"Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart" Psalm 97:11

Righteousness is often costly to the man who keeps to it at all hazards, but in the end it will bear its own expenses and return an infinite profit. A holy life is like sowing seed: much is going out, and apparently it is buried in the soil, never to be gathered up again. We are mistaken when we look for an immediate harvest; but the error is very natural, for it seems impossible to bury light. Yet light is "sown," says the text. It lies latent: none can see it; it is sown. We are quite sure that it must one day manifest itself.

Full sure are we that the LORD has set a harvest for the sower of light, and they shall reap it, each man for himself. Then shall come their gladness. Sheaves of joy for seeds of light. Their heart was upright before the LORD, though men gave them no credit for it, but even censured them: they were righteous, though those about them denounced them as censorious. They had to wait, as husbandmen wait for the precious fruits of the earth: but the light was sown for them, and gladness was being prepared on their behalf by the LORD of the harvest.

"Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." (Rom. 3:27) "For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, …" (Ps. 10:3) "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, …" (II Tim. 3:2)

Just what is a personal testimony to be? Many presume that it is standing up before a gathering of folks to reveal in graphic details how wretched of sinners they used to be until they saw the errors of their ways and made a decision to change their ways and give their lives unto Jesus. Most of the time is spent on boasting of their horrendous sins and how they were able to break their bonds enabling them to come to Jesus. They speak with bewildering exhilarations of their sinful lives, but when it comes to the part about salvation the elations seem to change to somberness. I ask: Is this the testimony of one saved by the sovereign eternal gracious mercies of God by the power of the Holy Spirit through the precious sacrificial blood of the Lord Jesus? Is there to be boasting of sin in the gracious experience of saving faith? God said through the hand of Jeremiah (6:15), "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD." So shall it be!

In stark contrast Ezra wrote while under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit: "…I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: …" (Ezra 9:5,6) How can one glorify sin and glorify the saving grace of the Son of God at the same time? In the heavens and the earth it can never be done! One can love his sins, past or present, or he can love the Christ of Glory but he cannot love and magnify them both at the same time!

How you spend your time, is a matter of great importance. Many people fool away their time—some in idle visits, others in recreations and pleasures which secretly bewitch the heart, and take it away from holy things. What are our golden hours for—but to attend to our souls? Time misspent is not time lived—but time lost!

Time is a precious commodity. As salvation is to be worked out in it, and a conveyance of heaven depends on using it well—it is of infinite concern!

Think of your short stay in the world. "We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a shadow—gone so soon without a trace!"

1 Chronicles 29:15

There is only a span between the cradle and the grave! Solomon says there is "a time to be born and a time to die"—but mentions no time of living—as if that were so short, it was not worth naming!

Time, when it has once gone, can never be recalled.
"My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away, filled with tragedy. It disappears like a swift boat, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey." Job 9:25-26

This Scripture compares time to a flying eagle. Yet time differs from the eagle in this: the eagle flies forward and then back again—but time has wings only to fly forward—it never returns! "Time flies away irrevocably."

The serious thoughts of our short stay here in this world, would be a great means of promoting godliness. Whoever considers how flitting and winged his life is—will hasten his repentance.