Choice Gleanings

2 Kings 9:1-37; Jeremiah 44:1-30; Hebrews 11:17-40

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

Amidst all the suffering in the world today, we have a marvelous hope. We joyfully anticipate the day when it will all have “passed away” and we will finally be with our Saviour forever, where there will be no more sorrow, crying, or pain. However, this verse is also a reminder that we must be reaching out to the millions still without Christ who have no such hope. —David Croudace

Men die in darkness at your side, without a hope to cheer the tomb:
Take up the torch and wave it wide, the torch that lights time’s thickest gloom. —Horatius B

2 Kings 8:1-29; Jeremiah 42:7-43:13; Hebrews 11:1-16

That I may win Christ … That I may know him … that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:8, 10, 12

Writing from prison in Rome, the Apostle Paul attested to his burning desire to “win Christ”. He wanted to know Him better and become more like Him. This was his priority, and no effort was spared in this quest: “This one thing I do … reaching forth … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14). We too should have the same spiritual ambition and seek to magnify our Lord. —Clark Logan

Break every barrier down, till Christ be formed in me;
Till of the travail of Thy soul Thou, satisfied, shalt see. —Bertha Mullen

2 Kings 6:24-7:20; Jeremiah 41:1-42:6; Hebrews 10:19-39

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! Genesis 17:18

I was praying about an important issue while scheming my own ideas about how to bring it to pass. Finally I realized God wouldn’t bless my manipulations. He proved that in Sarah and Abraham’s lives. God had promised Abraham a son with Sarah, but to ‘help God out’ Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham and Ishmael was born. He had to wait 13 more years for God’s promised son (Gen. 18:9). God made him give up Ishmael (Gen. 21:12) because his schemes could
not live beside God’s ways. God can’t work until you surrender all to Him. —Deborah Manera

I turn to wisdom not my own,
For every battle, You have known. —K. & K. Getty

2 Kings 6:1-23; Jeremiah 39:1-40:16; Hebrews 10:1-18

That ye … May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Ephesians 3:17-19

Can any mortal being comprehend the love of Christ in its: breadth, as far as the east is from the west; its length, stretching from before the foundation of the earth to the unknown future; its depth, as deep as the deepest sea; its height, as high as the heavens above. His love is immeasurable, undefinable, eternal and extended to you and me. How great, gracious, and glorious is our God! —K. C. Ung

How good is the God we adore! Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
His love is as great as His power, and knows neither measure nor end. —Joseph Har

2 Kings 5:1-27; Jeremiah 38:1-28; Hebrews 9:15-28

You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19 NKJV

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, this reality is gloriously true. Our sins are out of sight – God’s sight – forever! The New Testament tells us that our sins have been carried away; cleansed; forgiven; covered; not counted against us, and nailed to Christ’s cross. Indeed, our sins and iniquities are remembered no more (Heb. 8:12). Rejoice, your sins are gone! —David Petterson

In the depths of the sea of God’s forgetfulness,
Removed as the east is from west,
Far away from all power and principality,
My sins are in the depths of the sea.  —Phil & Carolyn Cross

2 Kings 4:1-44; Jeremiah 37:1-21; Hebrews 9:1-14

They cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. Exodus 7:12
Behold, the rod of Aaron … brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. Numbers 17:8
Death is swallowed up in victory! 1 Corinthians 15:54

Aaron’s once dead, but now living, blooming, consuming rod is a beautiful picture of Christ’s victory over death and the grave! He literally “swallowed up” death as He completed His own agonizing death on Calvary’s cross. As we remember Him today, let us rejoice in His life, death, burial and resurrection from the dead, the greatest victory in all of history! —Elizabeth C. Bishop

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia! —Charles Wesley

2 Kings 3:1-27; Jeremiah 36:1-32; Hebrews 8:1-13

Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover … so I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver … Hosea 3:1-2 NKJV

Hosea’s wife Gomer went into a life of adultery, which eventually brought her to bankruptcy. In that culture, the only way to cancel the debt was to hope that selling everything would match what was owed. If it was more, slavery was the result. Hosea was told to go into the marketplace and enter into the bidding and buy Gomer back for himself. The Lord said the standard was “the love of the Lord for Israel”, as the nation was unfaithful to God. Oh how this reminds us of the price the Lord Jesus paid to redeem us from the marketplace of sin! —Gary McBride.

O blessed Lord, what hast Thou done! How vast a ransom paid!
Who could conceive, God’s only Son, upon the altar laid! —M. Peters

2 Kings 2:1-25; Jeremiah 35:1-19; Hebrews 7:1-28

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1 NKJV
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 NKJV

Trouble comes in all kinds of ways to everyone. Do not think you are the only one who has trouble. But the Lord tells us not to let trouble overwhelm us, but to trust Him in times of trouble. He does not abandon us at any time or in any circumstance. And He will save us not from trouble, but out of trouble. Tell the Lord about your trouble and wait for Him to answer you. —Brian Gunning

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer! —Joseph Scriven

2 Kings 1:1-18; Jeremiah 34:1-22; Hebrews 5:11-6:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Galatians 2:20

Peter urges that, as newborn babies crave milk from their mother, we should crave the pure milk of the Word of God that we might grow into a full experience of salvation (1 Pet. 2:2). He further says that we must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). These are both essential, but perhaps most vital is what Paul says here, that we grow to understand that the true Christian life must be the very life of Christ lived in and through us. —Ray Jones

Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord, O, to be lost in Thee,
Oh, that it may be no more I, but Christ that lives in me. —Ada Whiddington

1 Kings 22:1-53; Jeremiah 33:1-26; Hebrews 4:14-5:10

They were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much … that place was called The Valley of Berachah (blessing) … his God gave him rest all around. 2 Chronicles 20:25-26, 30 NKJV

All of Judah was terrified in the face of the seemingly invincible enemy who had invaded their territory. Crucially, they sought the Lord (vv 3-4) and He brought them victory. But it was more than a victory. They were enriched (materially) by the experience. What had seemed destined to be a valley of death was transformed into a valley of blessing. Often we face insurmountable challenges only for the Lord to work through those circumstances so as to enrich our lives, bringing us blessing and peace. —Michael McKillen

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well. —F. Crosby