveler. And doth JESUS give beauty to those, and which perhaps hath no eye but his to see their beauty? Doth JESUS watch them and water them and cause his sun to shine upon them? Oh! then, ye redeemed of the LORD, ye that are the purchase of his blood, yea, if possible, more than even this; part of himself and members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones; can he forget you, overlook you, yea, overlook and forget himself! Precious LORD JESUS! I would say, both for myself and everyone of thy children, give us all grace to leave all our concerns with thee, and anxious only to be found of thy kingdom, regenerated by thy Holy Spirit, adopted into the family of Christ and GOD, and justified in thy all-sufficient righteousness, we may take no thought for the morrow, knowing that whether we live we live to the LORD, or whether we die we die to the Lord, so that living or dying we are the Lord's.
REFLECTIONS
READER! Pause over this part of our REDEEMER's sermon, as over the preceding portion of it, and let us both look up for grace in the teaching of GOD the HOLY GHOST, to gather the many precious instructions it contains. Jesus presupposeth that his redeemed give alms according to the ability he hath given them. And if you and I have received of the upper springs of the Lord's grace, shall we not be ready to give, and glad to distribute of the nether springs of the LORD'S bounty? Not dear LORD to be seen of men, no! nor with the most distant view to recommend ourselves to thee, All we have is thine, and of thine own do we give thee, in imparting of what we have to refresh the bowels of our poorer brethren. Oh! for grace that all may be done from thee, and for thee, and from love to thee.
And in our approaches to thy throne in prayer, oh! grant that all may be in and through the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. For if Lord we have found peace in the blood of thy cross, our access to the Father will be by one Spirit through thee. Not to be seen of men, but graciously accepted of GOD in CHRIST, through CHRIST, and both in the words and works of CHRIST.
In the abstinence of the body, and in the humblings of the soul, in dying daily to the world, and crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts, oh! for grace from CHRIST to be walking daily with CHRIST, casting all our care upon him who careth for us. And while seeking, above all things, the kingdom of GOD and his righteousness, may we be forever on the look-out for the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our SAVIOR Jesus CHRIST. Even so Lord prepare us for thy corning! Amen.