"EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE." Jacob admits defeat: only God can help. All our mercies are to be traced to our God, and all our miseries to ourselves. All too often we make ourselves wretched by departing from our God, or by putting creatures in His place. We put persons and things in God's stead to claim our affections; we love them inordinately, trusting them instead of God; in our worship, we idolize them instead of adoring God; and in our expectations, we look to them to relieve or deliver instead of looking to God. But hopelessness is written upon every created object. No creature can fill the place of Jehovah: take the richest, the wisest, the kindest, the nearest relative or friend, and you will exclaim, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Jehovah alone can fill the place of all; He can be instead of father, husband, child, wealth, health, yea, everything. Creatures may say, "Am I in God's stead?" If not, why look to me? Why depend on me? Why expect help from me? Why grieve so to part with me? "Am I in God's stead?"

For Meditation:
Heavenly Adam, Lord divine,
Change my nature into Thine:
Fill and reign within my soul,
Activate and take control;
Lord! my fainting heart revive,
Make me Thine, and make alive.