Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 February 4– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“They will protect you from the avenger of blood.” 

—Joshua 20:3

In the land of Canaan, the Lord instructed Cities of Refuge to be placed around the country so that a man who had taken the life of someone by mistake might flee and reach one of these cities within a half-day’s travel at the most. And when he entered the City he would be protected from anyone seeking to avenge him.

In the same way, the word of our salvation is near to us; Jesus is a Savior, and the way to him is short; all it takes is a simple renunciation of our own merit and a laying hold of Jesus to be our all in all.

We are told the roads to these cities were strictly preserved. Every river was bridged and every obstruction removed so that the man who fled might have easy passage to the city. How graciously does the gospel remove stumbling blocks from our way!

Wherever there was a junction or a turn in the road, there was a sign that said, “To the city of refuge!” This is like the road to Jesus. It is not a roundabout road like the law; it is no obeying this, that, and the other; it is a straight road: “Believe, and live.” It is a road so hard that no self-righteous man can ever tread it but so easy that every sinner who knows himself to be a sinner will be led to heaven by it.

And the manslayer only had to reach the outer limits of the city for him to be safe; he didn’t have to travel deep within its walls. Learn from this, that if you but touch the hem of Christ’s garment, you will be made whole; if you lay hold upon him with “faith as a grain of mustard seed,” you are safe.

But– waste no time; don’t loiter by the way, for the avenger of blood is a fast runner, and he may be at your heels even this very hour. [M&E]