Father, and fall upon our
knees in grateful praise.

He is God's minister in his encouragements. When he cheers me, it is "the
Sun of righteousness who rises with healing in His wings." All radiant
words are just lamps for "the light of life." All genial speech carries
flame from the altar fire of heaven.

And he is God's minister in his reproofs. He uses a clean knife: there is
no poison on the blade. And when he does surgeon's work upon me, it is
clean work, healthy work, the relentless enemy of disease. Some men cut
me, and the wound festers. There is malice in the deed. My friend wounds
me in order that he may give me a larger, sweeter life.

DECEMBER The Second

_THE LORD AS A FRIEND_

JOHN xv. 8-17.

"Ye are my friends!"

In my Lord's friendship there is _the ministry of sacrifice_. "Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
This great Friend is always giving His blood. It is a lasting shame when
professed Christians are afflicted with spiritual anaemia. And yet we are
often so fearful, so white-faced, so chicken-hearted, so averse from
battle, that no one would think us to be "the soldiers of the Lord." We
need blood. "Except ye drink my blood ye have no life."

And in my Lord's friendship there is the _privilege of most intimate
communion_.

"All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." He
takes us into His confidence, and tells us His secrets. It is His delight
to lift the veil, and give us constant surprises of love and grace. He
discovers flowers in desert places, and in the gloom He unbosoms "the
treasures of darkness." He is a Friend of inexhaustible resource, and His
companionship makes the pilgrim's way teem with interest, and abound in
the wonders of redeeming grace.

DECEMBER The Third

_ARMS AND THE MAN!_

1 THESSALONIANS v. 4-10.

What wonderful armour is offered to me in which to meet the insidious
assaults of the devil!

There is "_the armour of light_." Sunlight is the most sanative energy we
know. It is the foe of many a deadly microbe which seeks a lodging in our
bodies. Light is a splendid armour, even in the realm of the flesh. And so
it is in the soul. If the soul is a home of light, the eternal light, evil
germs will die as soon as they approach us. They will find nothing to
breed on. "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me."

And there is the armour of "_faith and love_." T