Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Wed., 9/22/21 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 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 church-man, who struggles through the process of sanctification, also, in a sense, is suspended "between heaven and earth.” Our old flesh nature (earth/old self), is at war with our new nature (heaven/Christ).

Where are the eyes of our hearts focused, today? If they are on earth (i.e. not on Christ), we will naturally gravitate downward. If they are in heaven (i.e. on Christ), we will, by grace, soar upwards (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 territo-ries, 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"]