Our Daily Food
James Smith of Cheltenham is perhaps not a name you know. If you have seen it before, it may have been in a few particular places. You may have noticed a collection of devotions called The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer, one of the few productions of his pen still more or less available. You may have noted his name as one of the preachers on the occasion of the opening of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in 1861, when he preached a sweet sermon on effectual calling.
As well as serving in a number of churches, James Smith was a prolific writer, and his daily readings and devotionals in particular were highly esteemed and hugely popular. ‘My object,’ said our author, ‘is to lead the mind from self—to Jesus; from sin—to salvation; from the troubles of life—to the comforts of the gospel. My aim is to humble the sinner—and exalt the Saviour; to strip the creature—and place the crown on the head of God’s free grace! I cannot ascribe too much to Jesus—or too little to man!’
Some daily devotionals are longer, and demand a fair amount of time. Some are briefer, and take a few moments to read over. These golden nuggets of truth will take only a moment to consider, but will give you matter for a day’s consideration and comfort.
-Jeremy Walker from the Introduction