October 6—Morning—Psalm 62:8
"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah." —Psalm 62:8

My soul, notice how the Holy Spirit has marked this verse with Selah—a call to pause and reflect. Consider the reason for trust: because God—Elohim—is a refuge. Indeed, God the Father is a refuge through His covenant promises, His word, His oath. God the Son is a refuge in His role as our Surety, in His perfect righteousness, in His cleansing blood that atones for sin, in His death and salvation, and in all the assurances of grace here and glory to come. God the Holy Spirit is a refuge through His blessed offices and works, fulfilling all purposes of salvation, glorifying the Father and the Son for the joy and comfort of every believer.

Will you not, my soul, trust in this glorious Elohim? Will you not pour out your heart before Him, and trust in Him at all times, in every situation? Indeed, shouldn’t you call upon all people to join in this soul-enriching trust, telling them of His grace and glory? “Come, let me tell you what He has done for my soul,” I would say. Oh, let us magnify His name together, for He is a Rock, and His work is perfect.
 

October 6—Evening—Hebrews 11:22
"By faith, Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones." —Hebrews 11:22

See here, my soul, the triumphs of faith in this beautiful example of the patriarch Joseph! How often have I known believers who, while fully trusting Jesus for the redemption of their souls, still experience fears and anxieties when thinking of the body's final rest in death—concerned even for their bones! Yet, look at Joseph’s unwavering faith as he was dying, and learn from him how to find strength and comfort for every concern.

The key is by faith—faith in Jesus, which is sufficient for every need, all the way to the end. In life and in death, concerning the soul or concerning the body, faith in Jesus carries us through. By faith, the soul can boldly depart the body at death, and by faith, the body safely rests in the grave, confident in Jesus’s care.

The believer hears, or can hear, the voice of Jesus echoing His words to Jacob: “Fear not to go down into Egypt; I will go down with you.” So too, Jesus speaks to His people, “Fear not to go down into the grave; I will go down with you!” Through faith, like Joseph, the believer can rest assured in Jesus concerning even their bones.

Who can remain anxious when all is entrusted to Jesus? Why fear for the body, when Jesus Himself appoints the place and time for its rest, guarding the remains of His saints with more care than a jeweler does precious gold? Precious Jesus! May I, like Joseph, have the same strong faith when I face death. Let the faith that has carried me through past trials carry me through this final conflict.

Lord, let me die as I have lived—believing and triumphing in belief. And when the earth gives way beneath me, and all objects of sense fade, may my soul, like a jewel from a casket, rise in joy and triumph through faith in You, trusting You with everything, even concerning my bones!