William Jay’s Morning Exercises has been a rich blessing. I began his meditations this year for the first time. Having worked through Spurgeon for several years and then using Voices from the Past for about three years, I wanted to try something new this year. Though Jay’s reflections are longer than Spurgeon’s, I have benefited greatly from his expositions. I hope to compare Spurgeon to Jay sometime in the future. But for now, let me cite today’s reading (a portion). On April 16, Jay meditates on Jn. 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
Jay notes how the disciples were about to forsake Jesus in the very near future and yet Jesus spoke of comforting them after He leaves. “They were going to leave him comfortless, as far as it depended upon them… But — much as they deserved it — ‘I will not,’ says he, ‘leave you comfortless.’ ‘I will’ — not to punish, or upbraid, but to relieve, and encourage — ‘I will come to you.'”
After drawing out several good points, he concludes by declaring how much we need our Lord and how He is sufficient and “a resource equal to the exigency; a consolation adequate to all the distress.” Jesus’ coming to us in the Holy Spirit is more than enough and He is more than adequate for all our needs. Here then are his concluding words:
The happiness we derive from creatures is like a beggar’s garment — it is made up of pieces, and patches, and is worth very little after all. But the blessedness we derive from the Savior is single, and complete. In him all fulness dwells. He is coeval [of equal age and duration] with every period. He is answerable to every condition. He is a physician, to heal; a counselor, to plead; a king, to govern; a friend, to sympathize; a father, to provide. He is a foundation, to sustain; a root, to enliven; a fountain, to refresh. He is the shadow from the heat; the bread of life; the morning star; the sun of righteousness —all, and in all. No creature can be a substitute for him; but he can supply the place of every creature. He is all my salvation and all my desire. My hope, my peace, my life, my glory, and joy.
We should all believe that our Lord “can supply the place of every creature,” whatever the loss or pain. Saints of all ages can bear witness to His faithfulness and sufficiency. May we, by His grace, be enabled to believe and experience that Jesus “is answerable to every condition” we face.