HOW good of our Lord to supply us with not only food and raiment and everything we need, but even to give us that which is pleasing to our eyes, and sense of smell. The beautiful flowers which grow in such abundance and so many varieties remind us of God’s wonderful provision for us, His creatures. We should truly have responsive hearts, and seek to live to His praise, seeing He has been so good to us in this creation. But there is something else that God has done which shows more than His provision in creation that He is good to us, and that is that when He looked upon us in all our sins and hatred in our hearts to Him by our wicked works, His heart went out in love and pity for us. So rather than have us bear what we deserved, He gave the One He loved the most to take our place and bear our sins and our punishment. Jesus was the one He gave, and it was on Calvary’s cross He gave Him. There was no one else in all the universe who could meet God’s holy claims and stand in our place but Jesus. Have you accepted Him as your Saviour, and thanked Him for being so willing to die for you? And have you thanked God for sparing Him from His side for you? If you have not, may you do so now, and thank Him also for all the things He has given us in creation.
The little girl in our picture seems so pleased as she plucks the blossom off the tree, but it is very possible that she is just thinking of the beauty and sweet fragrance, and forgetting the Giver. May this never be with one of my readers, but may our hearts ever be going up to God in praise for all His gifts. But, above all, His unspeakable gift—the gift of His Son.
ML 08/05/1917