Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/109



" Behold,  the  sovereign  Lord  cometh:  take  with  thee  presents  and go  to  meet  Him." (Intr. Miss,  and  4  Kings  viii.  8.)

I. "  The  Lord  whom  you  seek,  and  the  angel  of  the testament  whom  you  desire,  shall  come  to  His  temple. Behold,  He  cometh,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." (Mai. iii. 1.)  Christ  is  the  supreme  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  to whom  all  mankind,  both  princes  and  their  people,  are to pay  tribute  and  acknowledgment  of  His  sovereignty. This obligation  the  Wise  Men  of  the  East  understood  by divine  instinct,  and  they  accordingly  came  this  day  to offer  their  gifts. " We  have  seen  His  star  in  the  east,  and have  come  to  adore  Him:  and  opening  their  treasures, they  offered  Him  gifts,  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh." (Matt. ii.  2,  11.)

II. This sovereign  Lord  will  visit  you  to-day,  to  receive your  tribute  and  your  presents. "Take with  thee presents,  and  go  to  meet  Him." Consider what  kind of gifts  you  can  offer  Him. "No one,"  says  the  author of Deuteronomy,  "shall  appear  with  his  hands  empty before  the  Lord;  but  every  one  shall  offer  what  he  hath." (Deut. xvi.  16.)

III. You must  prepare  a  throne  in  your  heart,  on  which to receive  and  adore  your  Lord  when  He  comes. Offer Him the  three  powers  of  your  soul:  your  memory,  understanding, and  will. Your memory  cannot  be  pleasing to God  if  your  imagination  be  not  corrected  and  chastened according  to  the  law  of  God. Your understanding cannot be  acceptable  to  Him,  unless  you  bend  it  implicitly to  the  obedience  of  faith. God will  reject  the  offer-