When the methods of providence are dark and intricate and we are quite at a loss what God is about to do with us, “his way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known,” clouds and darkness are round about him, a meek and quiet spirit acquiesces in an assurance that all things shall work together for good to us if we love God, though we cannot apprehend how or which way. It teaches us to follow God with an implicit faith, as Abraham did when he went out not knowing very well whom he followed (Heb 11:8). It quiets us with this, that though what he doeth “we know not now,” yet we “shall know hereafter” (John 13:7). When poor Job was brought to that dismal plunge that he could no way trace the footsteps of the divine providence, but was almost lost in that labyrinth, how quietly does he sit down with this thought, “But he knows the way I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:8-9).

Meekness, in the school of Christ, is one of the “fruits of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23). It is a grace (both gratis data, ‘freely given,’ and gratum faciens, ‘rendering kind’), wrought by the Holy Ghost both as a sanctifier and as a comforter in the hearts of all true believers, teaching and enabling them at all times to keep their passions under the conduct and government of religion and right reason. I observe that it is wrought in the hearts of all true believers because though there are some rough and knotty pieces that the Spirit works upon, whose natural temper is unhappily sour and harsh, which are long in the squaring; yet wheresoever there is true grace, there is a disposition to strive against, and strength in some measure to conquer, that distemper. And though in this, as in other graces, an absolute sinless perfection cannot be expected in this present state, yet we are to labor after it, and press toward it.

Matthew Henry, The Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit –reprinted by Soli Deo Gloria Publications – pg 21-22 (first published in 1698).

“… sometimes animals play. If nature is inexorably locked in a battle for the survival of the fittest, where did frolicking come from?

Humans are probably most familiar with the playful behavior of dogs. Some breeds seem to have a greater affinity for playing, but dogs are generally fond of frolicking, either with people, other dogs, or even other animals. In a National Geographic video documentary series “Unlikely Animal Friends,” Surya the orangutan met Rosco the hound dog at a river park, and the two “carry on like long lost friends,” wrestling, running, hugging, rolling, and being silly. Did God engineer this behavior as an instinct, or is it an accidental byproduct of natural forces?”    from ICR – read more here!

O Lord,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit,
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise,
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to watch,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.

May thy fear be my awe, thy triumphs my joy.

The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions (Banner of Truth) – pg 206-207

God is so kind, compassionate and merciful that he calls you to come to him. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways above our ways and his thoughts above our thoughts. He is ‘full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy’ (Psalm 86:15). The Bible therefore appeals to you to ‘Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness; and he relents from doing harm’ (Joel 2:13). What greater encouragement do you need? If there were no hope of mercy, then I could understand you holding back. But there has never been any earthly ruler as kind and patient as the Lord. In wonder and adoration, Micah declared, ‘Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity?’ (Micah 7:18). This is the God you have to deal with! He delights in mercy. If you will simply turn to him, he will have compassion on you; he will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). “’Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts’ (Malachi 3:7). While it is all too easy to overlook God’s justice or to presume on God’s mercy apart from Christ, you can never overestimate his kindness and love. God’s mercy exceeds our imagination. The Bible describes God’s mercies as great, manifold, tender, sure and everlasting. And they are all yours, if you will only turn to him. Are you willing to come? A throne of grace awaits you; the king himself invites you. He is the God who keeps ‘mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin’ (Exodus 34:7). Reflecting on the Lord’s dealings with his people, one of Israel’s greatest leaders worshipped him and said, ‘But you are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful slow to anger, abundant in kindness’ (Nehemiah 9:17).

God’s invitation to you is earnest, loving and persistent. “’Return … ,“ says the Lord, “And I will not cause my anger to fall on you; for I am merciful,” says the Lord, “And I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord you God’” (Jeremiah 3:12-13).

These are not man’s words, but God’s words – the holy and righteous God who has been offended, insulted and blasphemed. Yet, in his infinite mercy he has not given up on you. He seeks you and pleads for you. Doesn’t it move you and break your heart?

The Lord has stooped as low as he possibly can without staining the glory of his holiness. None of us could ever have atoned for our own sins and it is beyond our power to fully obey God’s law. But God does not make unreasonable or impossible demands upon us. He has sent his own dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to live and die in our place. All we are required to do is believe in him – the atoning Saviour and our perfect Righteousness.

Joseph Alleine  Wake Up & Live

(London, England: Grace Publication Trust, 1998), pg 102-104

We can’t think of the new birth as merely medicine for a sick man or therapy for an injured man. Such misconceptions strip regeneration of its essential character: life from death. The new birth is the fountain from which all the streams of our spiritual life flow. This is a large fountain, one that produces not religious trickles but deep and wide supernatural torrents. No other religion has a doctrine comparable to regeneration. Religions typically exhort followers to be good, avoid evil, and make sacrifices to the gods. None claim that God implants His own seed in His followers and thereby guarantees that their very natures will be transformed. This is why Jesus Christ can call His disciples to the highest moral standards imaginable and simultaneously call them to a life of joyful contentment. Other religions demand that their followers be good, but the risen Christ enables His disciples to be good. Other religions produce worshippers who dread their gods; Jesus produces worshipers who delight in God.
Why is a misunderstanding of regeneration so tragic? Because it can reduce Christianity (at least in practice) to the functional equivalent of a non-Christian religion. The new birth insures that Christ will have no cheerless and powerless disciples, disciples whose spirituality depends solely upon their will power.
The largeness of regeneration is part of the gospel’s glory. We were born “by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3) but regenerating grace causes us to be reborn as “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4). Stephen Charnock puts it well: justification imputes to us the righteous legal standing of sons and adoption secures for us the privilege of sons, but regeneration creates in us the very nature of sons. And it is sons – many sons – whom Jesus Christ will bring to glory (Heb 2:10).

From Robert G Spinney Not the Way I Used to Be
(Tennessee: TULIP Books, 2007), pg 28-29