Our path is often slippery!

(James Smith, "Preservation Sought" 1865)

"But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped."
Psalm 73:2

The Christian is always on dangerous ground!

We may fall into sin--even when we cannot fall into hell.
We may break our bones--when we cannot break our neck.
We may make sad work for repentance--when we do not incur a sentence of final condemnation.
We are liable to fall by error--which is specious and powerful.
We are liable to fall by Satan--who is crafty and malicious.
We are liable to fall by our weakness--which is very great.
We are liable to fall by sinful pleasures--in which the flesh takes delight.
We are liable to fall by our unhallowed tempers--which need constant watchfulness and incessant prayer.
We are liable to fall by erroneous people--who may, like Satan, lie in wait to deceive us.

We therefore need keeping--constant keeping, divine keeping!

Our path is often slippery--and we are apt to be incautious. But it is our unspeakable mercy, that God has promised to keep us. "He keeps the feet of His saints."

But He will have us feel our weakness, and need of His keeping--and plead with Him to keep us: "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe" Psalm 119:117

The Vineyard of the Slothful.

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Proverbs 24 - v 30-32



Our souls are our fields and vineyards, which we are every one of us to take care of, to dress, and to keep. They are capable of being improved with good husbandry; that may be got out of them which will be fruit abounding to our account. We are charged with them, to occupy them till our Lord come; and a great deal of care and pains it is requisite that we should take about them.

These fields and vineyards are often in a very bad state, not only no fruit brought forth, but all overgrown with thorns and nettles (scratching, stinging, inordinate lusts and passions, pride, covetousness, sensuality, malice, those are the thorns and nettles, the wild grapes, which the unsanctified heart produces), no guard kept against the enemy, but the stone-wall broken down, and all lies in common, all exposed.

Matthew Henry

Time and Eternity

My days are swifter than a weavers shuttle.
JOB 7:6

Life is swift and short. Even if we live to what is generally called a ripe old age, it is soon cut off, and we fly away (Psa. 90:10). The Scriptures compare our life to a vapour, that . . . vanisheth away (James 4:14), to a watch in the night, and to a tale that is told (Psa. 90: 4, 9).

Thus our time on earth is precious. For our souls it is the valley of decision, the vestibule to eternity. Only in this life do sinners have the opportunity to repent and receive Christ. Only in this life can Christians stand for God, spread the gospel, and lay up treasure in heaven. That is why Paul urges us to redeem the time (Eph. 5:16) and exhorts us to holiness: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness (Rom. 13:12).

Soon we will all be in a world where time will be no more. Someone has described eternity as being like God winding up a giant clock and setting the pendulum in motion. As it swings from side to side, its solemn ticking seems to say, For ever and ever, for ever and ever, for ever and ever. For every soul who grasps the brief opportunity life affords to get right with God by faith in Christ, eternity holds the prospect of glory for ever and ever. For every unbelieving, impenitent sinner it holds the prospect of woe for ever and ever.

At the beginning of another year, when our minds naturally turn to the passage of time and to our prospects for the future, let us think long and hard on these things. We now have time and opportunity to embrace the gospel and then to spread it. But it is a fleeting opportunity. Let us grasp it in the light of eternity.

Let the year be given to God in its every moment!
G. Campbell Morgan