September 9—Morning—Jeremiah 50:20
"'In those days and at that time,' says the Lord, 'the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon those whom I reserve.'" — Jeremiah 50:20.

What those days and that time refer to is very clear; namely, the day when the great trumpet shall be blown, and when those who were ready to perish shall come; the glorious day of gospel grace by Jesus. For God the Father, having appointed and accepted a Surety for poor sinners, in the blood and righteousness of His dear Son, beholds no iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel. Blessed thought to comfort a poor soul—that, seen in Christ, and accepted in the beloved, "there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit!" Pause, my soul, over this precious scripture, and take to yourself the comfort of it. If you are in Christ, you are considered righteous in His righteousness; and, as your Surety, what He accomplished and what He suffered was for you. So that, in this sense, as Christ tells the church, you are altogether beautiful, and there is no spot in you. So that, amidst all your groans for the remnants of indwelling sin, (and groan you do daily,) and as you sometimes are prompted to think there is growing imperfection in you, yet, in Jesus, as you are found and considered in Him, sin is pardoned, and your person is accepted, and you are in a state of justification before God in the righteousness of God your Savior. And, as this is so essential to know and enjoy, see to it, my soul, that you live upon it. Go in the strength of Christ's righteousness every day to the throne, pleading that righteousness, and that alone. And, under a perfect conviction that not a single sin of yours was left out when Jesus bore the sins of His people on the tree, beg for grace to exercise faith, and to know that in Jesus you are justified before God, and that God has cast all your sins into the depths of the sea. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and goodness of God!" What shall separate us from the love of Christ?—surely not sin. For Jesus has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself! The law of God cannot: for that law, Jesus, as the sinner's Surety, has satisfied. And justice, far from condemning, now approves. God is just to His dear Son, as our Surety, who has answered all the demands of sin, and therefore has forgiven sin, and cleansed from all unrighteousness. Blessed thought! In this day sin is pardoned in Christ: and in that day, when God shall arise to judgment, the sin of Judah and the iniquity of Israel cannot be found.

September 9—Evening—Galatians 5:11
"Then is the offense of the cross ceased." — Galatians 5:11.

The cross of Jesus was, in the past, the great offense both to Jews and Greeks; and, in the present day, we may add, it is so to everyone who, by a perversion of language, calls himself a Christian, but yet denies the Godhead of Him whom he presumes to call Maker. And if the believer would but relinquish this distinguishing feature in his Lord's person and atonement for his sins by the blood of His cross, then indeed would the offense of the cross cease. But, my soul, ask yourself whether the offense of the cross has ceased in your view? Yes, rather, whether, like Paul, not only the reproach of the cross is taken away forever, but you are crying out with holy indignation against all rejoicing except in Jesus and His cross? Say, is it not your daily, hourly song: "God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world?" (Galatians 6:14). Is all your glory in Him, whom, in reproach, the world called "The man hanged upon the tree?" Are you forever looking to Him there, and forever rejoicing in the view? There, do you say, there hangs all my confidence, all my joy, my security, my victories, my triumphs! Offense, do they say? Witness for me, I would say, all you angels of light, that "this is all my salvation, and all my desire!" My soul utterly renounces, utterly despises every idea of any other Savior but my Lord Jesus, and Him crucified. Lead me, you blessed Holy Spirit, lead me to the continued celebration of my Lord's cross, in my Lord's supper. There let Jesus Christ be evidently set forth crucified for me; and there may I receive the bread and wine, the representations of His body and blood, in token that I seek redemption in no other, but am heartily, fully, completely satisfied and convinced, that "there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

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Source: The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portion by Robert Hawker (modernized)