Thurs., 9/22/16 Devotion (2 Sam. 18:9b)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Samuel 18:9b, where we read these words:

" . . . so he [Absalom] was left hanging between heaven and earth."

When our Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross, bearing the sins of all the elect church from all time, He hung, as it were, "between heaven and earth." He bridged the infinite gap between a holy God and sinful men. The regenerate churchman, who struggles through the process of sanctification, also, in a sense, is suspended "between heaven and earth." Our old flesh nature is at war with our new Christ nature.

Where are the eyes of our hearts focused, today? If they are on the things of the world, we will naturally gravitate there. If they are on Jesus, we will, by grace, soar aloft (in our souls).

[Puritan quote of the day: "In His last sufferings, Christ sapped the very foun-dations of Satan's kingdom. He conquered His enemies in their own territor-ies, and beat them with their own weapons, as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Excellency of Christ"]