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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING http://www.heartlight.org/
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
MORNING:
"Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me."
-- Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces.
There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were
not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so
grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a
glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of
surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star-not to be seen in the
sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of
adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set
the jewels of his children's graces, to make them shine the better. It
was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, "Lord, I
fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith." Was not this
really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?-for how canst
thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend
upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered,
and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not
merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified
trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order
to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of
ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced
marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim
through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with
heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this
account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the
Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the
reason why he is contending with you?
"Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there."
EVENING:
"Father, I have sinned."
-- Luke 15:18
It is quite certain that those whom Christ has washed in his precious
blood need not make a confession of sin, as culprits or criminals,
before God the Judge, for Christ has for ever taken away all their sins
in a legal sense, so that they no longer stand where they can be
condemned, but are once for all accepted in the Beloved; but having
become children, and offending as children, ought they not every day to
go before their heavenly Father and confess their sin, and acknowledge
their iniquity in that character? Nature teaches that it is the duty of
erring children to make a confession to their earthly father, and the
grace of God in the heart teaches us that we, as Christians, owe the
same duty to our heavenly Father. We daily offend, and ought not to
rest without daily pardon. For, supposing that my trespasses against my
Father are not at once taken to him to be washed away by the cleansing
power of the Lord Jesus, what will be the consequence? If I have not
sought forgiveness and been washed from these offences against my
Father, I shall feel at a distance from him; I shall doubt his love to
me; I shall tremble at him; I shall be afraid to pray to him: I shall
grow like the prodigal, who, although still a child, was yet far off
from his father. But if, with a child's sorrow at offending so gracious
and loving a Parent, I go to him and tell him all, and rest not till I
realize that I am forgiven, then I shall feel a holy love to my Father,
and shall go through my Christian career, not only as saved, but as one
enjoying present peace in God through Jesus Christ my Lord. There is a
wide distinction between confessing sin as a culprit, and confessing
sin as a child. The Father's bosom is the place for penitent
confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still
need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of
God.
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