Man cannot live upon himself.

Posted : 15 Apr, 2013 02:21 AM

Psalm 119:57 You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words.





Man, as a dependent being, must be possessed of some

portion. He cannot live upon himself. It must, however, be not

only good, but his own good- something that he may lay claim

to as his own. It must also be a large portion, because the

powers and capacities to be filled are large. If he has not a

satisfying portion, he is a wretched empty creature. But where

and how shall he find this portion? "There be many that say,

Who will show us any good? Lord! lift up the light of Your

countenance upon us." And then the goodness of the Lord, in

having offered Himself as the portion of an unworthy sinner!

So that we can now lay claim to Him, as having wholly and

fully made Himself over to us, and having engaged to employ

His perfections for our happiness! "I will be your God." Surely

every good is centered in the chief good-the fountain of all

blessings, temporal, spiritual, eternal. What, then, is the folly,

madness, and guilt, of the sinner, in choosing his "portion in

this life:" as if there were no God on the earth, no way of

access to Him, or no happiness to be found in Him? That such

madness should be found in the heart of man, is a most

affecting illustration of his departure from God. But that God's

own "people should commit these two evils-forsaking the

fountain of living waters, and hewing out for themselves

broken cisterns"-this is the fearful astonishment of heaven

itself.

But we cannot know and enjoy God as our portion, except as

He has manifested Himself in His dear Son. And in the

knowledge and enjoyment of Him, can we envy those who "in

their lifetime receive their good things," and therefore have

nothing more to expect? Never, indeed, does the poverty of

the worldling's portion appear more striking, than when contrasted with the enjoyment of the child of God,-"Soul"-said

the rich fool-"you have much goods laid up for many years."

But God said-"This night your soul shall be required of you."

Augustine's prayer was-"Lord, give me Yourself!" And thus the

believer exults-"Whom have I in heaven but You? and there is

none upon earth that I desire but You. Return unto your rest,

O my soul. The Lord Himself is the portion of my inheritance

and of my cup. You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to

me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage. I will

bless the Lord, who has given me counsel."

Elsewhere the believer makes this confession to himself-"The

Lord is my portion-says my soul." Here, as if to prove his

sincerity, he "lifts up his face unto God." "You are my portion,

O Lord." And surely the whole world cannot weigh against the

comfort of this Christian confidence. For it is as impossible,

that His own people should ever be impoverished, as that His

own perfections should molder away. But a portion implies,

not a source of ordinary pleasure, but of rest and satisfaction,

such as leaves nothing else to be desired. Thus the Lord can

never be enjoyed, even by His own children-except as a

portion- not only above all, but in the place of all. Other

objects indeed may be subordinately loved: but of none but

Himself must we say-"He is altogether lovely." "In all things He

must have the preeminence"-one with the Father in our

affections, as in His own subsistence. The moment that any

rival is allowed to usurp the throne of the heart, we open the

door to disappointment and unsatisfied desires.

But if we take the Lord as our portion, we must take Him as

our king. I have said-this is my deliberate resolution,-that I

would keep Your words. Here is the Christian complete-taking

the Lord as his portion, and His word as his rule. And what

energy for holy devotedness flows from the enjoyment of this

our heavenly portion! Thus delighting ourselves in the Lord,

He gives us our heart's desire; and every desire identifies itself with His service. All that we are and all that we have, are

His; cheerfully surrendered as His right, and willingly

employed in his work. Thus do we evidence our interest in His

salvation; for "Christ became the author of eternal salvation

unto all those who obey Him."

Reader! inquire-was my choice of this Divine portion

considerate, free, unreserved? Am I resolved that it shall be

steadfast and abiding? that death itself shall not separate me

from the enjoyment of it? Am I ready to receive a Sovereign

as well as a Savior? Oh! let me have a whole Christ for my

portion! Oh! let Him have a whole heart for His possession.

Oh! let me call nothing mine but Him.

'The heart touched with the loadstone of Divine love: trembling

with godly fear, yet still looking towards God by fixed

believing-points at the love of election. He who loves may be

sure he was loved first. He who chooses God in Christ for his

delight and portion, may conclude confidently, that God has

chosen him to enjoy Him, and be happy in Him forever.'

(Leighton)



by

Charles Bridges

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