October 4—Morning—Genesis 28:15
"Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." — Genesis 28:15

Here is a promise made to Jacob, and not just to Jacob personally, but also to his descendants. The apostle Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, tells the church of Jesus that we, like Isaac, are children of the promise. Therefore, this promise, like all other promises in Christ Jesus, is sure and certain. So, pause and ask yourself, my soul, what has the Lord spoken to you? Has He met you at your Bethel, as He met Jacob? Has He spoken to you there? How will you know? Very clearly: Jesus has met you and spoken to you if you have seen your own unworthiness and sinfulness by nature and by practice, and if you have also seen the King in His beauty—Jesus, in His glory, suitability, and all-sufficiency as your Savior. If He has inclined your heart by His grace to believe in Him, to depend on Him, and to live for His glory, then indeed He has spoken to you.

What do you say to these things, my soul? Is this promise, made to Jacob and his descendants, yours too? If so, live upon Jesus and daily, even hourly, plead for its fulfillment. Say to Him, “Lord, what have You spoken to me of, but mercy, pardon, peace, and grace, along with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus?” What else do I need, or what could I depend upon more than Your promise and You, the great Promiser? Yes, Lord Jesus, I do depend on You, I do believe. Surely You will never leave the one You have loved, and so You will never leave me until You have done all You have spoken of in grace here and will complete in glory hereafter.
 

October 4—Evening—Psalm 78:25
"Man did eat angels' food." — Psalm 78:25

Yes, indeed, man ate angels' food when the Lord rained down manna on the people in the wilderness. But, my soul, what have you eaten now that you’ve been at the table of your Lord? What did Jesus offer you there? "Marvel, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth!" You have feasted on the body and blood of Christ! This is a feast that even angels have never eaten, nor was such a feast ever prepared for them. Pause and reflect on this blessed truth, for it is enough to stir up your wonder, praise, and love forever!

When humanity fell, the earth was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles—this was all the inheritance left to us. Man was to eat bread by the sweat of his brow. But Jesus stepped in and removed the curse by being made a curse for us. With the curse removed by His cross, the earth is now made to yield blessings—"wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart." But beyond this, who could have imagined such rich mercy, that Jesus Himself would become the Bread of Life and the Water of Life to His people, feeding them, like a heavenly pelican, with His own blood!

Think, my soul, of your great privilege. You are unworthy of even the most common blessings at your own table, yet Jesus invites you to feast on the choicest of His blessings. Though you deserved nothing but "the cup of trembling," Jesus gives you "the cup of salvation." You are unworthy to gather even the crumbs that fall from His table, yet He seats you with Him at His table, bidding you to "eat and drink, yes, drink abundantly, O beloved."

Lord, I fall down in the deepest humility at the thought of Your grace and my unworthiness. Oh, precious, precious Jesus! This is not merely angels' food—it is beyond angels' food. It is divine food—Your body and blood! "Lord, evermore give me this bread!"