Sons! Brethren! Princes! Friends! Heirs! Jewels! My Portion! Mine!

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(John MacDuff, "The Night Watches")

"And they shall be Mine, says the LORD Almighty, in that day when I make up My jewels!" Malachi 3:17

"MY JEWELS!" Of what favored creatures does Jehovah thus speak? Is it of seraphs? Is it of angels? Methinks, at such a title, even they would take the dust of abasement, and veiling their faces, cry, "Unclean! unclean!" But, marvel of marvels! It is redeemed sinners of the earth--once crude, unshapely stones, lying in "the horrible pit and the miry clay," amid the rubbish of corruption--who are thus sought out by divine grace, purchased by divine love, destined through eternity to be set as jewels in the crown of the eternal God!

"The Lord's portion is His people!" There is a surpassing revelation of love here. Great, unspeakably great, is the privilege of the believer--to be able to look up to the everlasting Jehovah, and say, "You are my portion, O Lord!" But what is this, in comparison with the response of Omnipotence to the child of dust, "You are Mine!" Reader, have you learned to lisp your part in this wondrous interchange of covenant-love, "My beloved is Mine--and I am His!"

What an array of wondrous titles belong to the saints of God, and given, too, by God Himself, in His own Word! He calls them--Sons! Brethren! Princes! Friends! Heirs! Jewels! My Portion! Mine!

And when is the time when they become thus dear to Him? Sinner, when you wept at the cross of Jesus--you became His jewel. No--from eternity past--"He has loved you with an everlasting love!" True, you are not yet set in His crown. You are yet undergoing the process of polishing. Affliction is preparing you; trial is needed to remove all the roughness and blemishes of nature, and make you fit for your Master's use. But, blessed thought! "Now it is God who has made us (literally, chiseled or polished us) for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." Yes, God Himself, the possessor, who prized that earthly jewel so much, as to give in exchange for it Heaven's "Pearl of great price"--He has the polishing in His own hand! He will not deal too rashly or roughly!

A jewel in Immanuel's crown! Not only raised from the ash-heap to be set among princes; but to gem through eternity--the Forehead that for me, was once wreathed with thorns!

Shall I--can I--murmur at any way my Savior sees fit to polish and prepare me for such an honor as this? Let me sink down on my nightly pillow overpowered with the thought; and as I hear my covenant God whispering in my ear the astounding accents, "You are Mine!" I may well reply, "I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me live in safety!" Psalm 4:8